Tourism is a thriving international industry with great employment opportunities within a variety of sectors, from travel and marketing to public and voluntary. As travel and business opportunities increase in China the ability to speak Mandarin is a skill increasingly in demand by organisations.
Our cutting-edge degree combines theory with practice and focuses on global trends and current developments in international tourism. The theory element offers a distinctive social science perspective covering topics such as sustainability, cultural tourism, and tourism in developing countries. The practical component offers a range of exciting placement and field trip options, enabling you to build professional industry experience, in the UK and abroad, while you study.
Along with knowledge and skills highly relevant within the tourism industry you will also learn Mandarin as part of your degree through specialist classes with an expert language tutor. Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world and this additional skill will help you succeed in the tourism sector, with great support offered by our academics and a study abroad year in China to enhance your learning.
Your studies will be focused on tourism's impacts and wider significance in a dynamic and changing world, and throughout the course you will develop an understanding of the academic and applied aspects of international tourism. You will graduate, armed with an understanding of the characteristics of tourists, including tourist demand, demand trends and tourist behaviour, as well as the products and structure of the industry and the business environment in which it operates.
You will take Mandarin language classes in Year 1, 2 and final year, and you will advance your studies to include business communications in Mandarin.
You will graduate with the confidence to examine, critique and evaluate various impacts of tourism upon economies, communities and the environment and how these impacts can be effectively managed.
You will also develop key transferable skills including analytical thinking and problem solving along with the ability to work effectively in teams, and be able to present and communicate business management ideas with confidence.
This module aims to introduce you to the characteristics of the global tourism industry as well as the international traveller. The module will include a range of relevant topics including the concept and context of tourism, the development of tourism, tourist/employee behaviour and motivation, the structure, dimensions and characteristics of tourism as a service industry, various dynamic tourism business ideas, the characteristics of different (operational) sectors and their interaction within the tourism system, the role of intermediaries in the business of tourism, events, role of IT and the current and future trends of tourism business.
The module introduces you to the disciplines, theories, issues and techniques in the social sciences that are relevant to the understanding of tourism in a broad social context. This includes the areas of sociology, psychology, political economy, economics, anthropology, politics and environmental studies. It also aims to show how these disciplines inform debates within tourism with particular emphasis upon the examination of the impact of tourism. A key aim is to demonstrate that an understanding of the social side of tourism is not a supplement to the business approach, but is essential to the successful operation of this sector.
This module aims to introduce Mandarin Chinese to those with little or no previous knowledge of the language. It forms your basic literacy skills in reading authentic Chinese texts and writing simplified Chinese characters and develops your understanding of contemporary Chinese societies and business-related cultures.
This module aims to introduce Mandarin to those with little or no previous knowledge of the language. It aims to form basic skills in listening to and speaking Mandarin and develop your understanding of contemporary Chinese societies and business-related cultures.
This module aims to examine and analyse the theories and practices of tourism management. You will explore the functions of management within the context of the tourism industry and examine management issues involved in different sectors of the tourism business. This module also aims to assist you in developing your professional skills and entrepreneurial skills in this dynamic industry such as creativity, communication, problem-solving, teamwork, project management, research and logical reasoning through planning and developing a day-tour itinerary.
This module aims to develop critical awareness of the range of appropriate quantitative and qualitative research methodologies available, and the underlying philosophical and ethical principles of research in the context of tourism. You will develop your ability to relate theoretical material to real world case study material making clear the links between theory, method and data. In addition, you will develop your key employability skills.
This module has two aims. Firstly, to provide you with the knowledge and understanding of key mainstream marketing and tourism specific consumer behaviour theories and models. Secondly, you will develop skills in researching and analysing tourist behaviour. Tourist behaviour and decision making before and during tourist trips will be explored including but not confined to visitor attractions, events, weekend breaks, mass tourism, and specialist holidays.
This module aims to build upon and extend your ability to listen, speak, read and write Mandarin Chinese in business contexts, and to promote an understanding of Chinese culture, in general and in the business world. You will analyse the main types of business communications in order to appreciate relevant specialised vocabularies and underlying cultural assumptions.
