BA (Hons) Business Management (Travel and Tourism pathway)

You’ll study a wide range of topics to make sure you’re ready for the industry from the moment you graduate. These include changes in the political, social, environmental and technological environments that affect travel and tourism, logistics and operational processes, managing a business, and the interaction between suppliers, clients, resources and other stakeholders in the global economy.

Year 1

• Finance and the EconomyThis module offers an excursion into the digital economy and novel types of industries and businesses arising within. It introduces students to the key drivers, which are currently transforming various industries, such as artificial intelligence and automation of the production process. The module will include examples of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on Industry Innovation & Infrastructure. The module aims to equip students with an understanding of the changing digital environment and trends in digitalisation, which define current economic developments. It aims to develop understanding of how the gig economy operates and how business uses digitalisation for increased innovation and competitiveness. It further aims to raise awareness of the regulatory challenges these recent trends impose.
• Principles of MarketingAims to provide you with an introduction to the nature and scope of marketing. It provides you with an understanding of the fundamentals within the marketing discipline and to be introduced to the understanding of marketing as a management tool. You will also be introduced to the role of marketing within the general marketplace and society.
• LSBU Discovery ProjectIn this module you will be utilising business project frameworks, problem solving skills and ideas generation techniques that will support you through the key stages required to complete a business small business project from concept to delivery. Throughout the stages of their project, and by incorporating a facilitated coaching process, you will be supported to develop key skills vital to successful leadership and management.
• Data and Decision MakingThe module examines a range of ways of handling, analysing and presenting quantitative information.  The underlying theme is to look at data in a variety of forms, to determine the ‘story’ that this data is telling, and to use that ‘story’ to justify decisions.
• Management and OrganisationsThis module introduces you to the basic concepts of management in organisations. It provides you with an appreciation of the complexities of organisations that affect employee behaviour within them. It introduces human resource management strategies to manage people in organisations. The module incorporates key management, organisational behaviour and people management theories and practices.
• Principles of StrategyThis module aims to equip you with the knowledge of skills of basic strategic analysis. You will be exposed to the use of simple strategic tools to evaluate the business and its wider environment. They will also be able to identify creative strategic solutions to simple organisational issues. The module further aims to develop your ability to make decisions between different strategic alternatives.

Year 2

• The Business Professional
  This module provides comprehensive insights into graduate employability and career development for Business Management students. It teaches students essential techniques of self-awareness building, career exploration, job search, succeeding in recruitment and selection processes and teamwork, enabling them to secure employment and thrive in the world of work. In addition, the module covers specific skills of particular relevance to Business graduates, such as digital, research and communication skills that are valued and highly sought after by relevant employers.
• Travel and Tourism Systems and Impacts
  This module introduces the students to the systems, concepts and issues that surround the development of tourism destinations. The issues arise out of both academic and industry enquiry and have profound effects on the economic, natural and the socio-cultural environments of the destination. The module investigates the nature of these issues, the reasons why they occur and some of the mechanisms used to overcome the negative and enhance the positive outcomes of the development of the travel and tourism sector.
• Effective Business Negotiations
  Negotiation is a core business skill integral to some degree in the vast majority of commercial and even non-commercial business activities. Successful negotiation is a process that involves a number of essential soft skills including effective questioning, effective listening, critical thinking and empathy. In addition, planning, situational analysis and the ability to recognise and evaluate the shared, differing and conflicting interests of the parties involved is key.
• Responsible Business
  The corporate responsibility agenda of the 90s was about ticking boxes. Now, companies are more progressive with a shift in focus towards social value, and understanding that responsibility is a commercial imperative, embedded in strategy to provide a competitive advantage.  This module outlines some of the resources and strategies adapted from management and leadership across industries. With a focus on sustainable development the module introduces you to sustainability narratives and challenges stemming from the scarcity of resources, and the inherent concerns from the complexity of the leadership issues involved towards an adaptive and assimilated sustainability planning.
• Digital Transformation
  This module introduces you to the basic theory, concepts, and techniques of digital business transformation. It focuses on developing the thought processes and practical skills needed to identify, analyse, evaluate and apply digital technologies in order to address real-world business problems.
• Travel Retail and Distribution
  The module will introduce the student to the effective management and current legislation and regulations pertaining to retail travel agents and tour operators. It will focus on their links with principals and their role as major retail outlets for the tourism industry. It will pay particular attention to both physical and online distribution channels.

