Tourism Management Degree 2013
Our Tourism Management degree draws upon our experience in the study of tourism stretching over 40 years. It is designed to develop your skills and knowledge at the cutting edge of an exciting and rapidly growing industry in one of the largest sectors of the world economy. The degree will develop your specialist understanding of tourism alongside a detailed study of management and business.
Degree programme
Entry requirements
Minimum entry requirements
- A level grades ABB
We do not include General Studies or Critical Thinking in our offers.
Conditional offers from Surrey will be made in grades or marks, and not listed in points from the UCAS tariff.
Required subjects
GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above (or equivalent).
English language requirements
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).
Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.
Other suitable qualifications
Cambridge Pre-U
M1, M1, M2
European Baccalaureate
74%
International Baccalaureate
34 points
BTEC (QCF Level 3) Extended Diploma
DDM
In addition, we accept a wide range of qualifications, including other Level 3 QCF Level 3 qualifications, Scottish qualifications, the Irish Leaving Certificate, Access Diplomas and foundation courses. Other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis.
It is important to check whether the qualifications you are taking are suitable for your chosen degree. If you are uncertain whether your qualification meets our entry requirements, please contact us.
If you are an international student and you don’t meet the entry requirements to this degree, we offer the International Foundation Year.
Selection process
Offers are usually made in terms of grades. We invite suitable candidates to visit the University to find out more about the programme and meet staff and students.
Tuition fees
UK/EU students
Tuition fees are currently set at £9,000 per year for UK/EU undergraduates starting in 2012.
The tuition charge will be accompanied by a generous financial support package, underlining our continued commitment to widening access for those students who come from low income households.
Overseas students
The fee for students classed as overseas for fees purposes is £14,440.
The University will assess your fee status. If you are unsure whether you are likely to be considered a home, EU or overseas student for fees purposes, the UKCISA website offers more information.
Professional Training Year Fees
Programmes marked with an asterisk (*) in the table above include a professional training year.
Currently fees of £1,050 (based on an inflation assumption of 2.5%) are charged for the Professional Training Year. Fees will not have to be paid up front for those students who decide to take up the Government’s loan for higher education fees. The Professional Training year is a key factor in the high employability rates achieved by students with Surrey degrees.
Our Degree
Tourism is one of the largest industry sectors in the world and offers a multitude of exciting career opportunities. Organisations from hotels to transport, tour operators to events companies and attractions to destination marketing agencies are looking for highly educated professionals to join their teams. The Tourism Management programme at the University of Surrey is internationally renowned as one of the best ways to make your mark in this fast-developing industry.
Surrey is ranked as the best institution in the UK for studying tourism in all the major league tables. You will be taught by experienced and knowledgeable staff, many of whom are internationally respected experts in their research fields. The programme reflects how varied and dynamic the tourism sector really is, and covers management and business aspects, as well as topics such as social integration, innovation and sustainability. Academic lectures are combined with guest lectures from industry professionals, and there is the opportunity to gain relevant work experience in a professional placement year. The Tourism Management programme is relevant to industry, which is reflected in our excellent performance in student employment.
The University is a world leader in tourism education and research. We hold unique simultaneous accreditation from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Association of MBAs (AMBA).
Programme content
Programme overview
In year 1 all modules are compulsory: they will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to get you started. The programme contains tourism-specific modules, such as Tourism Management and Tourism Impacts, which looks at the nature of the tourism industry and some of the effects it causes. Generic management modules such as Business Environment and Marketing Principles help you develop your core understanding of the business world.
In year 2 and year 3 you will build on this foundation and develop your knowledge in specific topic areas. You will choose optional modules that match your interest. Tourism Policy and Development examines the development, formulation and role of policies for tourism that meet the needs of stakeholders and establish planning goals and instruments.
In the first semester of year 2, you can choose to take part in one of our international exchanges. Tourism is an international sector and an exchange semester could be a fantastic way to learn about tourism topics from an international perspective.
Core management modules such as Business Finance and Managing Organisations and Human Resources ensure that, when you enter a business, you are able to understand how to manage people and budgets. Tourism and Tourism Theory in Practice offers students the chance to see how what they have studied in the classroom actually works in practice. This module takes students on a field trip to Kenya to see how tourism helps a developing nation, too.
Programme structure
Year 1 (FHEQ Level 4)
Compulsory modules:
- Business Communication Skills
- Tourism Management
- Business of Tourism
- Business Environment
- Business Information Skills
- Tourism Impacts
- Marketing Principles
- Introduction to Accounting
Year 2 (FHEQ Level 5)
Compulsory modules:
- Travel and Transport
- Tourism Policy and Development
- Business Finance
- Business Delivery Skills
- Sustainable Tourism
- Managing Organisations and Human Resources
- Two optional modules
Professional Training year
- Optional Professional Training placement year
Year 3 (FHEQ Level 6)
Compulsory modules:
- Business Strategy
- International Tourism Destinations
- Tourist Behaviour
- Issues in International Event Management
- Four optional modules
Optional modules in years 2 and 3 include:
- Tourism and Society
- Hospitality and Tourism Marketing
- Management Information Systems
- Tourism Theory in Practice
- Operations Analysis
- Business Law
- Hospitality Events Management
- Tourism Innovation
- International Hospitality Operations Management
- E-Business
- Marketing in Digital Environment
- Small Businesses in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry
- Tourism Consultancy
- Innovation and New Product Development
- Marketing Strategy
- Issues in Human Resource Management
- Project Management
Professional training
If you want to put your developing knowledge and abilities into practice and work for some of the world’s most prestigious hospitality and tourism companies, such as Amadeus, Virgin Airlines, TUI, P&O Cruises and Warner Bros, the optional Professional Training year provides a valuable opportunity to spend a year in salaried employment.
