MSc International Tourism Management
Full-time
Location • City Campus
Subject area • Tourism, hospitality and events
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This course enables you to develop or to progress a career within the tourism industry. It develops your professional and management expertise in tourism, whether you work in the international tourism industry or are from a non-tourism background.
As tourism expands there is a growing demand for well qualified and skilled employees. Interesting, diverse and challenging employment opportunities exist as tourism organisations increasingly operate at a global level. These include • national tourist organisations • destination management and marketing organisations • local, regional and national government agencies • international tour operators and visitor attractions.
You gain the skills and knowledge to become a skilled and competent manager who can respond with creative solutions to the challenges faced by the industry.
You study the broad nature of tourism through examining contemporary themes and global issues. You explore the competing needs of tourists, the tourism industry and destinations and local communities.
You study a variety of modules including • tourism policy and planning • tourism and globalisation • tourist destination management and marketing. One of the key modules, the tourism consultancy study visit, includes a study visit to Edinburgh. You also study an option module which includes sustainable tourism and hospitality in the 21st century or visitor attraction management
You have the opportunity to work on real life projects, enhancing your research knowledge and experience and contributing to your employability. We also use real life case studies and leading guest speakers from the international tourism industry to enrich your learning experience.
Our staff are internationally acclaimed and have considerable expertise, including years of industry experience working in different sectors of the international tourism industry. We are involved in cutting edge research and consultancy projects at local, national and international level.
Graduates may also wish to pursue PhD research opportunities at Sheffield Hallam. Research carried out by our current PhD students includes
• community tourism projects and external funding: a comparison of tour operators and development organisations in Ecuador
• policy needs and responses to agritourism and rural development in Thailand
• extending the value chain analysis of tourism: the influence of gender on poverty reduction in East Africa
The tourism industry employs more than 235 million people all over the world and will help create an additional 66 million jobs by 2020, 50 million of those in Asia (World Tourism Organisation, 2010)
Find out more about MSc International Tourism Management
Full-time
September start – typically 12 months
January start – typically 15 months but it can be completed in 12 months
Complete the application form available at www.shu.ac.uk/study/form
2013/14 academic year
Typically £5,705 for the course
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees and funding see www.shu.ac.uk/funding
2013/14 academic year
Typically £12,410 for the course
2014/15 academic year
Typically £12,500 for the course
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees, scholarships and bursaries see www.shu.ac.uk/international/fees
• essays • management projects • problem solving exercises • group work • dissertation
Previous student dissertation topics have included an investigation into
• the potential development of film tourism
• whether climate change is a threat or opportunity for St. Kitts and Nevis
Sichun Wang
MSc International Tourism Management
My year at Sheffield Hallam was the best year of my student life. University life was vibrant with a very dedicated team of lecturers.
The course was beyond my expectations, I found that not only did I learn a lot, but I also understood how to learn in the future. I am not a smart student so I always struggled with assignments, but the library is very good and rich for information. It provided me with a lot of help.
I made some really good friends in our class. They were from England, Germany, Kosovo, and other Chinese of course. The friendships did not break off as I thought they might after graduation. We met at a travel trade show, ITB in Berlin, which was really amazing as we were all representing different companies.
I am now working in one of the best luxury travel agencies in China as a travel consultant and have just been reassigned to be in charge of the suppliers.
I wish I had the chance to go back to Sheffield Hallam. I love it.
Theres Winter
MSc International Tourism Management
'I did my degree in tourism management in Germany and I wanted to do master studies abroad. My decision to study this course at Sheffield Hallam was based on the good reputation and the organisation of the tourism courses here, as well as the working environment Sheffield Hallam offers.
'I was used to the German style of teaching which was not very interactive. At the beginning, I really needed to adapt to the new style of teaching and it was challenging for me. However, I enjoyed this experience and it helped me to develop myself. In the end my experiences were better than my expectations.
'The workload was quite high – it’s necessary to start working immediately at the beginning of the semester otherwise it’s hard to meet deadlines. The University’s facilities and study materials are very good they support learning and achieve results.
'Academic support from the international tourism management team was really good. I always felt I could ask the tutors for help and advice which supported my study. Furthermore, I liked that students and tutors are in contact and don’t work in isolation from each other.
'The introduction week for international students was helpful as it offered the opportunity to get to know the University, other international students and Sheffield so that I could find my way around quickly.
'I like to meet new people – in particular, people with diverse backgrounds and cultures. As nearly all the students of my course had the same problem of not knowing life and people in the UK it was easy to get into contact. My course involved much team-work, which was also supportive in establishing contacts. I made some really, really good friends and I am sure we will stay in touch!
'I am now on a trainee programme at TUIfly (German airline of the TUI Group). I think the course helped me to get this job because of the experiences I gained by studying abroad, this is important for companies operating in an international environment. Also, the course helped me to develop further skills and competencies. I learned how to approach tasks and problems which helps me in my current job.
'My experience at Sheffield Hallam was special, valuable and unforgettable!'
Georgiana Busoi
MSc International Tourism Management
I decided to study at Sheffield Hallam University because a year before I had the opportunity to attend a conference here. I was in my last year of university and the visit to Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam made me realise that I wanted something more from life, that if I continued my studies I could be someone one day. Sheffield Hallam was the only university which made me feel that I could do it and that’s why I choose it. Studying at Sheffield Hallam was the best decision that I have ever made in my entire life.
I had previously studied business and tourism and I wanted to do a course that combined the two. I found it at Sheffield Hallam. I wanted to pursue a career in this field, and I knew that the MSc International Tourism Management would help me develop the necessary skills.
I thought that the course would be similar to what I had been studying during my bachelor's degree, but it was very different. The modules were interesting and varied, from management to tourism planning. I couldn’t have asked for better tutors, who were so motivated about what they were teaching, they were sending you a positive vibe which made you get more motivated. International Tourism Management's modules vary, and this increases your chances regarding a future career, it prepares you for different areas of the tourism industry, but also different sectors of this industry.
The university provides you with everything you need in order to feel welcome and comfortable in a new environment. It has great learning facilities, a large variety of courses suitable for everybody, and great staff, from tutors to librarians. It has it all, but I suppose that a very important thing that Sheffield Hallam does is that it is continuously evolving, improving what it has, in order to provide a great experience to its students!
Moving to a completely new place is a scary matter and the fact that I don’t manage change easily could have made things worse. I didn't have this problem when I arrived at Sheffield Hallam. Everybody was so helpful and supportive that I forgot I was somewhere new. When I first arrived I felt that I had been here for years, and with me, that is a very hard thing to achieve.