This module will allow you to fully experience the culture and everyday life of Mandarin -speaking societies by spending a full year at a host university in a Mandarin-speaking country. You will build upon and extend your abilities in Mandarin in academic business and cultural contexts by taking a Term of Study Abroad at a Higher Education (HE) partner institution. You may also seek to undertake a company placement in the host country as part of your Immersion Year, but this will be subject to approval at Middlesex University. At the HE partner institution, you will be required to take two taught modules, one of which at least must be a business or business-related subject in Mandarin at the host institution. This will furnish you with an intellectual understanding of subject-related disciplines in the host country and/or actual experience at a placement. You will consolidate and expand your specialised vocabulary in Mandarin as well as your knowledge of specialised bibliography in subject-related issues. You will set goals for important aspects of the Immersion Year, to log and evaluate your experiences, to review your goals, and to record and assess details of personal and academic development in a Mandarin-speaking environment. Combined, this will provide you with great insight into the learning of the discipline in Mandarin. You will be able to immerse yourself in the host country and consolidate your learning of Mandarin along with gaining concrete experience of the host country's cultural norms and protocols which will be invaluable assets in your professional life.
This module examines some of the contemporary issues facing tourism through a global to local framework. The module aims to provide a critical awareness and understanding of alternative policy and planning approaches and the institutions involved in formulating policy responses. Case studies are used to explore the potential and limitations of different theoretical approaches.
This module centres on three themes:
This module aims to facilitate you to apply generic principles of marketing management to the tourism industry, with a particular focus on distinguishing characteristics of hospitality and tourism products.
This module aims to review, consolidate and further enhance your existing language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in Mandarin Chinese in business contexts so you can function more comfortably and confidently in the Chinese business environment. You will also gain a better understanding of the macro and micro Chinese economic situations and specific market needs through a selection of case studies.
This module builds upon your knowledge of the business of the Hospitality Industry from both theoretical and practical experiences. You will become familiar with research and practice in the field of Strategic Management, Organisational behaviour, Human Resource Management, Work Psychology, Entrepreneurship, Business Strategy in light of current affairs, technology, culture and globalisation to develop an ability to apply decision-making theories to hospitality operations whilst appreciating the difficulties and consequences of making changes within an organisation.
Through the study of a wide range of case studies from diverse geographical environments this module aims to provide a broad critical understanding of the opportunities and constraints involved in achieving the balance between the environmental, social and economic aspects of tourism that is needed to achieve sustainable tourism. In addition, you will explore the role of sustainable tourism in the context of sustainable development.
This module aims to develop a critical understanding of the debates surrounding the growth of cultural and heritage tourism in contemporary societies. You will analyse and evaluate both global and local perspectives and approaches in theorising and managing cultural and heritage tourism. In order to synthesise both social science based and management driven discourses on culture, heritage and tourism, the professional practices of cultural and heritage tourism in both developed and developing countries will be incorporated.
This module aims to develop a critical understanding of the events industry, the impacts and legacy of events and event strategy, and planning and management. You will be introduced to a range of corporate, sporting, and arts and cultural events and festivals, from community festivals to hallmark and mega events and different academic perspectives on their classification. You will also explore their origins, current and future trends so you can develop a depth of knowledge of the event industry and analyse the impacts, sustainability and legacy of events. Taking a case study approach, the motivations and roles of the private, public and third sectors in the development and execution of events will also be discussed and analysed. The strategy, planning and management of events will be explored, at the end of which you will develop an event strategy and implementation plan.
The module aims to provide the opportunity for you to undertake an individual investigation in a chosen area of interest in the field of tourism. You will encouraged to take responsibility for your own learning through conducting an in-depth study and demonstrating your abilities to select and appropriately use a wide range of sources to analyse, challenge and critically evaluate the views received. You will be able to acquire and demonstrate the acquisition of a range of research skills being applied to the approved topic.
You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Module and programme information is indicative and may be subject to change.
There is an exciting diversity of tourism careers across the private, public and voluntary sectors, with roles for graduates within the tourism sector including;
International Tourism graduates have gone on to work in areas including local authorities, tourist boards, airlines, airports, travel agencies, hotels, museums, heritage centres, sports, meeting and event companies. Some of the companies our graduates have been employed by include City of London Corporation, Etihad, Eurostar, Marriott, Radisson Blu Edwardian, Thomas Cook, Travel Republic and Virgin Holidays. A number of graduates also go on to do further study for a Master’s Degree or PhD qualification.
Start: September 2018
Duration: 3 years full-time, 6 years part-time
Code: N800
Start: October 2018, EU / International induction: September 2018
Duration: 4 years full-time
Code: NVR4
Start: September 2018
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Code: N80A