Placements can take place in the UK, across Europe or further afield, such as New Zealand or Florida. We have many years’ experience helping students secure fulfilling placements and we have developed partnerships with a range of excellent companies across numerous sectors, from hospitality and tourism to retail and finance. Last year, for the first time, we had a student working at Buckingham Palace.
The placement year is an integral part of the academic programme and each student has an academic supervisor who maintains regular contact. You will gain valuable experience working with people in a professional business environment and increase your confidence. In addition, potential employers are attracted to graduates who have undertaken a year’s professional training because of the relevant experience they have gained.
Career opportunities
Graduate prospects
Graduates over the last few years entered roles in companies such as:
- The United Nations World Tourism Organisation
- TUI
- Explore
- Marriott Hotels
- Deutsche Bank
Career opportunities
There is great demand for Tourism Management graduates in all related service sector industries. Graduates of our degree have proven to be highly employable across a range of organisations, not just within tourism.
Some of our graduates choose to go into operational management roles, developing and managing companies and resorts around the world. Others specialise in marketing, human resources, IT and other head-office positions in large tourism corporations. Many find excellent career opportunities in tourism consultancy businesses.
Additional information
Teaching
Each 15-credit module is designed to involve 150 hours of student work. This time will be spent in lectures, laboratories and tutorials, and includes private study on your own or in small study groups. You will also write essays and assignments that draw on your understanding of a particular area.
Our staff members are innovative in delivering engaging learning sessions that bring together theory and practice for your intellectual and professional development.
Why Surrey?
Tourism Management degree 2013 at Surrey
- Our School is ranked as offering the best hospitality and tourism programmes in the UK by every league table and was the first UK centre to gain United Nations World Tourism Organization TedQual Certification
- Over 40 years’ experience in hospitality and tourism education, with alumni working at all levels across the world in tourism and hospitality companies
- A truly international and multicultural environment in which to learn
- International student exchange opportunities in many global locations
- Professional placements with leading UK, European and international companies, providing outstanding placement prospects and enabling you to have a clear advantage when you graduate and seek employment
The programme offers a fantastic variety of modules including many aspects of business and my personal favourite, Tourism and Tourism Theory in Practice, which involved a field trip to Kenya.
Vicky Brittain
BSc Tourism Management
I love studying Tourism Management at Surrey due to the excellent teaching staff who are all extremely experienced and knowledgeable in their field. Regular visits from guest lecturers also offer further insight into opportunities and work within the industry. The programme offers a fantastic variety of modules including many aspects of business and my personal favourite, Tourism and Tourism Theory in Practice, which involved a field trip to Kenya.
The University is situated on a beautiful campus which creates a real community feel. The amazing facilities offered at Surrey really assist your learning experience, in particular the newly refurbished library.
Undertaking a Professional Training year has to be one of the best decisions I made. I undertook my placement with Olympic Holidays, one of the UK’s leading tour operators, and this provided me with an extremely valuable experience. A professional placement gives you an advantage when seeking graduate employment, as it is something that is extremely attractive to employers within the industry.
During my time at the University, I have also worked part-time as a waitress for a Surrey-based catering company, and this has allowed me to earn extra money whilst also gaining experience in the hospitality industry.
For my final year I am living in University accommodation on campus and I love it. It is great having everything on your doorstop and being close to the Library, the lecture theatres, the Students’ Union and the campus shop. It really is such a lovely campus to be a part of – a real home from home!
Last year I had the opportunity to visit the site of the Olympics, and this year I am going to Morocco to assess the impacts of tourism in reality.
Ben Walker
BSc Tourism Management
I chose the University of Surrey because it is ranked in first place for Tourism Management in all the top surveys for university courses. It also has a great placement scheme and has high graduate recruitment. There’s also a large range of sports clubs and societies that cater to everyone, and it’s located close to London.
I enjoy the variability of the course and the use of a range of learning techniques, such as lectures, seminars and the virtual learning system. We also have a range of guest speakers to complement lectures by academic staff, which gives us an alternative view on the subject. Modules are assessed using a range of methods, including the traditional exams and assignments, but also presentations, podcasts and research reports.
Surrey provides a good mix of great academic and social facilities that allow you to get the most out of your time at university. By being number one for tourism, Surrey is also able to recruit some of the best staff in the world and remain up-to-date through the work of the top research staff. The opportunity to go on field trips directly related to the course is also a major attraction. Last year I had the opportunity to visit the site of the Olympics, and this year I am going to Morocco to assess the impacts of tourism in reality.
I am on the STES (Surrey Tourism and Events Society) committee as the trip co-ordinator and am currently planning a trip to Prague for the end of the year, something I cannot wait for! Guildford itself is a great place to live, being very safe and friendly.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far at Surrey and would definitely recommend my course to students interested in a career in the tourism industry.