BSc (Hons) International Tourism Management

Our graduate managers are highly regarded by tour operators, destination management organisations and authorities, cruise companies, airlines, hotel chains and other organisations worldwide. Our graduates have gained employment with companies including, but not limited to: Virgin Atlantic, Ferrari World (Abu Dhabi), TUI, Hotel No5 Malaysia, and Flybe (pilot).

What can you do with a hospitality, tourism and events management degree? 

As well as expert-led teaching, all undergraduate modules within Plymouth Business School have integrated CV building activity, for example, through micro-credentialing, problem-based learning, or embedded direct employer activity.

We have ensured every module contains a real world problem-based exercise. We have reached out to employers directly to involve real business in our assessments. You will experience real world employee engagement every month.

Careers advice is embedded into your academic programme through workshops, events, placements, networks - working with the academic staff teaching on your course. We also offer materials, networks and resources online through our 24/7 portal, and a wide-range of activities, opportunities and support centrally in the Careers Service space within the Student Hub.

Discover our careers service 

• Year 1

• Build a solid understanding of the tourism industry, learning the principles of sustainable tourism management. You also explore different forms of tourism and identify how these are used in destination development and promotion, gaining knowledge of tourism supply and demand.

  Core modules

  • Tourism Industry and Practice (THE4002)

    Through consideration of the tourism system, you will examine patterns of tourism supply and demand in both a domestic and international context, exploring tourism destinations through an examination of public, private and voluntary sectors operating at the destinations. You will be introduced to the principles of sustainable management for tourism organisations.

  • Managing the Tourism, Hospitality and Events Environment (THE4006)

    This modules encompasses the internal aspects, functions and processes of tourism and event management organisations. Exploring their purpose, including their diverse nature, purposes, structures, size/scale, governance, operations and management, together with the individual and corporate behaviours and cultures which exist within and between different organisations.

  • Tourism Impacts and the Environment (THE4007)

    This module will develop your understanding of the roles tourism plays within and for societies, giving you an introductory overview of the impacts of tourism activity, associated tourist behaviour and sympathetic approaches to management. You will study theoretical concepts drawn from sociology, anthropology, leisure and tourism studies, providing you with a more critical awareness of the relationships between tourism and society, supported by international case study examples and opportunities for critical debate.

  • The Business Environment: A Global Perspective (STO4002)

    This module introduces students to essential understanding and competencies in the dynamic and changing nature of business and the consideration of the future of organisations within the global business environment, including the management of risk and business resilience.

• Year 2

• Discover what it takes to develop, manage and promote tourism businesses or destination. Increase your understanding of destination management on a regional, national and international level, gaining insight of tourism strategy development. If you choose, you can undertake a semester or year abroad at one of our partner institutions.

  Core modules

  • Destination Planning and Management (THE5003)

    This module focuses on visitor attractions, impacts of ICTs and global issues in relation to destination management, examining the essential features of tourism planning in both a UK and international context and reviewing the activities of different types of public sector and hybrid organisations. You will consider key aspects of Hispanic and Francophone societies via media such as film, text, documentaries, news reports etc, to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of other cultures in the context of destination planning. Industry practitioners will provide insights into destination planning in different cultural contexts.

  • Digitalisation and the Visitor Experience (THE5010)

    In this module, you will examine the visitor experience and how it can be created and developed to provide competitive advantage for destinations and tourism providers with the impacts of digitalisation. You will examine current technology trends and how these influence and change service products, operations, processes and visitor behaviour within society.

  • Careers and Professional Development (PBS500CPD)

    This module is aimed at enhancing students employability skills and knowledge especially those who will be undertaking an industrial placement in the third year of their degree. It is designed to build on skills learned in Stage 1 and helps students in their search for a placement, and in their preparation for the placement itself.

  Optional modules

  • The Challenge Module: Sustainable Business (PBS5001C)

    Through this module you can select from a choice of topics related to the big challenges business and society are facing today. These might be drawn from the UN Sustainable Development Goals or a country’s industrial strategy.

  • The Challenge Module: Sustainable Supply Chains for Global Trade (PBS5002C)

    In this module, you will be challenged to evaluate the sustainability of the globalised business world. You will assess conflicting viewpoints and present balanced arguments for the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the supply chains that support global trade.

  • The Challenge Module: Responsible Entrepreneurship in Action (PBS5003C)

    Through this module you can develop an understanding of the big challenges business and society are facing today, in the context of entrepreneurship. These might be drawn from the UN Sustainable Development Goals or a country’s industrial strategy and will be informed by established business theories. You will develop and reflect on a business idea which has sustainability at its core.

  • Service Innovation in the Cruise Industry (THE5011)

    This module introduces you to the management of passenger services on-board cruise liners, focussing on the provision of quality service, as a component of the cruise product.

  • Creative Industries and Tourism: A Global Perspective (THE5013)

    You will review the scope, nature and development of the creative industries, drawing on international examples. In doing so, you will examine a range of issues affecting the planning, development, marketing and operation of the creative industries, such as the concern with authenticity, the tensions between conservation and business viability, politics and propaganda, funding, interpretation, place identity and the visitor experience and dissonance and the blurring between fact and fiction.

