International Hospitality and Tourism Management

BA (Hons) Top-up

Accredited by the University of Warwick

Award

BA (Hons)

Duration

1 year FT

UCAS Code

N920

Entry

September, February

Fees

View Fees

Department of Hospitality and Tourism
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Global reputation within the industry for hospitality-related degrees

Customise your course by choosing from our range of optional modules

The hospitality sector is becoming increasingly reliant on international visitors and partnering with the tourism industry. If you already have a background within these areas, our International Hospitality and Tourism Management top-up degree will sharpen your business skills and help you become an expert in tailoring hospitality services for visitors from around the world.

Designed for anyone who has already studied a relevant subject (up to Level 5), this hospitality and tourism top-up course will extend your knowledge by examining how businesses in these sectors work together, taking a strategic look at the future of the industries and how to develop a business that can respond to change. You will also have the opportunity to develop a specialism relevant to your interests and career aims through our variety of optional modules, exploring areas ranging from change management to global expansion.

University College Birmingham has outstanding links with the tourism and hospitality industries to support and enrich your studies. We are a recognised Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT) Centre of Excellence, while this top-up course is also accredited by the Institute of Hospitality.

Why should I choose this course?

  • SPECIALISE YOUR STUDIES – Develop specialist knowledge through your own research project and a variety of optional modules
  • INDUSTRY APPROVED – Gain professional recognition with a degree accredited by the Institute of Hospitality
  • AWARD-WINNING UNIVERSITY – Study at the highest-ranking university in the region according to student choice (Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023)

Our facilities

Our learning spaces at University College Birmingham ensure you have the right environments to build your knowledge, from lecture theatres to interactive group working spaces and extensive library resources.

Course breakdown

  • Modules

Core Modules

Independent Research Project

This module provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate your capabilities in researching, planning and delivering an industry-related macro or micro-based project independently. You can either self-select your own topic or choose from a list of contemporary industry projects. This project focuses on cultivating the desired graduate attributes of professionalism, critical enquiry, problem solving, enterprise, creativity and innovation and in enhancing your professional profile to enrich and facilitate independent learning and development for graduate career opportunities.

Strategic Financial Management

In this module, you will build upon both practical and theoretical financial concepts developed through earlier modules. You will gain commercial awareness and understanding of strategic organisational finance and will learn how to synthesise and evaluate business performance and strategy.

Plus two options from:

Strategic Change Management

Hospitality and tourism will always be affected by external elements. This exciting module identifies how risk and uncertainty are understood to change throughout the strategic process in the key areas of technology, finance, human resources, markets, and organisations. It also examines how the industry responds to change through a range of strategies, especially the harvesting of knowledge.

Business Process Improvement

This module provides you with the ability to identify how a process within the business can be improved. A process is a sequence of activities that takes an input and transforms it into an output. Activities consume time and other resources. One way to improve performance is to redesign processes so that they consume less time and resources.

Tourism Trends and Futures

This module will review tourism trends and strategic challenges facing destinations as they strive for sustainable competitive advantage and future-proofing their offer. Various macro forces continue to influence the strategic direction of destinations with new risks and opportunities arising. Destinations are implementing more inclusive and sustainable strategies to navigate their way through a more turbulent environment. But the question remains, can they successfully future-proof themselves? You will develop your professional skills and knowledge in destination management, trend/data analysis and strategic management of destinations.

Global Expansion Strategies

This module complements the international dimension of the programme and aims to promote the complexities and issues hospitality and tourism organisations face when attempting to enter overseas markets to seek growth globally. Hospitality and tourism organisations increasingly seek to operate outside of their own boundaries in diverse and less understood market environments. Management skills are required to successfully exploit new overseas market opportunities through the use of both traditional channels and new media opportunities to deliver integrated marketing strategies offered by the latest innovative technological developments.

The modules listed above for this course are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up to date and informed by industry as well as the latest teaching methods. On occasion, we may need to make unexpected changes to modules – if this occurs, we will contact all offer holders as soon as possible.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Academic: A relevant HND or a foundation degree in the areas of Hospitality, Tourism or Events, with 240 credits.

If you are unsure if your previous qualification is suitable, please contact us before completing an application. You can complete our enquiry form here or call us on 0121 604 1040.