Thank you Sheffield Hallam!
Xian Li
MSc International Tourism Management
'The course modules are excellent, they are not only about theory but loads of practice as well.
`In the second semester, we had two modules, globalisation and a consultancy study visit. For the globalisation module, I went to Berlin which was an awesome experience for me. I met students from different countries and we worked together to discuss the sustainable development for developing countries.
`For the second module, we were divided into different groups, I worked with three group members, who all came from different countries. It was great to work together on this project. We met our clients in Scotland and exchanged some valuable ideas. We went to Edinburgh and took the tour bus, it was the best experience that I have ever had.'
Profiles
Sichun Wang
MSc International Tourism Management
Theres Winter
MSc International Tourism Management
Georgiana Busoi
MSc International Tourism Management
Xian Li
MSc International Tourism Management
An interconnected department (1:23)
Find out the benefits of studying in an interconnected department.
Kevin Nield, head of the leisure and food management department, discusses how Sheffield Hallam University is unique in that we have an interconnected department which covers tourism, hospitality, events and food, which doesn't usually happen in other universities.
He also talks about our rates of employment being high despite the recession. Lots of our students are going into the sector and then moving up into management.
Practical facilities (1:35)
Find out about the practical facilities we have available.
These include kitchens, a restaurant, tasting booths, and food science labs which are of industry standard.
There are 72 members of permanent teaching staff, and specialist lecturers from industry can also be brought in to teach.
Support for international students (1:02)
Find out how we'll support you while studying at Sheffield Business School.
Kevin Nield, heads of the leisure and food management department within Sheffield Business School, talks about support provided for our international students - from their safe arrival in the country to bank accounts and accommodation.
More videos
An interconnected department (1:23)
Find out the benefits of studying in an interconnected department.
Practical facilities (1:35)
Find out about the practical facilities we have available.
Support for international students (1:02)
Find out how we'll support you while studying at Sheffield Business School.
Michel Altan
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 3107
E-mail m.altan@shu.ac.uk
l recently joined the Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University as senior lecturer in hospitality management. I am now involved in the Masters as well as the bachelors hospitality programme, fulfilling various academic roles. I teach marketing and offer workshops focusing on quality management to the master students.
Before moving to academia, I worked for several years in the hospitality industry. After completing my internship with Sheraton in Mexico, I moved to Belgium and worked as banqueting and conference manager and sales manager in Brussels.
I have complemented my work experience in the hospitality industry with the following qualifications, PhD at Sheffield Hallam (based on research into food services in healthcare – this involved a case study of the Compass Group and the NHS), an MA in Social Science Research, an MBA in Hospitality Management (IMHI), and a BSc in Hospitality Management (Glion Hotel School).
My research interests cover food services, relationship marketing and global marketing.
Teaching interests
• undergraduate programme in hospitality management – marketing
• research methods
• research students supervisor
Teaching
• hospitality service excellence (module leader)
Research interests
• food services in healthcare
• relationship marketing
• global marketing
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
Dave Egan
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 2095
E-mail d.egan@shu.ac.uk
I am a senior lecturer in business economics and hospitality management at Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University. I currently lecture in a range of research and business subject areas, across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and am heavily involved in dissertation supervision at all levels.
I have over 30 years experience of delivering consultancy type projects for a wide range of clients via the University and in collaboration with several consultancy organisations. I have also written widely on hotel location and various aspects of the economics of the hospitality and tourism sectors.
Teaching interests
• research methods
• study skills
• industry context
• business studies
Research interests
• location of hospitality enterprises
• economic impact analysis
• economic impact of countryside recreation
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
Phil Crowther
Senior lecturer in events
My first degree was in recreation management from Loughborough University, graduating in 1995. Since then I have enjoyed a career in recreation / leisure / tourism / event management for eleven years, running cinemas, theme parks, and health clubs as executive general manager. Designing and delivering such highlights as film premiers and celebrity birthday parties.
During that time I did a part-time MBA in executive general management which was my pathway back into university. Since then I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching, researching, and delivering continuing professional development (CPD) events and consultancy in the area of event management.
My teaching focuses heavily on strategy and events. Particularly leading on a final year undergraduate module called event policy and planning where we look at the connection between strategy, policy, and events. I pioneered and still lead Sheffield Business School's event management hub initiative that provides valuable interface with the practitioner community, including events, consultancy, and CPD.
I am studying to complete my PhD and have really enjoyed the last three years where I have researched and published five articles in my chosen research area
• Crowther, Philip and Donlan, Leah (2012) Leveraging sponsorship to achieve consumer relationship objectives through the creation of ‘marketing spaces’: An exploratory study. Journal of Marketing Communications . ISSN 1352-7266
• Crowther, P and Donlan, L. (2011) Value-creation space: The role of events in a service-dominant marketing paradigm. Journal of Marketing Management 27:13-14, 1444-1463
• Crowther, P. (2011), Marketing event outcomes: from tactical to strategic, International Journal of Event and Festival Management Vol. 2 No. 1, pp. 68-82
• Crowther, P. (2010), Marketing space: a conceptual framework for marketing events, The Marketing Review, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 369-383.
• Crowther, P. (2010). Strategic application of events. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 29(2), 227-235.
• Crowther, P, and Beard, C, (2007) Event education: The value of real world learning. Link, Vol 20, pp 35-37
Industry Publication articles
• Crowther, P, (2012) ‘Eventful’ spaces can provide a creative platform. Market Leader, Quarter 2, p37-38
Recent conference papers
• Crowther, P. (July 2011) Marketing Event Outcomes: From tactical to strategic. Academy of Marketing Conference, Liverpool
• Crowther, P, (September 2010) Marketing space: A conceptual model for marketing events. British Academy of Management Conference, Sheffield.
• Crowther, P, (July 2010) Marketing space: A conceptual model for marketing events. Academy of Marketing Annual Conference, Coventry
• Crowther, P, (July 2010) Marketing space: A conceptual model for marketing events. Global Events Congress, Leeds, UK.
UK.
Prizes
Best Practitioner Paper Prize; sponsored by The Marketing Society. Academy of Marketing 2011
Research and consultancy projects
• Project manager, Cultural Awareness Training, IIFA Awards 2007. Sheffield Hallam University were asked to deliver training to increase enthusiasm and also cultural awareness among front line customer service staff ahead of the 2007 IIFA event in Sheffield. I project managed the delivery of six events to achieve this objective.