Year 3

Optional placement year

Year 4

• Destination MarketingThis module develops a critical approach to destination marketing. It examines strategic issues around the management and domestic and global promotion of cities, regions and countries and the tactical approaches that marketers adopt. During the module we study issues such as policy and legislation, sustainability, destination image, crisis management, relationships with the host community, segmenting and targeting markets, travel and tourism industry marketing partnerships, place marketing, branding and the creation of marketing plans.
• Leadership, Strategy and ChangeThis module examines the scope and nature of leadership, strategic management and change and approaches to establishing organisational objectives. It demonstrates the link between strategy, resources, markets, innovation, technology and finances available. The impact of the size and structure of organisations as well as external factors impacting strategy including globalization and sustainability are also considered.
• Comparative International Management
  In an ever broadening set of interdependent relationships among countries, the need to recognise the opportunities and restrictions presented by different world markets has gained significance. This module is designed to give you the analytical skills to assess the socio-economic differences between countries, and to identify how these differences impact business and management behaviour across countries through comparative studies. It is based on the rationale that students understanding as managers will be expected to analyse and compare market and business environments in different countries to attain business success.  The module develops your understanding of business practice in different regions and to apply analytical management tools and qualitative research methodologies to critically evaluate and gain an understanding of comparative international management practices.
• Sustainable Travel and Tourism Operations
  This module’s rationale is based on the notion that the tourism industry is a global enterprise. The concept of sustainability has become an increasingly significant area for consideration in operations. This module seeks to examine the principles that enable travel and tourism operators to deliver sustainability into the parameters of the business that it operates within. This includes, delivering the customer experience and contributing to the wider wellbeing agendas of their organisations and those of their stakeholders, including work–life balance, sustainable wage levels, reflecting social (e.g. fair trade, ethical supply chain management) and business trends (e.g. use of scarce resources, sustainable design).
• Research Project
  This final year module allows you to consolidate their learning over the whole of their degree by undertaking an independent small-scale research project, with a business or management focus.
• Applied Project
  This final year module allows students returning from their undergraduate placement year to consolidate their learning on their degree and industrial experience by undertaking an applied project.

Some of our graduates join the graduate training schemes offered by the big travel, airline, hotel and restaurant firms. Some have exploited the opportunities offered by digital technology and started their own businesses in areas such as tour operations, logistics and events management.

Recent graduates from this course have gone onto roles such as Trainee Business Travel Consultant, HR Manager, Sales Manager, Meetings Venue Manager and Reception Managers.

When you graduate from this course, you'll be able to apply for further study at postgraduate level, including our full-time or part-time MSc International Tourism and Hospitality Management.

Many of our Business graduates become their own boss, running their own business. Others go onto have amazing careers in areas such as:

• Accounting
• Banking
• Consultancy
• Events Management
• Finance
• Human Resource Management
• Logistics
• Marketing
• Management
• Public Relations
• Retail
• Taxation
• Tourism & Hospitality

Previous graduates from this degree have gone on to successful careers in world-renowned organisations, including the BBC, Serco, Google, PwC, IoD, HSBC and the NHS.

Employability Service

We are University of the Year for Graduate Employment for the second year in a row - The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018, 2019.

