International Tourism Management - BA (Hons) Degree

​This degree can be studied as a three-year full-time degree or a four-year degree that includes a year of foundational study. Our foundation year is intended to prepare you for your subsequent years of studying, offering you the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence.

The foundation year will be relevant to:

1. Students who have not achieved the required A-level points (or equivalent) score to enter the first year of the degree programme.
2. Mature students who have been out of the formal education system for some time.

Find out more about the foundation year.

Please note: You will need to apply using a specific UCAS code if you wish to undertake the 4 years including foundation. Please refer to Key Course Information at the bottom of this page.

Degree:

Both the BA (Hons) International Tourism Management and BA (Hons) International Tourism Management degrees comprises of several core management and tourism specific modules, with a range of options to enable students to tailor the courses to their specific interests and career ambitions. 

During each year of study, students will complete 120 credits worth of modules from the lists below:

Year One:

The first year will introduce you to some of the key concepts in business and tourism management.

Compulsory modules for all pathways:

• Business of Tourism (20 credits)

• The Global Tourism Environment (20 credits)
  

• Marketing for Tourism, Hospitality and Events (20 credits)*
  

• People Development within Organisations (20 credits)
  

• Revenue, Costing and Budgetary Controls (20 credits)
  

*Available through the medium of Welsh

Compulsory optional modules (pick one of the following) **

• Shaping Your Future: Professional Tourism Landscapes (20 credits)
  
• Applied Business Spanish 1 (20 credits)
• Mandarin Chinese in Professional Contexts 1 (20 credits)
• French in Professional Contexts 1 (20 credits)

** Students can choose to do either Shaping Your Future: Professional Tourism Landscapes or one of the language modules in Year one.

Year Two:

The second year builds on your existing knowledge base and progress into more specialist areas of tourism management.

Compulsory modules for all pathways:

• Destination Management (20 credits)

• Niche Tourism (20 credits)
  

• Research Design in Practice (20 credits)*
  

*Available through the medium of Welsh

Compulsory optional modules (pick at least one):

• Consumer Behaviour for Tourism, Hospitality and Events (20 credits)
• People Management for Tourism, Hospitality and Events (20 credits)
• Business Start-Up and Entrepreneurship (20 credits)

Optional Modules:

• Summer Work Placement (20 credits)
• Social Change and (In)Equalities (20 credits)
• Technologies for Tourism, Hospitality and Events (20 credits)
• Applied Business Spanish 2 (20 credits) **
• Mandarin Chinese in Professional Contexts 2 (20 credits) **
• French in Professional Contexts 2 (20 credits) **

* Module available through the medium of Welsh

** Students can only choose a language option if picked up in Year one

Year Three:

The third year enables students to tailor their degree based on their interests and career aspirations.

Compulsory modules:

• Tourism and Global Challenges (20 credits)
• Destination Stewardship and Resilience (20 credits)
• Strategic leadership and Change Management (20 credits)
• Dissertation (40 credits) *,Enterprise Project (40 credits) *, Consultancy Project (40 credits) OR Independent Research Project (20 credits)

Optional modules:

• Resort and Stadia Management (20 credits)
• Gastronomic Tourism (20 credits)
• Marketing Communications in the Digital Age (20 credits)
• Employee Resourcing and Volunteer Management (20 credits)
• Destinations and Events (20 credits)
• Leadership and Professional Development with Mentoring (20 credits)
• Spanish in Professional Contexts 3 **
• Mandarin Chinese in Professional Contexts 3 **
• French in Professional Contexts 3 **

* Module available through the medium of Welsh

** Students can only choose a language option if picked up in Year one

Lectures are a major part of the teaching strategy for the programme, these will be supplemented with tutorials, seminars and field trips at each level to expand upon and consolidate material covered in lectures. Visiting speakers and guest lecturers are also used by the specific module team at all three levels. In addition to timetabled delivery, students are expected to spend additional time reading, preparing for classes, engaging in group or virtual projects, researching, and completing assessments. All your chosen modules can be accessed via Moodle. As a student you will also have access to Library services, Met Search, and resources from ABTA and the Tourism Management Institute. On any one 20 credit module, you will receive up to 48 hours contact time and will be expected to undertake 152 hours of independent self-study time.

All our students have the opportunity and are encouraged to do the BA(Hons) International Tourism Management with Internship degree where you will spend a year in industry as part of the course. Recent students have spent this time with organisations such as, Disney, the Greenwich Country Club and various international hotel chains.

Our industry links mean that opportunities for gaining experience also go far beyond our official work placement modules and we actively encourage our students to undertake paid and volunteer work throughout the duration of their studies.

Each student on both the BA(Hons) International Tourism Management and BA(Hons) International Tourism Management programmes will have their own allocated personal tutor who remains the same throughout the duration of your studies. You will meet with your personal tutor during induction week and at several designated touch points during the year. The Personal Tutor Scheme aims to promote success and achievement, supporting all students to realise their potential through development of Graduate Attributes (as outlined in the University's Graduate Attribute Framework) in conjunction with their academic studies and extracurricular activities. Central to the success of this approach will be supporting effective, meaningful, and empowering student and tutor partnerships.