• Sheffield City Hall, Brand Perception: Business Tourism, 2009. Delivered a consultancy project for Sheffield City Hall (Sheffield International Venues) looking at the brand perception of the venue and how they reinforce and/or obstruct the success of their business tourism offer.
• Project manager for the IIFA Awards (Yorkshire 2007): Training and Educating Regional Stakeholders
• Project lead for Sheffield City Hall - Repositioning to Succeed with Business Events
• Academic lead for Abbeydale Tennis Club: Membership Strategy
• Project lead for Sensoria Festival Sheffield: Strategic Analysis
• Project lead for Conwy Council: Evaluation Methodology Project.
Michael Mathews
Senior lecturer in hospitality management,
Phone 0114 225 3101
E-mail m.mathews@shu.ac.uk
I joined Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University in 2005 after working for many years in USA as a leading consultant in the area of food, operations management and leadership. I have extensive managerial experience in the hospitality and catering industry. My particular interests are in statistical data analysis (SPSS), qualitative data analysis (NVivo) and operations management.
Teaching
• research and consultancy project (module leader)
• hospitality concepts and innovation
• leadership and entrepreneurship in hospitality and tourism
• international food and gastronomy
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
Dr Philip Goulding
Tourism subject group leader
Phone 0114 225 4153
E-mail p.goulding@shu.ac.uk
I am a team leader for the tourism group. I previously worked for American Express in retail travel and in Iran for a large transport and tourism company organising incoming travel and local tours.
I graduated from the Scottish Hotel School with a doctorate in seasonal trading behaviours and influences among small hospitality and tourism businesses.
At Sheffield Hallam I teach on the leadership and entrepreneurship module and supervise dissertations related to the tourism business. My particular research interests are about small tourism businesses (especially destination services), tourism seasonality and its implications for tourism management and development.
Teaching interests
• small businesses in tourism
• tourism seasonality
• tourism management
Postgraduate teaching
leadership and entrepreneurship in hospitality and tourism (module leader for January start students)
Research interests
• seasonality and temporality in tourism
• lifestyle tourism businesses
• small tourism businesses in peripheral, marginal areas
• the role of visitor attractions in destination viability
• institutional arrangements for tourism development
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations and PhD supervisor
Dr Dorothea Meyer
Senior lecturer in tourism management
Phone 0114 225 2906
E-mail d.meyer@shu.ac.uk
I completed my PhD, which focused on power, networks and responses to tourism development in two European islands, at the University of North London in 2001. Prior to that I worked as a marketing executive for the Malta National Tourist Office in London, and as a research officer for the Tourism Department at the Technical University of Dresden in Germany.
After finishing my PhD I worked for two years on pro-poor tourism issues for the Overseas Development Institute, where I focused on projects in sub-Saharan Africa looking at pro-poor tourism methodology and in particularly the implementation of linkages between mainstream tourism businesses and 'poor' neighbouring communities.
I joined Sheffield Hallam University in 2004, where I combined my teaching with research projects. Recent projects have included assessments of the impacts of coral reef protection and pro-poor tourism in Pemba,Tanzania, the development of tourism industry linkages in the Dominican Republic, the development of a methodology to measure impacts of foreign direct investment in tourism and the implementation of this methodology in a case study of Sri Lanka. The last two projects were conducted for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
I am currently engaged in research, consultancy and education links within East Africa, most notably, project leader for the British Council funded Education Partnerships in Africa.
Teaching interests
• tourism and development
• globalisation and tourism
• applied research projects
Postgraduate teaching
• tourism and globalisation (module leader)
• development studies and tourism (module leader)
Research interests
• tourism as a tool for poverty reduction and pro-poor tourism
• political economy of tourism
• linkages between 'poor' communities and the tourism sector
• tourism impact assessments and methodology
• foreign direct investment in tourism and its development impacts
• policymaking for tourism in developing countries
• tourism development and power
• residents' perceptions of tourism development
• participatory approaches to tourism planning
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations and PhD supervisor
Dr Nicola Palmer
PhD programme leader and lecturer in tourism management
I have a background in tourism studies and I have researched and taught in the area since the 1990s. I am PhD programme leader for Sheffield Business School (SBS).
I have a strong background in consultancy and have worked on projects for a range of clients including the EU, government offices, regional development agencies (RDAs), and destination marketing organisations. I am an academic coach for tourism undergraduate students.
I have written a number of book chapters and journal articles and I am the co-author of Royal Tourism: Excursions around Monarchy, a book that looks at the relationships between tourism and royalty, in partial response to claims that the Royal Family is good for tourism.
Teaching interests
• destination marketing and management
• ecotourism and tourism development studies
• tourism fieldwork and the development of research skills
Postgraduate teaching
• research methods
• research and consultancy project
Research interests
• destination image and identity representation
• tourism in peripheral destinations
• eco-tourism and wildlife tourism management
• tourism policy networks
• public sector tourism management
• the visitor economy – conceptualisation, measurement and management
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations and PhD supervisor
Richard Tresidder
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 2601
E-mail r.tresidder@shu.ac.uk
I teach marketing on the MSc programmes. My research interests are in how people interpret marketing campaigns and in particular how signs and images give meaning to the experiences that surround tourism, hospitality, food and events.
I have published widely on semiotics and marketing, medical tourism, sustainability and the ethics of marketing and I am currently co-authoring a book on Critical Marketing in hospitality, tourism, events and food.
I have taught in Switzerland, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. I have managed and undertaken research for many organisations including the Deputy Prime Minister's Office, the Rural Development Commission and the National Trust.
Teaching
• marketing
Research interests
• the semiotics of marketing
• consumer behaviour
• the semiotic language of tourism, hospitality and events
• critical marketing debates
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
Professor Bill Bramwell
Professor of international tourism studies
Phone 0114 225 2885
E-mail w.m.bramwell@shu.ac.uk
I am well known for my research in the areas of tourism policy and planning, tourism and governance, and tourism and sustainable development. I am professor of international tourism studies in the Centre for Tourism, Hospitality and Events Research.
I am co-editor of the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, which has eight issues a year. In international surveys this journal is usually ranked fourth among the approximately 100 tourism research journals. I am associate editor of the Journal of Ecotourism, resource editor for Annals of Tourism Research, and I am on the editorial boards of 11 other research journals.
