International Tourism and Hospitality Management module details

Year one

Block 1: Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality

This module is designed to introduce students to the ever-growing and changing Tourism and Hospitality sectors. Students will be introduced to the theoretical foundations, historical development and contemporary context of the Tourism and Hospitality Management Industry. A field trip into the city will support some of the historical context. The module will also explore how the two sectors are combined and will explore the current opportunities and challenges of the sectors. The module also encourages students to think critically about the definitions of Tourism and Hospitality. Academic skills to support the learning for the programme such as research methods, presentation delivery, referencing and essay writing will be incorporated into this module.

Assessment: Presentation 20% and Essay 80%

Block 2: Sustainable and Responsible Travel and Business

In recent years, sustainability has become a focus within the travel industry. It is essential to consider sustainable methods of travel both to and from the destination and whilst touring. This module presents the opportunity for students to engage with the ideologies of community based and international tourism models. Case studies such as the Bribri community in Costa Rica who live a sustainable life and invite tourists into their community; Iberostar who lead the way in sustainable tourism with a specific focus on their model “Wave of Change” will be used throughout. This module will also include a field trip to a regional airport, to consider efficiency, the planet and people. Links between hospitality, travel and tourism and global issues and frameworks such as the UNSDGs will also be explored. Academic skills to support the learning of the programme such as report writing and presentations will be incorporated into this module.

Assessment: Written Proposal 20% Presentation 80%

Block 3: Management and Finance in Tourism and Hospitality

This module is an introduction to the principles of finance and accounting in the Tourism and Hospitality sectors, covering the basic concepts and practicalities of corporate finance, the principles of valuation, financial management and business investment, the role and purpose of company accounts and their usefulness, security analysis, risk and returns from investments, and personal finance. As a core part of the learning, students will need to analyse financial statements, industry annual reports and demonstrate an understanding of profit and loss. The module also introduces management through the concept of Yield Management which will also be explored within the context of the hospitality sector. This module develops financial management skills for employability and supports the International Research Visit Level 5 module and the Level 6 Enterprise: Tourism and Hospitality Project module.

Assessment: Report 20% and Case Study 80%

Block 4: Digital Marketing for Tourism and Hospitality

This module presents the opportunity for students to review and analyse the growing use of Digital Marketing across the Tourism and Hospitality Industry for marketing and communications. In addition to considering Digital Marketing from an industry perspective, the module will also explore consumer behaviours and the use of digital platforms to inform decision-making. To support the learning for this module, case studies will be introduced such as the popular Airbnb model, Booking.com, but also more recent platforms such as Moonback.com and Fairbnb Coop. Students will evaluate these platforms in relation to their engagement with sustainable and community-powered tourism as collaborative activities. The module encourages students to think critically about the latest issues and challenges for tourism and hospitality within the digital age.

Assessment: Marketing Pitch or Podcast 100%

Year two

Block 1: Programming and Planning Festivals

As the business environment becomes more complex the need increases for those wanting a career as arts managers or event managers within the tourism industry to develop management competencies which integrate different disciplines and traditions. In this module, students have the chance to develop their understanding of business and strategic planning for a one-off festival event in a 'real life' context. Collaborative activities will be included to support student learning. The core of the module is a festival case study that is used to introduce key concepts in programming and strategic planning and some management tools with which students can develop a business plan. It also addresses the principal areas of law that affect public events, and the requirements to host sustainable events, and the case study provides an in-depth understanding of accounting practice in the context of tendering and business planning for festivals and small organisational activities.

Assessment: Presentation 100%

Block 2: Resort Management

This module is designed to support students’ employability skills and prepare them for customer-focused scenarios within the Tourism and Hospitality sectors. To be successful managers in both Tourism and Hospitality it is important to understand the customer and their needs, but also to have an understanding of different cultures and consumer behaviours, which in turn supports customer satisfaction. Some of the learning to support intercultural competence, communication and internationalisation for this module will be assisted by colleagues in the Centre for English Language Learning (CELL). Field trips to different cultural hubs in local cities will also be incorporated to support an understanding of place, identity and heritage.