The Personal Tutors work closely with the Programme Directors, Year Tutors and Student Services to ensure that your needs are effectively met and that your time at Cardiff Met is both a pleasant and successful experience.

The teaching and research expertise of the academic staff from the department of Tourism, Hospitality and Events cover a range of different themes and areas relating to tourism management

Dr Emmet McLoughlin teaches on several modules at both undergraduate and MSc level. Dr McLoughlin continues to publish widely on his research interests around data driven approaches to sustainability, indicators for sustainable destination management and sustainable planning for tourism and events.

Dr Jeanette Reis research focus is on sustainable marine management, most recently with an emphasis on marine wildlife tourism. Dr Reis has published several academic papers, books and consultancy reports over the last 20 years involving projects based across the UK, Europe, and Canada.

Dr Vicky Richards teaches on several modules across tourism, research methods and student research. Research interests and teaching focuses on the 'tourist gaze', increased emphasis on visitor experience, issues of embodiment, gender, tourism for all and social justice.

Helene Grousset-Rees teaches a range of subjects relating to tourism, hospitality, and events, including visitor attractions, sustainable business practices, field study, digital marketing, and marketing management, all with a strong focus on the customer experience. 

Dr Emma Bettinson teaches across the range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the department with a special interest in Tourism Marketing and Branding and Advertising.

Dr Sheena Carlisle is a senior lecturer in tourism management and research interests include destination development, crisis management, tourism ethics and skills for sustainability in tourism.

Dr Claire Haven-Tang teaches on modules including Niche Tourism, with research interests in destination development, Sense of Place, tourism SMEs and business and event tourism.

Dr Nic Matthews has 17 years of experience in the design and delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in physical activity, sport, play and health. Dr Matthews contributes particularly to modules in research methods and physical activity, play and sports development policy and practice.

The School of Management assessment strategy for each module on both the BA (Hons) International Tourism Management and BA (Hons) International Tourism Management with Internship programmes varies to ensure the most appropriate method is used to achieve learning outcomes. A range of assessment methods are utilised across all levels, including essays, reports, presentations, case studies, podcasts, portfolios, and poster presentations..

Our assessments are also designed to develop and promote transferrable skills and be of practical use when working within the tourism industry. This involves team working, problem solving, presentation skills, digital skills, communication and working under pressure.

Students will receive a wide range of feedback on their work via both formative and summative assessment, verbally and in written format.

Tourism is a vital sector of the UK economy, and as an industry it has proven itself in the past to be both innovating and resilient in the face of disease and natural disasters, with a strong need for specialist managers in the areas of innovation, creativity,  digital skills, sustainability and risk management. As such the tourism industry offers a diverse range of career opportunities were graduates will be well placed to secure managerial positions in the private, public and voluntary sectors of the tourism industry, both in the UK and overseas. Opportunities exist in the fields of destination marketing and planning, travel and tour operations, events management, sports management and marketing national and local tourism organisations, visitor attractions management, hospitality provision, and small business development (possibly leading to self-employment). In both programmes, there is a strong focus on transferable skills and with the management focus of the course, graduate opportunities also exist in wider business areas (HR, Marketing etc).

Further study options include a number of certification courses such as BIIAB Personal License Holders Award and Level 2 Food Safety. Also, students have an opportunity to complete a M.Sc. in Hospitality and Tourism Management or M.Sc. in Event Management, with opportunities for progression onto doctoral programmes, such as MPhil, PhD, DMan and Prof Doc, all here at Cardiff Met.

Typical Offers

​The following requirements are based on typical offers relevant to entering year 1 of the degree.

If you do not meet these entry requirements, we also offer a Foundation Year which allows progression to Year 1 upon successful completion.​

• Tariff points: 96-112
  
• Contextual offer: See our contextual offers page.
  
• GCSE: Five GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above to include English Language / Welsh First Language, Mathematics / Mathematics – Numeracy.
  
• English Language Requirement: Academic IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all elements, or equivalent.
  
• A level subjects: Minimum three A levels to include Grades CCC. No specific subjects required. Welsh Baccalaureate – Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate considered as a third subject.
  
• BTEC National / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM-DMM
  
• T Level: Pass (C+) – Merit.
  
• Access to Higher Education Diploma: No specific subjects required.
  
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 2 x H5. No specific subjects required.
  
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 2 x H2 grades. No specific subjects required. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4.
  
• Scottish Advanced Highers: Grades DD. No specific subjects required. Scottish Highers are also considered, either on their own or in combination with Advanced Highers.
  

Combinations of the above qualifications are accepted if they meet our minimum requirements. If your qualifications aren’t listed, please contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search.

Further information on Overseas qualifications can be found here.

If you are a mature applicant, have relevant experience or RPL that you would like us to consider, please contact Admissions.

How to Apply

Further information on how to apply can be found here.

For general enquiries please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044 or email askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk.

For course specific enquiries, please contact the programme leader, Je​anette Reis:
Email: JReis@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)29 2041 6826​