I have edited or co-authored books on rural tourism and sustainable development, tourism partnerships, sustainable tourism in Europe, and coastal mass tourism. I have published widely in the tourism research journals and have written numerous book chapters. In a global survey of all academics contributing papers to the three highest-rated tourism research journals over the past decade my total of papers was ranked 15th.
In a survey of the most frequently cited scholars internationally in tourism my number of citations in Google Scholar was ranked 31st.
My publications have examined aspects of tourism development or policy in many countries, including Turkey, Malta, Southern Europe, Germany, Denmark, Barbados, Brazil, Thailand and China. I have been the director of studies for 13 PhDs and two MPhils that were successfully completed, and I have examined 31 PhDs and three MPhils. Prior to joining the University I worked for the English Tourist Board.
Teaching interests
• tourism policy and planning
• sustainable tourism
• tourism research methodology
Postgraduate teaching
• tourism policy and planning (module leader)
Research interests
• tourism policy and planning
• governance and tourism policies
• tourism in developing countries
• sustainable tourism development
• actors and networks in tourism development
• agency, structure and the political economy of tourism
• environmental politics and tourism
• tourism development in China, Thailand and the Mediterranean
Editorial work
• current co-editor and founding editor (1993) of Journal of Sustainable Tourism
• associate editor, Journal of Ecotourism
• resource editor, Annals of Tourism Research
Supervision
• PhD supervisor
Karen Soulby
Senior lecturer in tourism management
Phone 0114 225 2196
E-mail k.soulby@shu.ac.uk
I am a Sheffield Hallam University graduate, I joined the team at Sheffield Hallam University with more than 15 years' experience of teaching tourism in a number of colleges and universities. I have also worked in the industry in both tourism marketing and hotel management.
I am the course cluster leader for undergraduate tourism provision at the University. I am strongly involved in course development and provide academic and pastoral support to undergraduate tourism students. I teach on several different modules at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. I am also involved in a number of research and consultancy projects. I am a specialist in tourist behaviour and recently carried out research on sustainable tourism in Sri Lanka.
I liaise and work with the main tourism bodies such as the Tourism Management Institute and the Institute of Travel and Tourism to ensure that the courses at Sheffield Hallam are fully accredited and give students the qualifications that best suit the needs of industry.
Teaching interests
• tourism as a business
• supply systems and relationships
• destination management and marketing
• consumer behaviour
• tourism in Europe
Postgraduate teaching
• sector industry analysis
Research interests
• tourism student engagement and employability
• tourism consumer behaviour
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations
Suzana Pavic
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 3337
E-mail s.pavic@shu.ac.uk
I am a senior lecturer in hospitality and hotel management at Sheffield Hallam University. I have been teaching in higher education since 2000 and have extensive work and managerial experience in the hotel industry. My subject area is hospitality management and I teach students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
I am currently a course leader for MSc in International Hospitality Management and module leader for sector industry analysis. I am also a part of the teaching team for the research and consultancy project and an external examiner for undergraduate courses at Nottingham Trent University.
My particular research interest is in the new ways of creating competitive advantage through the use of e-business in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). I am an enthusiastic user of IT technology and like new technological gadgets.
Teaching interests
• food supply chain
• strategic issues and hospitality management
• food and beverage management
• rural policy
Teaching
• international food and gastronomy (module leader)
Research interests
• food and beverage operations management
• business strategy and procurement
• supply chain management and rural development
Leadership
• Course leader for January intake – MSc International Hospitality Management and MSc International Hospitality Management with work experience
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
Jenny Cockill
Principal lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 3329
E-mail j.j.cockill@shu.ac.uk
I am a principal lecturer in hospitality management. I have held a number of positions at unit and functional level in the hotel sector. My teaching is in the areas of hospitality operations where I have co-authored a management game with Professor Roy Wood.
I have been pivotal in the development of the hospitality alumni network at Sheffield Hallam and I am currently investigating how a true mutually advantageous relationship between the University and the alumni can be developed.
Research interests
• role of hospitality in the global renaissance of cities
• hospitality operations
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
Jane Eastham
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 2190
E-mail j.f.eastham@shu.ac.uk
I studied catering systems management following an initial career in hospitality which involved a number of work experiences including working in Michelin star hotels in Scotland, sandwich shops in the Rue de Rivoli, Paris and general assistant at outdoor activity centres in the Lake District, and trainee manager at the Metropolitan Police Catering Division.
I gained my masters degree from Sheffield Hallam in policy and social studies, majoring in rural policy and have subsequently been actively involved in the examining the benefit of rural policy in the context of reconnecting the farm gate to the catering supply system.
During an initial appointment as lecturer at Sheffield Hallam I was involved in Medcampus programmes in which the focus was the development of teaching programmes designed to enhance the sustainable development of tourism initiatives in Spain, Turkey, and Palestine.
Teaching interests
• postgraduate programme in leisure and food management
• undergraduate programme in leisure and food management
• research students supervisor
Teaching
• research and consultancy project
• internationalisation of hospitality (module leader)
Research interests
• international hospitality management
• strategic management in hospitality and tourism industry
• global marketing
Leadership
• course leader for MSc International Hospitality Management
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
Alison Sumner
Lecturer in tourism management
Phone 0114 225 5105
E-mail a.sumner@shu.ac.uk
I have a degree in business studies, an MSc in Tourism and Culture and am a doctoral candidate in the area of destination marketing at Sheffield Hallam. I have lectured here since 1994 as an associate lecturer on the HND, undergraduate and postgraduate modules in tourism, hospitality and events marketing.
I have also taught undergraduate research methods and postgraduate research and consultancy project modules and supervised European field visits.
I am also currently module leader for distance learning tourism students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Previously I set up and ran my own leisure business, worked as commercial marketing manager for Sheffield International Venues and was head of sales and marketing at Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry. More recently I have worked as a private marketing consultant to the leisure events and tourism sectors.
Teaching interests
• destination marketing and management
• business tourism
• contemporary thinking in marketing
• tourism and hospitality promotion
Postgraduate teaching
• destination marketing and management
• research and consultancy project
Research interests
• destination image and identity representation
• destination marketing
• place attachment
• consumer behaviour
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation supervisor
• distance learning supervision undergraduate and postgraduate
John Perry
Principal lecturer in events
I have over twenty years industry experience within the event and arts management sector, working for both the private and public sector. I have managed events ranging from rock/pop concerts to cultural festivals and managed venues such as concert halls and arts centres. I gained my Masters degree from the University of Sheffield and am now in the final stages of completing a Doctorate in Education, which is examining academic transitions.
