Business and Management (Tourism Management)

Following our tourism management pathway, you’ll develop specialist skills. You’ll learn to:

• Evaluate different approaches to destination management
• Understand contemporary social changes as they relate to tourism
• Demonstrate your knowledge of a range of emerging tourism forms.

In addition to this, you’ll develop the key skills and knowledge of business and management that will enable you to thrive in a variety of business settings. You’ll cover a range of disciplines across tourism, hospitality, the public sector, destination organisation and management. With a global mindset, hands-on experience in working with real-life briefs and specialist knowledge of the UK and international travel sector, you’ll be well positioned to kick start your career in a travel and destination business.

You can also bring in modules from areas outside of the Tourism Management pathway if you want to explore issues around a particular theme, such as sustainability or global affairs.

Year one
Gain a broad understanding of today's business environment – from the context in which organisations operate through to trends in economic thinking and the importance of data in business. Modules will cover topics such as:

• organisations and the business environment
• economics and globalisation
• managing data.

Year two
Focus on the inner workings of businesses. Use business techniques to solve problems and start developing the skills that employers look for. Modules cover key themes including creativity and innovation in business. At the end of the year, you can choose to embark on a ten-month business placement or a ten-week summer placement - applying what you've learned so far in the real world.

Year 3
Develop and explore your business learning and focusing on contemporary tourism issues. Undertake an in-depth business research project in tourism management. You'll also have a chance to set up a business on your own or with fellow students. Other topics to explore include:

• managing sustainability
• organisational strategy
• new trends in management
• creating and hosting festivals and events
• strategic human resource management.

You'll be assessed in a wide range of ways that will test your business knowledge and management skills. These could include presentations, work related projects, group work, computer based simulations, podcasts, exams, essays, videos and business reports.

We offer variety in the way we teach: sometimes we’ll set you problems so that you can find the answers for yourself; sometimes we’ll lecture. Most modules use a mix of lectures and small group seminars. There’s a good blend of online activities using our Virtual Learning Environment, Minerva. We invite business leaders in to talk about their experiences, and we arrange visits to local businesses. All of our teaching methods facilitate your development as a self-directed learner.

You’ll be given personal support in your studies – we’re a friendly team of academics who are committed to helping you achieve your goals.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

We give you the opportunity to work with regional and national businesses. You’ll be working on live project briefs, helping organisations find creative solutions to their business issues.

Depending on your pathway and the modules you study, you can gain accreditation by professional bodies and get exemption from professional exams.

In addition to the business community projects mentioned above, you’ll have fantastic opportunities to work closely with business and industry through placements, projects and internships.

Employers such as Logica, NHS, Liberty, Ocado, IBM, Marks and Spencer, American Express, Sky and Numatic International have recruited graduates from this course. After completing this course, graduates can progress to roles and areas such as:

• Hotel/hospitality management
• Tourism hospitality
• Social media
• Travel trade
• Public sector work
• Destination organisation
• Local tourism.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

You'll have access to excellent facilities at our Newton Park campus and city centre studios as well as online resources. These include:

• Commons building
• Newton Park library
• Writing and Learning Centre
• Specialist resources and subject librarian
• Our Virtual Learning Environment
• Free access to courses via LinkedIn Learning
• English Language Unit
• The Studio in Bath
• Immersive Promotion Design

Our libraries offer a wide range of business resources, including a wealth of online material that can be accessed on- and off-campus, enabling you to work at times that suit you.