At LSBU, we want to set you up for a successful career. During your studies – and for two years after you graduate – you’ll have access to our Employability Service, which includes:

• An online board where you can see a wide range of placements: part-time, full-time or voluntary. You can also drop in to see our Job Shop advisers, who are always available to help you take the next step in your search.
• Our Careers Gym offering group workshops on CVs, interview techniques and finding work experience, as well as regular presentations from employers across a range of sectors.

Our Student Enterprise team can also help you start your own business and develop valuable entrepreneurial skills.

Your learning materials are available on the Virtual Learning Environment so you can access them any time. Seminars make use of group-work and discussions, workshops and computer lab work.

Read more about our student services.

Extracurricular activities

Business students benefit from a number of facilities and software available within LSBU Business School, but are also host to a whole number of extracurricular activities that help prepare students for the world of work.

Below is a list of extracurricular activities which students can get involved in, utilising the facilities which we have available, to make the learning process at LSBU much more practical and hands-on.

• Institute of Directors (IoD) – our close relationship with the IoD results in regular networking events with senior IoD members, entry into the Young Director of the Year award, membership with the IoD, and access to all of their great resources.
• Business Solutions Centre - put skills in to practice as a student advisor in the Business Solutions Centre, whilst making a positive impact in the business community.
• LinkedIn Learning - benefit from access to a wide array of courses and materials related to professional and personal development.
• Live Projects – students benefit from live projects with real businesses who present problems and students have to suggest solutions. In 2017, they worked with London Met, and this year they worked on a English heritage clothing company, just to name two.
• Hackathons – an event, which brings students together to solve a business problem over a short period, you will need to think fast and work as a team to come up with an innovative solution!
• ILX courses – We provide a number of accredited courses, which prepare students for project management, a crucial skill respected within the business sector.
• Learn a language – students will have the opportunity to learn another language, an invaluable skill in a global city. Another language is just another skill we can support you with, supporting you for future career success.

Personal Tutoring

As an undergraduate student in LSBU Business School, your personal development and wellbeing is very important to us, so we have developed a personal tutoring system that is tailored to your individual and group needs.

Firstly, you will be allocated a personal tutor who will be available to you on a 1:1 basis as well as facilitating group personal tutoring sessions which will be designed to enhance your academic and personal development within your degree programme.

In addition to an allocated personal tutor, there will also be a personal tutor available ‘on call’ in a designated room, called ‘Talk’, for confidential 1:1 pastoral care meetings every day of the academic semester from 9am to 8pm. This personal tutor can be seen by appointment or within a few minutes in order to assist you with any concerns that you may have.

Our personal tutoring motto is that we want you to "Achieve, Succeed & Excel".

• A Level BCC or:
• BTEC National Diploma DMM or:
• Access to HE qualifications with 9 Distinctions and 36 Merits or:
• Equivalent Level 3 qualifications worth 112 UCAS points
• Applicants must hold 5 GCSEs A-C including Maths and English, or equivalent (reformed GCSEs grade 4 or above).
• We welcome equivalent qualifications from around the world. English language qualifications for international students: IELTS score of 6.0 or Cambridge Proficiency or Advanced Grade C.

For more information, including how and when to pay, see our fees and funding section for undergraduate students.

Please check your fee status and whether you are considered a Home, EU or International student for fee-paying purposes and for our regulatory returns, by reading the UKCISA regulations.

See our Tuition Fees Regulations (PDF File 391 KB) and Refund Policy (PDF File 775 KB).

Possible fee changes

The University reserves the right to increase its fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions.

The fees for international students are reviewed annually and the University reserves the right to increase the tuition fees in line with the RPIX measure of inflation up to 4 per cent.

Scholarships

We offer several types of fee reduction through our scholarships and bursaries. Find the full list and other useful information on our scholarships page.

The individual fee for this course is shown above. For more information, including how and when to pay, see our fees and funding section for postgraduate students.

See our Tuition Fees Regulations (PDF File 391 KB) and Refund Policy (PDF File 775 KB).

We have a range of PhD Scholarships available in partnership with businesses and organisations; read notices of PhD studentships.