I am the Undergraduate Programme Leader for the Events, Food, Hospitality and Tourism Management Degrees at Sheffield Hallam. I am also responsible for Sheffield Hallam programmes in Hong Kong. I have wide experience in lecturing across mainland China and I also contribute to international programmes in Switzerland and Singapore.
At Sheffield Hallam I specialise in the arts and cultural management subject areas, such as, arts policy and the cultural/creative industries. I lead on the final year business simulation module which develops student skills in business planning and operations.
I also act as an external examiner at Bournemouth University and the University of Wales.
Alisha Ali
Lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 4593
E-mail alisha.ali@shu.ac.uk
I am part of the hospitality team where I teach in the areas of leadership, entrepreneurship, innovation, service excellence and focus on the specific applications of these concepts to the hospitality industry. I am also the placement officer for the undergraduate students in hospitality.
I have been actively involved in the hospitality and tourism industry for over ten years. I have completed a BSc in Tourism Management and a masters degree in management. Recently, I completed a PhD which focused on investigating the uses and applications of ICT for sustainable tourism for destinations.
In addition to academic activities, I have worked both locally, regionally and internationally in the hospitality field. Some of my career highlights include conducting market research and analysis of world-wide trends in the hospitality industry, developing feasibility studies for industry stakeholders and working on 'live' tourism plans and projects and participating in their implementation.
Current research interests include computer-mediated sustainability, technology and IT applications and impacts for the hospitality industry, innovation in hospitality and student experiences on placement.
Teaching
• hospitality concepts and innovation (module leader)
• leadership and entrepreneurship in hospitality and tourism (module leader)
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
David Graham
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 6090
E-mail d.graham@shu.ac.uk
I started my hospitality career at the age of 14 working in the seaside resort of Scarborough in a traditional fish and chip shop. I then completed a two year period of catering training and embarked upon my culinary career working at The Savoy, London, Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath and spent two years working in various four and five star hotels in Switzerland.
On returning to the UK in the 1980s I undertook higher education studies completing an HND in Hospitality Management. I then moved into various management roles, firstly in contract catering at High Table Ltd, now part of Compass, as a unit manger in London, followed by a period as a public house area manager for Bass plc, now Mitchells and Butler, for the Vintage Inn brand.
In 1986 I followed my dream and opened my own French bistro restaurant, followed five years later by a second restaurant. In 1996 I sold both businesses and at the age of 36 started teaching hospitality at Huddersfield College and then at Leeds Metropolitan University. During this period I studied part-time for my degree and masters qualification. Missing self employment in 2000 I leased premises in Wakefield town centre and developed a tea-room, retail confectionary and sandwich business.
I have a number of publications and presented conference papers. I am currently an external examiner at other higher education institutions. In September 2007 I joined Sheffield Hallam and I am currently working towards a PhD.
Teaching
• sector industry analysis (module leader - September intake)
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation supervisor
James Bostock
Lecturer
I joined Sheffield Hallam in 2009 after 10 years experience of teaching and management in higher education. I have mainly worked within public sector leisure facilities but also have a wide range of experience of developing partnerships with leisure organisations. This included working with commercial clients such as the Isle of Man National Sports Centre, Centre Parcs, Greenwich Leisure Limited and Luminar Plc.
I am currently working towards my PhD, investigating how sport national governing bodies have responded to reductions in their funding. This research will investigate such issues as change management and governance. I have already completed an MA in Sports Management, which will complement this research.
Teaching interests
• events policy
• events marketing
• the business environment
Research interests
• leisure trusts and impacts on leisure provision
• change management
• governance within national governing bodies
• sustainability within the events sector
Gill Pomfret
Senior lecturer in tourism management
Phone 0114 225 2958
E-mail g.c.pomfret@shu.ac.uk
My first degree is in psychology and it was some years later, after teaching English as a foreign language in Spain, Portugal, Ecuador and the UK, that I went on to study tourism at postgraduate level. Following this, I worked as a marketing executive for a travel wholesale company for some time before becoming a tourism' academic.
I am the course leader for the postgraduate courses in
• international tourism management
• tourism for international development
• international hospitality and tourism management (September start)
I have published research papers on adventure tourists and co-wrote one of the first text books on adventure tourism, Adventure Tourism: The new frontier, 2003.
I am currently writing up research papers from fieldwork I carried out with mountaineer tourists in the French Alps. I am particularly interested in the key influences on their decision to a take mountaineering holiday and their experiences during actual participation in mountaineering. I also have research interests in volunteer tourism.
Teaching interests
• tourist behaviour
• adventure tourism
• contemporary issues in international tourism
• tourism and development studies
Teaching
• consultancy study visit (module leader)
• sector industry analysis
• phased induction
Research interests
• adventure tourism
• motives, lifestyles and personalities of adventure tourists
• experiences of adventure tourists
• tourist behaviour
• volunteer tourism and volunteer tourists
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations and PhD supervisor
Robert Hayward
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 6091
E-mail r.w.hayward@shu.ac.uk
I joined Sheffield Hallam University in August 2007 and teach on a range of subject areas at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Prior to joining Sheffield Hallam I was at Leeds Metropolitan University where I was the undergraduate course leader and one of the 'pioneer' developers of flexible and blended learning for the hospitality subject group. In January 2007, I was a visiting professor to the School of Business and Economics, University of Zagreb, working with senior industry managers from Croatia.
Before entering higher education, I worked in a large further and higher education institution where Imanaged craft, advanced craft and supervisory courses in hospitality and licensed retail. This followed six years working in the hotel industry, up to senior management level for a British based, luxury hotel group.
Research interests
• service operations
• quality management
• food and beverage service enhancement
Teaching interests
• service operations management
• quality management
• food and beverage management
• dissertation supervision
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation supervisor
Daryl May
Course leader
Phone 0114 225 4106
E-mail d.may@shu.ac.uk
I have been working at Sheffield Hallam University since 2001.
My background has been conducting research and organising business events for the NHS. I’ve co-ordinated conferences, workshops, training days, focus groups and interviews for senior healthcare managers. This has enabled me to integrate industry knowledge directly into my teaching on the undergraduate second year module on business events.
I am the course leader for all of the events management undergraduate degree routes. This involves new recruitment of students – so you may see me at an open day – and working with students whilst they are completing their degrees.
I am really keen to engage with students and work in partnership with them to develop the course and enhance the learning environment.
My first degree was in business studies, this was done at Sheffield Hallam University. Since then I have completed a Masters (MA) in Social Science Research Methods and a PCGE. I am currently finishing my PhD.
