Course summary
Tourism is one of the world’s largest and most dynamic sectors and is forecast to continue growing during this century. The sector needs entrepreneurial professionals who can contribute to, lead or create successful businesses that will support sustainable tourism in challenging global circumstances. This long-established course gives you the knowledge, analytical skills and life-changing experiences to make a successful career as a tourism professional.
Our Tourism with Business BA offers an interdisciplinary approach, combining expertise in business along with an in-depth understanding of tourism’s influence and how it can be harnessed to create a positive legacy. You will learn how destinations, visitor attractions, transport and accommodation are planned, marketed and managed, along with key business issues such as finance and accounting, managing and leading people, global strategic management, and sustainability.
We enjoy a fantastic location in the heart of London, one of the world’s leading tourism destinations. Your studies will include regular site visits to major tourism suppliers such as hotel companies, transport operators and attractions for behind-the-scenes tours, visits to major tourism events, and talks from experienced tourism professionals. We invite tourism practitioners into the classroom and our students liaise with our industry partners on projects.
Our graduates are entrepreneurial and globally engaged and we encourage you to participate in the international opportunities we offer. You will develop a range of important transferable skills that are sought by employers and that are crucial to business success – the ability to think critically and creatively, to communicate effectively in writing and in person, and to be socially, ethically and environmentally aware. Many of our graduates develop careers in global tourism organisations including online travel agencies, tour operators, hotel companies, and visitor attractions. Others work for smaller more specialised tourism businesses and some set up their own businesses.
You can choose to take part in an optional year-long work placement module, which will enable you to experience a year in industry. The tourism placement year will help you develop employability and transferable skills through increased commercial awareness and professionalism.
Our tourism teaching team are well known for their research and publications. They present at international conferences and have published academic texts used at universities around the world.
We welcome applications from dynamic, committed and self-motivated individuals who are passionate about travel, tourism and business, and who want to contribute to tourism’s future as a force for a sustainable world.
Top reasons to study with us
- Internationally recognised expertise – our teaching team are well known for their research and publications. They speak at conferences around the world and publish books and articles which are used on courses globally
- Industry partnerships – our location in one of the world’s leading tourism destinations and business hubs facilitates our many industry links. Your studies may include site visits to hotels, transport operators, major tourism events, and talks from experienced tourism professionals
- A global outlook – we encourage you to participate in the international opportunities on offer. Previous students have spent semesters in our overseas partner universities around the world and participated in field trips and study visits
- An interdisciplinary course – this degree brings together planning, business and tourism to produce graduates with a holistic understanding of the whole industry
Course structure
Learning takes place through lectures, seminars, tutorials, individual and team project work, site visits and study trips, and your own private study. We endeavour to schedule your classes on three days of the week, allowing you time to study independently and to take advantage of the many part-time tourism industry opportunities in London.
Our assessments are varied and we often include a practical, industry-focused element to simulate real-life industry scenarios.
Each year of study includes a short visit outside London to learn from industry practitioners about how the challenges of tourism are tackled in different types of destination. Our course is modular, comprising core and option modules, and becomes more flexible as you progress. This allows you to specialise and create your own course pathway.
The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course. You will take 120 credits each year, split across 4-6 modules.
| Year 1 | Subjects of study include: - Creating and Managing an Online Presence
- Current Debates in Tourism
- Foundations of Accounting and Finance
- Global Business Environment
- Hospitality in Tourism and Events
- Planning for the Visitor Economy
- Polylang Westminster+ Elective
- Principles of Event Management
- Study Skills and Employability
- The Business of Sport
- Understanding Events
- Understanding Tourism
Credit Level 4 |
| Year 2 | Subjects of study include: - Community Planning for Tourism
- Destinations
- Event Operations
- Events in the Business Environment
- Global Economic Issues
- Heritage Tourism
- Managing and Leading People
- Marketing Tourism and Events
- Polylang Westminster+ Elective
- Sports Event Tourism
- The Airline Industry
- The Research Process
- Tourism and Society
- Tourism Experience
Credit Level 5 |
| Placement Year | You can choose to take part in an optional year-long work placement module, which will enable you to experience a year in industry. The tourism placement year will help you develop employability and transferable skills through increased commercial awareness and professionalism. Those who complete the year-long work placement will graduate with the award "BA Honours Tourism with Business with Professional Experience". |
| Year 3 | Subjects of study include: - City Tourism and Urban Change
- Creating Entrepreneurial Leadership
- Cultural Differences and People Management
- Supervised Research Project
- Employability for Tourism and Events
- Eventful Cities
- Events for Culture and Society
- Managing Airports
- Mega-Events and Urban Regeneration
- Polylang Westminster+ Elective
- Strategic Management
- Sustainable Tourism in the Developing World
- The Politics of Tourism
- Tourism and the Mediterranean: Comparative Study
Credit Level 6 |
Course climate action statement
This course promotes understanding essential to accelerate climate action in the tourism and events sector. We will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and practical responses to help mitigate the risks of ecological and social disruptions, and to share their learning when entering employment.