International students

Academic: European and International qualifications studied in a relevant subject matter will also be considered. Applicants will need to have achieved 120 ECTS or equivalent (European Credit Transfer).

If you are unsure if your previous qualification is suitable, please contact us before completing an application. You can call us on 0121 604 1040 or complete our enquiry form:

Enquiry Form

Key information

Teaching and assessment

Note: Indicative information only – actual timetables and assessment regimes will be issued at your induction.

Teaching

Example of a typical teaching week (up to 12 contact hours):

  • Large group teaching – 4 hours
  • Smaller group teaching – 5 hours
  • Tutorials – 2 hours
  • Field trips and visits

You will also need to commit around 20 hours per week for individual study time.

Assessment

Estimated breakdown of assessment for this degree course:

  • Coursework – 88%
  • Practical assessment – 12%

Our teaching and assessment is underpinned by our Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy 2021-2024.

Tuition fees

UK students

If you are a UK student enrolling on a standard-length Foundation Degree or a BA/BSc at University College Birmingham, your fee for this academic year will be £9,250. A half-year tuition fee is £4,625. There will be no change to this tuition fee for the forthcoming two academic years (2023/24 and 2024/25).

View undergraduate fees

International students

If you are an international student enrolling on a full-time foundation degree or a BA/BSc in 2023/24, your fee for this academic year will be £13,500 per year. The course fee for academic year 2024/2025 is £14,000 per year.

If you complete a placement year, there will be an administration fee of £500 for a full year or £250 for a half-year placement.

View international fees

Kick-Start Scheme

As a new student studying this course full-time, you will receive £300 per year through our Kick-Start Scheme (UK students only, eligibility criteria applies). This scheme will support your studies and future career by contributing to course-related materials, uniform or selected items on campus. You may also qualify for an additional £500 per year.

Find out more about the Kick-Start Scheme here.

Unibuddy Community - meet other students on your course

Starting university is an exciting time, but we understand that it can sometimes feel a little daunting. To support you, you will be invited to join our Unibuddy Community, where you can meet other students who have applied for the same course at University College Birmingham, before you start studying here.

As soon as you have been made an offer, you will be sent an invitation email to complete your registration and join the Unibuddy Community. For more information, check out our Unibuddy Community page.

Latest updates

Join the conversation and check out the latest updates from our Department of Hospitality and Tourism.



UCB Hospitality
UCB Tourism

 

Percentage
70%

of graduate employers say relevant experience is essential to getting a job with them

Work experience

Work experience is vital for learning how to apply your training in the real world and for building your confidence and skills before you finish your course – and it may even lead to a job when you graduate. Our Hired team can help you find suitable work experience.

We encourage students on our BA International Hospitality and Tourism Management top-up course to gain work experience throughout your studies.

Work alongside experts in your sector

A snapshot of some of the employers we have worked with:

  • Wequassett Resort and Golf Club (Massachusetts)
  • The Savoy (London)
  • The Peninsula (Hong Kong)
  • The Sea Pines Resort (South Carolina)
  • Westin Hilton Head Island Resort and Spa (South Carolina)
  • Ritz Carlton (Naples, Florida and Colorado)
  • Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa (Ireland)
  • Ashford Castle (Ireland)
  • The Greenwich Country Club (Connecticut)
  • Andrew Brownsword Hotels (whole collection)
  • Fairmont St Andrews (Scotland)

Career opportunities

The example roles and salaries below are intended as a guide only.

Conference centre manager

Average Salary: £36,000

Theme park manager

Average Salary: £31,000

Event manager

Average Salary: £33,000

Marketing executive (graduate)

Average Salary: £37,500

Tourist information centre manager

Average Salary: £30,000

Hotel manager (small hotel or deputy of larger hotel)

£27,500 - £31,000

Want to take your studies to the next level? Completing the BA (Hons) degree will enable you to move onto our postgraduate courses such as Hospitality with Tourism Management MSc/PGDip (Pathway A), International Hospitality Management MSc/PGDip or International Tourism Management MSc/PGDip.

Hired

We are here to support your career goals every step of the way. 

Find out more

Raphael’s Story

Now working for a top travel company, Raphael chose to build on his degree from a French university with an internationally-focused top-up

Read Story

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