Outside of work I’m a keen competitive cyclist and involved in organising many cycle races in the region.
Hannah Rossmorris
Senior lecturer
I have worked in the live event sector for over 10 years for a range of major outdoor festivals. These have included Glastonbury, The Big Chill, Global Gathering, Lovebox, Evolution (Newcastle), Jersey Live, the Leeds festival and outdoor music events for the BBC. My work for these clients centred on event management, licensing and health and safety.
I also worked on a number of `youth marketing' sponsorship campaigns. I assisted brands such as Rizla, Carling and Strongbow to achieve their marketing objectives through association with live music events.
I am a Technician member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and hold a NEBOSH qualification in Occupational Safety and Health. I am a member of the Association of Independent Festivals and a founding member of the Event Safety Advisors Group. I am currently on the working committee revising the fire safety chapter for the Event Safety Guide (HSG 195 published by the Health and Safety Executive).
I completed a BA (Hons) in Media and Cultural Studies at the London College of Printing and Distributive Trades (LCP) in 1998.
Specialist skills/areas of expertise
• Licensing Act (2003)
• health and safety
• crowd management
Recent business/consultancy experience
Crowd management consultant – Lovebox 2010
Health and safety manager – Evolution 2010
Safety manager – Jersey Live 2010
Licensing consultant – BBC and The Big Chill 2007 - 2009
Dr Peter A Whalley
Senior lecturer in tourism management
Phone 0114 225 4117
E-mail p.a.whalley@shu.ac.uk
Having previously worked in Outdoor Pursuits in North Wales and the ski industry in France, I completed my PhD at Sheffield Hallam University in 2000. Taking as its starting point the need to better understand the relationship between tourism and culture in a Western European context, my research developed and applied a framework to evaluate the attitudes of residents to the sociocultural impacts of tourism in Llangollen, North-East Wales. During my PhD research, I also taught extensively on tourism-related modules at Sheffield Hallam.
On completing my PhD, I worked in further education as a researcher and then at the Learning and Skills Council as a senior researcher and strategic area review manager, prior to moving to the University of Exeter, where I was research and development manager in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning. I have considerable experience of establishing and managing European partnership projects and of working as a freelance consultant and trainer.
I am the course leader for the MSc International Hospitality and Tourism Management (January start)
Teaching Interests
• sustainable tourism planning
• marketing for tourism
• strategic management
• employability and professional development
Postgraduate teaching
• tourism policy and planning
• tourism consultancy
Research interests
• tourism politics, policy and planning
• tourism, culture and authenticity
• resident perceptions of tourism impacts
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation supervisor
Ray Nolan
Lecturer in tourism management
Phone 0114 225 4498
E-mail R.Nolan@shu.ac.uk
My current role is underpinned by a first degree in Recreation and Tourism Management, an MSc in Environmental Management (Sustainable Tourism Development) and over twelve years previous experience working in the international conservation, leisure and tourism industry. Along with academic practice this included projects and programme management experience with commercial companies and non-government organisations in South East Asia, the Mediterranean-North Africa, Eastern Europe and North America. Over the past two years I have worked as research and development manager with the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre developing partnerships and projects between public, private and voluntary sector bodies.
I have a wealth of experience engaging a range of organisations in research development proposals and projects from small local charities to national organisations such as Natural England, European agencies such as the European Commission and international organisations such as United Nations IoM and ILO. A member of the ESRC peer review college I am, or have been been, involved in international policy forums such as the UNEP International Coral Reef Initiative and currently the UKHTC Learning and Development Forum.
Teaching interests
• nature based tourism
• tourism and development
• sex tourism
• applied research projects
Postgraduate teaching
• research and consultancy project
Research interests
• cross sector partnerships in travel and tourism security
• sex tourism; demand and supply and management and interventions
• environmental-conservation approaches in tourism development and management
• coral reef based tourism
• tourism and livelihood diversification in developing countries
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations
Jayne Stocks
Principal lecturer in tourism management
Phone 0114 225 2959
E-mail j.stocks@shu.ac.uk
After a first degree in geography from the University of Leeds, I worked for an airline where I led cabin crew and worked in recruitment. I then took an MA in Tourism Management at the University of Derby, subsequently being employed there as a lecturer, helping to develop and manage undergraduate degrees in tourism and travel and in tourism management. At Derby and at Sheffield Hallam Universities I have undertaken diverse work in academic quality and international collaboration. The latter has involved me in international work in Austria, Switzerland, Israel, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Jordan, North and South Cyprus, China, India and Vietnam.
I have a particular research interest in tourism's socio-cultural impacts in the context of sustainable tourism and have undertaken research into sustainable community development in the Gaeltacht areas of Ireland. I also do research into understanding and supporting the transition of international students to UK higher education (HE).
I am interested in the links between universities and the tourism industry. I took a lead role in the European Union funded VocMat project, involving academics and practitioners across Europe in developing modules for middle and senior managers in tourism and hospitality. I am the HE advisor to the Tourism Management Institute, which is part of the Tourism Society.
Teaching interests
• sustainable tourism
• contemporary issues in international tourism
• tourism development studies
• tourism fieldwork
Postgraduate teaching
• sustainable tourism (module leader)
Research interests
• tourism and community development
• tourism in peripheral destinations
• sustainable tourism
• international student transition to UK universities
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations
Norman Dinsdale
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 3977
E-mail n.dinsdale@shu.ac.uk
I started working in the hospitality industry as a classically trained chef and completed work experience in the UK and Italy. I have worked for Holiday Inns and Marriott Hotels and was later executive chef at Lords and The Oval Cricket Grounds. I have held several positions overseas, including regional director of food and beverage operations for a Spanish based hospitality company. I have also owned my own restaurant, for which I gained Michelin recognition, and was an investor and advisor to an organic gastro-pub.
I am currently a senior lecturer in hospitality management at Sheffield Business School (SBS). I have previously taught at the University of Derby, South Bank University and Norwich City College. I have also guest lectured at Pace University, New York and The Louisville College of Professional Development, Kentucky, USA. Prior to joining SBS I was principal associate at RPM Associates, a respected hospitality consultancy with clients such as Tui UK, Thomas Cook, Sol Melia Hotels and Louis Cruise Lines and numerous hotel chains. I have conducted seminars and workshops in Spain, Malta, Cyprus, Egypt, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Greece, Italy, USA, Tunisia, Morocco and Turkey and, on the high seas. I have carried out food safety and customer satisfaction audits in hundreds of hotels and on-board cruise ships from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean.