Assessment: Essay 30% and Presentation 70%

Block 3: International Tourism and Hospitality Research Visit

In this module, students develop their understanding of the needs of the traveller from the perspective of the Tourism and Hospitality sectors. The core of the module presents the opportunity for a 5-day international research visit to a European city. As an example, Amsterdam is the largest metropolitan area in The Netherlands and has many museums and cultural areas with a direct Eurostar line from London to Amsterdam which launched in October 2020. This allows for many tourists and business travellers to take a sustainable option; travelling by train rather than plane. Amsterdam City Council has also launched a campaign (30^th March 2023) to discourage ‘nuisance tourists’ such as the hen and stag weekends. The assessment for this module includes primary research, enabling students to also gain an understanding of the ethical processes required for research. The assessment will be presented as a ‘real-life context’ to the academic team and a partner within the travel industry such as a tour operator/travel agent or general manager of a hotel.

Assessment: Presentation 100%

Block 4: Research Methods: Dissertation and Placement

The aim of this module is to connect the academic and practical elements of the Arts and Festivals Management and International Tourism and Hospitality Management degrees. Being able to carry out research is as much a fundamental requirement of being an effective manager as it is of being an academic. Through this module, students will have the opportunity to study research from an academic and applied perspective in preparation for either their third-year dissertation or placement. The module requires students to show evidence of how knowledge and understanding derived from the research methods lectures and assignments will be transferred into the research they carry out for their dissertation or placement proposal.

Assessment: Written Proposal 100%

Year three

Block 1: Destination Marketing

This module presents the opportunity to advance the knowledge and skills gained from earlier modules such as Digital Marketing for Tourism and Hospitality and will explore Destination Marketing and place branding. Using case studies such as IAMsterdam and I Feel sLOVEnia, the module will explore how territories/destinations brand themselves. The PRICE Model will be introduced to support this module. By evaluating the role of marketing and marketers within an organisation and its interactions with consumers, as well as the impacts of cultural, technological and environmental advancements, students will develop critical analysis and thinking. Students will examine the content, communications and branding strategies of different types of tourism and hospitality brands to test their knowledge and develop practical skills. Students will develop employability skills such as teamwork, visual communication and presentation.

Assessment: Group Presentation 40% and Infographic and Report 60%

Block 2: Tourism and Hospitality Products: Natural, Cultural, Eco and Dark Tourism

This module provides students with the opportunity to study a range of niche forms of tourism including natural tourism, cultural tourism, eco-tourism and dark tourism. Students will be presented with a range of case studies which will allow them to explore the factors which influence these forms of tourism. Students will reflect on and evaluate the ethical foundations and sustainability of these forms of tourism. Students will also consider consumer behaviour and the social, cultural and political contexts which drive engagement with these tourism and hospitality products

Assessment: Presentation 30% and Report 70%

Block 3: Enterprise: Tourism and Hospitality Project

This module presents the opportunity for students to produce an individual business plan for either the Tourism or Hospitality sector that serves as a commercial and employability-relevant experience and synthesises existing knowledge and skills gained throughout the Programme. Students will explore gaps in the market and develop their own proposal ideas with SMART objectives. It requires students to compile a commercially viable business plan for a sustainable business that acts as a response to a societal challenge or opportunity. The final submission should also incorporate tools such as SWOT and PESTLE and will be communicated to an academic/and or industry professional.

Assessment: Proposal 30% and Business Plan 70%

Block 4: Placement

This module aims to complete the student's preparation for a career in International Tourism and Hospitality Management. The placement will be over a four-week period (20 days) with an organisation of their choice within the sector. The placement will build on the applied experience that students will have gained from other elements of their programme to provide practical experience of employment in either the tourism or hospitality sector. The experience will be challenging, involving them in work that is both complex and demanding and requiring a high degree of initiative, effectiveness and commitment. It is expected that students will have the opportunity to participate in several aspects of their host's work. The focus for the placement will be agreed upon through negotiation between the student and their host with support from the module leader. The module will enable students to: observe and analyse the management of an organisation within their chosen area; critically evaluate the work of the host institution internally; specialise in an area of either tourism or hospitality in which they are interested; extend their range of contacts. This module will be supported by the Careers Team.

Assessment: Placement Report 100%

Block 4: Dissertation

The dissertation aims to offer students the opportunity to explore in some depth a topic of their own choice, in which they will need to demonstrate competence in the extended application of a selected part of the methodology of the subject. It aims to develop competence in self-managed study and to deepen the student's awareness of the value of in-depth research.

Assessment: Viva 10% and Dissertation 90%