Business and Management (Tourism Management) - Professional Placement Year

Discover new ways of thinking about the tourism industry with this practical degree in Business and Tourism.

• Explore tourism management from a broader business perspective.

• Go beyond theory and learn from industry experts.

• Take advantage of our professional accreditation opportunities from the Institute of Hospitality.

This Business and Management (Tourism Management) course gives you a grounding in the theory and practice of business in the context of contemporary tourism. You'll cover a broad range of topics including marketing strategy, and take a sociological approach to tourism. You’ll also open up your thinking to alternative visions of the tourism sector.

You'll make the most of the local and regional context of Bath and the South West as a busy tourist destination. The region is a rich cultural destination with internationally renowned attractions, from coasts to heritage sites, to bustling cities and quaint villages. You'll develop your network by working with hotels and public sector organisations, such as local councils or tourism boards, on real-life client briefs, giving you a solid basis on which to build your career.

You'll look at tourism management in an international context, discussing contemporary issues such as sustainability, globalisation, innovations and creativity in the industry. You'll benefit from the views, knowledge and ideas of our international community of students, speakers and educators.

This course will enable you to become a confident professional in both a local and a global context. Your future career prospects could include roles in airlines and travel organisations, jobs promoting or marketing tourist attractions, and key positions in hospitality management.

More about the Professional Placement Year
A Professional Placement Year (PPY), traditionally known as a sandwich year, is where you undertake a period of work with an external organisation for between 9-13 months. The placement occurs between your second and final years of undergraduate study. You can engage in multiple placements to make up the total time and are required to source the placement(s) yourself, with support from the Careers team.

Year one
Gain a broad understanding of today's business environment – from the context in which organisations operate through to trends in economic thinking and the importance of data in business. Modules will cover topics such as:

• organisations and the business environment
• economics and globalisation
• managing data.

Year two
Focus on the inner workings of businesses. Use business techniques to solve problems and start developing the skills that employers look for. Modules cover key themes including creativity and innovation in business. At the end of the year, you can choose to embark on a ten-month business placement or a ten-week summer placement - applying what you've learned so far in the real world.

Year 3
Develop and explore your business learning and focusing on contemporary tourism issues. Undertake an in-depth business research project in tourism management. You'll also have a chance to set up a business on your own or with fellow students. Other topics to explore include:

• managing sustainability
• organisational strategy
• new trends in management
• creating and hosting festivals and events
• strategic human resource management.

You'll be assessed in a wide range of ways that will test your business knowledge and management skills. These could include presentations, work related projects, group work, computer based simulations, podcasts, exams, essays, videos and business reports.