Teaching interests
• research methods
• study skills
• industry context
• business studies
Teaching
• leadership and entrepreneurship in hospitality and tourism
Research interests
• location of hospitality enterprises
• economic impact analysis
• economic impact of countryside recreation
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation supervisor
Emma Martin
Principal lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 3320
E-mail e.martin@shu.ac.uk
I joined Sheffield Hallam in 2002 after completing my doctorate exploring the employment relationship in small hospitality firms at Nottingham University Business School. I teach in the areas of human resource management and organisational behaviour and lead the managing people module on the masters programme.
I am currently the programme leader for postgraduate courses in hospitality, tourism, events and food at Sheffield Hallam. I have been part of the judging team for the British Institute of Inn Keeping, National Training Awards in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, acted as an academic advisor to the HE Skills Academy project on 'careers in hospitality, retail and sport' and am external examiner for postgraduate courses at the University of Wolverhampton and Oxford Brookes University.
My research interests focus on working lives in hospitality including the concept of lifestyle employment, the employment relationship in the small hospitality and tourism firms and wider human resource management issues. I currently supervise a number of PhD students in these areas.
Teaching interests
• human resource management
• organisational behaviour
• leadership and entrepreneurship
Teaching
• managing people (module leader)
Research interests
• working lives in hospitality and lifestyle employment
• the employment relationship in the small hospitality firm
• human resource management in hospitality
• orientations to work
• qualitative research methods including the use of diaries in management research
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
John Dunning
Principal lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 3971
E-mail j.dunning@shu.ac.uk
I teach across a range of courses at Sheffield Hallam, in particular food and beverage management, gastronomy and culinary arts and wines, with a particular interest and expertise in customer service.
I studied hospitality management at Cambridge and then Norwich Hotel School. This was followed by several years working at Claridge's and the Savoy in London in both food and beverage and rooms division positions. The London experience was followed by working abroad for several years, returning to London as the training and development manager for Gordon Ramsay Holdings. As well as setting up and managing training for the group, I developed consultancy services for Gordon Ramsay, working with a wide-range of blue chip companies.
Subject areas
• hospitality management
• food and beverage management
• restaurant management
• food and wine
• customer service
Teaching interests
• international culinary arts and wines
• food and beverage management
Research interests
• restaurant management
• customer service
• food and wine
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation supervisor
Kevin Nield
Head of Service Sector Management department
I am head of the service sector management department at Sheffield Business School. Before taking up this position at Sheffield Hallam University I worked in a wide variety of positions within the catering and retail industries and in further education.
I have over 70 publications including refereed papers and international keynotes, I have co-researched three editions of the British Hospitality Association's annual British Hospitality: Trends and Statistics and I am joint author of Contemporary Issues in Hospitality and Tourism in China and India.
I have a particular interest in education and I am an honorary associate of the HE Academy network for hospitality, leisure, tourism, sport and food and the Director of Education for EuroCHRIE. I have represented the sector on QAA working groups and panels. I am also responsible for setting up a highly successful collaboration with the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education.
Wei Chen
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 2949
E-mail w.chen@shu.ac.uk
I am the module leader for internationalisation of hospitality. My teaching and research areas include strategic management, hospitality and tourism marketing, entrepreneurship and cross-culture management.
My PhD research focused on a comparison study of China and the UK's hospitality and tourism marketing strategy from 1999 to 2002. I am actively involved in international business and have taken different managerial roles in China and the UK. I have conducted executive training and consultancy work for a range of commercial enterprises and public organisations.
I am the overseas editor of Finance and Economy, a business magazine in China and have published various books and articles on international hospitality management.
Teaching interests
• postgraduate programme in leisure and food management
• undergraduate programme in leisure and food management
• research students supervisor
Teaching
• research and consultancy project
• internationalisation of hospitality (module leader)
Research interests
• international hospitality management
• strategic management in hospitality and tourism industry
• global marketing
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
Vicky Cox
Lecturer in tourism management
My time at Sheffield Hallam is quite extensive so far. I completed my degree and masters here and as well as teaching, I am studying for a PhD which focuses on sustainable tourism and partnership working in English national parks. This has led me to publish a paper in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism about a tourism partnership in the Peak District and expand my research to other national parks
Working in the tourism industry for large tour operators and hotels in the UK and USA has fuelled my enthusiasm for researching and teaching tourism, and I enjoy working on subjects such as sustainable tourism, tourist behaviour and operations and project management.
I have also previously worked as an events organiser and personal research assistant for a research project at another university, both of which have given me a great experience in the hospitality sector and in academia.
I really enjoy teaching and researching tourism and each year look forward to meeting new students!
Research and teaching interests
• sustainable tourism
• uk national parks and tourism
• tourism partnership working
• tourist behaviour
• operations and project management
Dan Woodason
Lecturer in events
I have over 15 years of event management experience in both the public and private sector. I spent many years in the entertainment and nightclub industry including working for Gatecrasher (arenas and festivals) and dealing with multi-platform stakeholders from local authorities to international DJs.
My portfolio ranges from three day public sector conferences for the Department of Work and Pensions, to designing 12 month strategic event based marketing plans for shopping centres. I have also created trade and exhibition stands at the Clothes Show Live and specialise in creativity, enterprise and entrepreneurship.
My marketing and brand management background includes working with Ben Sherman, Sainsbury's and England FA. I have implemented brand promotion into Glastonbury and the Isle of Wight Festival and worked on many media partnerships.
Having recently completed my PGCELTHE and MSc in Events Management, I am now researching corporate social responsibility on the doctorate programme.
Research interests
• social media
• corporate social responsibility (CSR)
• generation Y
• events as a marketing channel
Ian Elsmore
Lecturer in hospitality management
Phone 0114 225 6129
E-mail i.elsmore@shu.ac.uk
Having obtained a first degree as a mature student from Staffordshire University I held a post as a project manager for a local authority responsible for researching service levels and performance from both internal and external perspectives. This was followed by a research contract at the University of Bath.
Having been awarded a masters degree in research planning from the University of Sheffield I successfully won an ESRC+3 doctoral studentship which allowed me to study the application of actor-network theory as a means of examining the reuse of historic buildings in the development of hotels.
Currently the module leader for the postgraduate research methods I am also the postgraduate dissertation module leader as well as a dissertation supervisor.