  • Global Cruise Operations (THE5012)

    In this module you will consider the strategic nature of managing cruise lines, including risk avoidance, adherence to maritime legislations and continuity planning. Industry and scenario based case studies will help you to apply theoretical knowledge to of business continuity planning to realistic scenarios.

• Optional placement year

• Apply your new-found skills on a work placement year in the UK or overseas, learning about the industry from those working in it every day. Our Placements Office supports you in finding your placement.

  Core modules

  • Placement Year (PBS600PLC)

    The placement year consists of an extended period of appropriate professional experience in a business or organisation. It allows the student to gain relevant experience to consolidate their studies and prepare for final stage study and employment after graduation. Students on BA International Business may also or alternatively undertake a study placement at an approved partner institution.

• Final year

• Develop your passion for tourism by researching a topic that excites you for your final thesis. Through the study of conceptual tourism, modules deepen your knowledge of challenges which arise in the modern tourism industry.

  Core modules

  • Leadership Practice (HRL6009)

    In this module, you will explore the role of leadership within organisations, including both the practical and theoretical aspects of leadership, and how such concepts can change over time. You will reflect on your own ability to act as a leader and your role in teamwork-based scenarios.

  • Honours Project (PBS6000)

    The module gives you the opportunity to investigate in-depth a specialist academic or practice-based topic for which you have a passion for knowing more within your field of study.

  • Business Strategy and Consultancy (THE6002)

    In this module, you will focus on exploring and understanding a range of theoretical approaches to developing strategies for businesses in the tourism, hospitality and events (THE) sectors and applying these principles to a live consultancy project. You can gain experience of working with a business in THE industries on a consultancy basis, either in a research or strategic development setting – you will engage with a client business to mutually identify a suitable project and develop findings and guidelines to inform a new strategic direction.

  • Continued Careers and Professional Development (PBS600CPD)

    The Continued Career and Professional Development module is a development scheme designed to enhance students’ employability and builds on the stage 2 module. The stage 3 module focuses on providing students with information on graduate options and equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary for articulating and recording achievement and applying for graduate positions. The module also includes a number of workshops and events designed to develop students’ skills and knowledge, with the purpose of filling gaps in their CV’s and enhancing their employability.

  Optional modules

  • Experiential Practice (HRL6010)

    This module provides you with the opportunity both to reflect upon practical experience as well as develop your capabilities and profile so you are on course for life after graduation.

  • Service Innovation in the Cruise Industry (THE6011)

    This module introduces you to the management of passenger services on-board cruise liners, focussing on the provision of quality service, as a component of the cruise product.

  • Tourism Development and Ethical Consumption (THE6014)

    This module focuses on the dynamics of tourism development and on ethical consumption within the tourism and hospitality industry, introducing you to processes of development, to issues underlying local involvement and to the range of ethical concerns in developing countries. Drawing on approaches to ethical consumption, you will reflect upon your own and others’ understanding and practice, exploring ethical responses to business situations and undertaking in-depth reflection and critique of ‘real life’ scenarios.

  • Global Cruise Operations (THE6012)

    In this module you will consider the strategic nature of managing cruise lines, including risk avoidance, adherence to maritime legislations and continuity planning. Industry and scenario based case studies will help you to apply theoretical knowledge to of business continuity planning to realistic scenarios.

  • Crisis and Disaster Management (THE6013)

    This module will equip you with a sound understanding of the principles and practice of economic, environmental and political crisis and disaster management in the tourism industry.

Every undergraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the course aims, the course structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest course structure and may be subject to change:

BSc International Tourism Management Prog Spec 7062

The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

A level: 104-120 points from a minimum of 2 A levels.

BTEC National Diploma/QCF Extended Diploma: DMM in any subject.

BTEC National Diploma modules
If you hold a BTEC qualification it is vital that you provide our Admissions team with details of the exact modules you have studied as part of the BTEC. Without this information we may be unable to process your application quickly and you could experience significant delays in the progress of your application to study with us. Please explicitly state the full list of modules within your qualification at the time of application.

Access: Pass a named Access to HE Diploma in any subject with at least 33 credits at merit/distinction.

T level:Merit in any subject.

IB:26 - 30 overall to include 4 at any subject at Higher Level.

English and Maths accepted within: Higher Level = 4 Standard Level = 5

All applicants must have GCSE (or equivalent) mathematics and English at grade 4/C or above.

Short of the entry requirements for this course? Don’t worry you may be eligible for a foundation year to prepare you for possible entry onto this course for the following year.

English language requirements 

We welcome applicants with international qualifications. To view other accepted qualifications please refer to our tariff glossary. 

All applications for undergraduate courses are made through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). 

UCAS will ask for the information contained in the box at the top of this course page including the UCAS course code and the institution code. 

To apply for this course and for more information about submitting an application including application deadline dates, please visit the UCAS website.

Support is also available to overseas students applying to the University from our International Office via our how to apply webpage or email admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.