The degree offers students a firm grounding in business and marketing with an industry focus in tourism management, opening up a range of career directions. It allows you to develop a wide understanding of the tourism industry while giving you the practical skills to take on a management role across a range of sectors including travel, hotel and leisure.
Through a combination of classroom-based learning and fieldwork, you study a broad number of areas including the business of tourism and hospitality; intercultural management in tourism; principles of marketing; critical issues in tourism and hospitality; consumer behaviour; and marketing communications in the digital age.
The University of Bedfordshire is a member of The Association for Tourism in Higher Education (ATHE). ATHE is the subject association for tourism in higher education in the UK. It represents universities that are leading providers of tourism programmes.
Why choose this course?
- Learn essential skills for a career in the tourism industry, in a department with close links to local tourism, hospitality and business organisations
- Apply your understanding of theory to real-life briefs and case studies
- Gain additional insights through field trips to local and international organisations, facilitated by your academic team
- Learn a range of transferable skills to become a self-directed, self-regulated and reflexive individual
- Benefit from a course that opens up career opportunities as a manager or marketing manager across conference organisation; outdoor activities; education; theme parks; tourist information; travel agencies; tour operators; the hotel and leisure industry. You can also go on to postgraduate study in the field
- Take the degree over four years and include a fee-free year in industry (see below), gaining experience, building your CV and making contacts for the future
- If you need a step up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year (see below) which guarantees your place on the degree course
Unit Information - What will I learn?
Units
- Business Of Tourism And Hospitality (TAL031-1) Compulsory
- Business Practice Explored (BSS005-1) Compulsory
- Consumer Behaviour (MAR022-1) Compulsory
- Principles Of Marketing (MAR001-1) Compulsory
- Understanding Tourism And Hospitality (TAL021-1) Compulsory
- Using Data To Build Business Practice (BSS004-1) Compulsory
- Brand Management (MAR016-2) Compulsory
- Digital Innovation And Entrepreneurship (MAR038-2) Compulsory
- Interactive Marketing Management (MAR032-2) Compulsory
- Intercultural Management In Tourism (TAL036-2) Compulsory
- Marketing Communications In The Digital Age (MAR021-2) Compulsory
- Strategy And Innovation (BSS029-2) Compulsory
- Tourism And Society (TAL049-2) Compulsory
- Continuing Professional Development (MAR027-3) Compulsory
- Critical Issues In Tourism And Hospitality (TAL030-3) Compulsory
- Marketing Ethics And Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) (MAR028-3) Compulsory
- Marketing In A Global Context (MAR014-3) Compulsory
- Preparation For Specialist Research Project (MAR029-3) Compulsory
- Specialist Research Project (MAR030-3) Compulsory
How will I be assessed?
The assessment strategy supports the course's focus on being an independent learner and employability. Your subject knowledge and key skills such as team work, communication, information literacy, research and evaluation, creativity and critical thinking are tested throughout the course using various relevant assessments to meet the learning outcomes as well as your different learning styles. The key subject themes increase in intensity as you progress to the next level and then to the final year, allowing you to build on previous knowledge. The assessments are therefore designed to support you to work both in a team and independently. The assessments reflects incremental learning as well as focus on being a confident independent learner by providing more group work opportunities at the start of your course to build your team skills and engagement, and progresses to more individual and guided assessments to challenge you academically and professionally. The variations of assessments you will engage with ensures that you accumulate all the skills necessary to interact efficiently within the world of marketing and tourism management.