Teaching
• research methods (module leader)
Supervision
• undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation and PhD supervisor
Profiles
Michel Altan
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Dave Egan
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Phil Crowther
Senior lecturer in events
Michael Mathews
Senior lecturer in hospitality management,
Dr Philip Goulding
Tourism subject group leader
Dr Dorothea Meyer
Senior lecturer in tourism management
Dr Nicola Palmer
PhD programme leader and lecturer in tourism management
Richard Tresidder
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Professor Bill Bramwell
Professor of international tourism studies
Karen Soulby
Senior lecturer in tourism management
Suzana Pavic
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Jenny Cockill
Principal lecturer in hospitality management
Jane Eastham
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Alison Sumner
Lecturer in tourism management
John Perry
Principal lecturer in events
Alisha Ali
Lecturer in hospitality management
David Graham
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
James Bostock
Lecturer
Gill Pomfret
Senior lecturer in tourism management
Robert Hayward
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Daryl May
Course leader
Hannah Rossmorris
Senior lecturer
Dr Peter A Whalley
Senior lecturer in tourism management
Ray Nolan
Lecturer in tourism management
Jayne Stocks
Principal lecturer in tourism management
Norman Dinsdale
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Emma Martin
Principal lecturer in hospitality management
John Dunning
Principal lecturer in hospitality management
Kevin Nield
Head of Service Sector Management department
Wei Chen
Senior lecturer in hospitality management
Vicky Cox
Lecturer in tourism management
Dan Woodason
Lecturer in events
Ian Elsmore
Lecturer in hospitality management
Tourism Consultancy Study Visit module
Tourism, hospitality and events students in Edinburgh
On the MSc International Tourism Management course, students enjoy a five day trip to Edinburgh, Scotland as part of the Tourism Consultancy Study Visit module.
This popular and fun module gives students hands-on experience of acting as consultants to tourism organisations in Scotland. During the trip, they have business meetings with clients VisitScotland (Scotland's national tourism organisation), Rabbie's Trail Burners and SYHA Hostelling Scotland. They also carry out some practical consultancy project research. In the past, students have worked on a range of exciting projects. Examples include investigating how effective the clients' web sites are in attracting their target markets, and examining the travel patterns of UK based international students.
While the visit is an incredibly useful part of their studies, students also have time to enjoy a few of Edinburgh's attractions. As well as taking a city bus tour and visiting Edinburgh Castle, they take a guided mini-bus tour of the Highlands and enjoy an evening murder mystery tour, with time left to explore the city for themselves.
`This module is very practical and interesting. At the start, we were divided into different groups and assigned to different consultancy projects. In order to get more valuable ideas and feedback about these projects, we went to Scotland and met our business clients. I would like to say this was not only a valuable opportunity for us to meet the clients and get useful information, but also we were able to experience real-life projects. We benefited a lot, for example, we learnt how we could communicate with our clients, and how we could achieve what clients expected. Throughout this module we learned how to co-operate, developed team spirit and problem solving skills, and most importantly, we were able to put the theory that we learned from this module into practice. It was the best module that I did in my year of study. The trip to Edinburgh was awesome and the module was fantastic.'
Maggie (Xian) Li, MSc International Tourism Management 2011
Rima Ibrahime
MSc International Hospitality and Tourism Management
`My placement was as a marketing assistant during the Viking festival in York. I met professionals from marketing and HR departments before starting the work and they explained in detail the placement's tasks and targets. They were very warm, welcoming and friendly.
`Jorvik Viking Centre has been organising the Viking Festival over 20 years, but never has done any research before. This year they decided to ask visitors to fill in a questionnaire so that they could learn more about present and potential visitors, know their preferences, booking trends, ways of accessing information and accommodation and travel arrangements etc.
`My work was to approach visitors at the festival and to ask them to fill in questionnaires and assist them if any help or additional information was needed. This was a totally new experience for me.
`After the data was collected, I had to analyse and segment it and prepare a report on the findings, recommendations and limitations.
`It was extremely beneficial to use the tools and skills I have learnt on my course in a live hands-on project. As part of a professional team, I created and refined a questionnaire, approached people on site and communicated and shared work with other team members. Also the knowledge I gained on the research module assisted me in analysing and segmenting collected data and preparing a report.
`This experience was exceptional and of outstanding value for me. I was given an opportunity to meet professionals in the industry, to make connections and to apply the skills I learnt at Sheffield Hallam during a real project. Thank you!
Toktam Dashti
MSc Hospitality and Tourism Managment
`My placement at the Jorvik International Viking Festival involved researching various aspects of the event. My main responsibilities were carrying out research via questionnaires, analysing collected data using research software, preparing segmented data reports, and delivering a presentation of those reports.
`The staff and my immediate supervisors were extremely helpful and co-operative and made me feel at ease. The visitors were very friendly and were eager to contribute to the research and therefore I had no difficulties in carrying out the assigned tasks.
`The modules on this course helped me to develop my event management skills and have contributed to this placement. Particularly, Managing People, International Cultural Events and Research and Consultancy, which taught me efficient team working, an holistic view on the functioning of international events, and primary research skills respectively.
`As an international student whose first language is not English, it is very daunting to work and interact with people in an actual event setting. This placement has not only provided me with the opportunity to work with local people, allowing me to practice and improve my English language skills, but also to gain confidence from working in a multicultural environment. It was valuable in introducing me to, as well as providing me with, relevant work experience in the events industry.'
Profiles
Rima Ibrahime
MSc International Hospitality and Tourism Management
Toktam Dashti
MSc Hospitality and Tourism Managment
Five Lines Consulting Ltd offers students on this course the opportunity of a two week unpaid placement. This enables students to develop their practical experience through shadowing and doing relevant project work at the company.
`Once I finished the course in May, I had the chance to work with Five Lines Consulting. In particular, I focused on two projects. The first concerned with assessing the UK's top 10 hotel companies' expansion strategies. The second focused on the improvement of the company's web site.
`Beside the valuable researching experience, I felt that the feedback I received from Rob Bailey was always enriching and stimulating. Furthermore I was amazed by the availability shown by both founders of the company, I want to thank Rob Bailey and Gareth Robertson for the opportunity they gave me.'
Alex Barbagallo, MSc International Hospitality and Tourism Management
'I have to say Alex is extremely impressive. He did what was asked of him in a timely and professional manner. The research he undertook was excellent. The report he produced was clear and concise, so thank you for suggesting him to us.'
Rob Bailey, director, Five Lines Consulting Ltd
