Travel and Tourism Management

Two years full-time.

This two year course is a nationally recognised qualification in the UK offering a broad-based and practical set of travel and tourism modules. For the Foundation Degree award, students must complete work-based modules and therefore need to secure suitable part-time work while studying. Students unsure about which course to study should apply for the HND so that they can transfer once suitable employment in the locality has been secured.

The FdA is a traditional taught course consisting of six modules per stage over two years. The number of taught modules and class contact is reduced allowing more time to work in approved employment. Travel and tourism is a dynamic industry incorporating a wide range of sectors that offer a variety of career paths. As the industry matures, specialist knowledge of the various sectors has become the key to success and consequently a proactive approach to learning is adopted with a business development focus throughout.

Stage one

At stage one, modules provide a broad understanding of the world of travel and tourism together with key management tools such as tourism impacts and sustainability and 21st century travel and tourism.

Stage two

Specialist modules at stage two focus on individual sectors of the industry and enable the development of management skills across a range of specialisms such as visitor attractions, tourism management and planning.

• Teaching to industry best practice guidelines
• Excellent links with key players in the tourism industry such as the Tourism Management Institute, Explore Northamptonshire, English Heritage and the Tourism Society, the industry's professional body

Click here for a detailed list of modules.

Typical modules include:

• 21st Century Tourism
• Managing Visitor Attractions
• Tourism Choices
• Tourism Impacts and Sustainability
• Tourism Management and Planning
• Reflections on Work

A variety of individual and group based assessments are used including written reports, client briefs, presentation, portfolio and exam.

The travel and tourism industry has high demand for skilled managers and the FdA (validated by Edexcel) is well recognised by employers. Students can find middle management careers in marketing, sales, operations, customer service and human resource management (HRM) across a diverse range of sectors including attraction management, retail travel, conferencing, event management and tour operations.