Business Management and Tourism with Foundation Year

This module introduces you to university life and the behaviours and knowledge you’ll need to succeed internationally. In practical teaching sessions you’ll learn more about yourself, examine contemporary sources and debate current international perspectives. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Introduction to university study 

• Career goal setting and professional behaviours 

• International business 

• Tourism 

• Sustainability and sustainable development 

• Corporate social responsibility 

• Business ethics 

• Living and working with others 

• Equality, diversity and inclusion 

• Values 

This module develops your understanding of how to influence decision-making and the people that make them. Practice-led teaching sessions will be enriched by research and innovation through consideration of real-world organisational challenges.     

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Stakeholder mapping 
• Regional and global relationship management 
• Inspiring and motivating others 
• Communication strategies 
• Introduction to marketing 
• Influencing and negotiation skills 
• Decision-making theory and practice 
• Business intelligence and analytics 
• Equality, diversity and inclusion 

This module prepares you for further success on the next level of your course, developing skills and knowledge to support your future career. Practical teaching sessions will enable you to reflect on your year so far, and your future personal strategies. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Future sector trends  

• People resource planning 

• Global labour markets 

• Personal and organisational change 

• Resilience 

• Research and data analysis 

• Digital literacy 

• Life-wide and long-term career planning 

• Professional accreditation and credibility 

• Your learning practice  

This module encourages and supports you in developing a viable business solution – applying technical, managerial and creative skills and knowledge. Your learning will be interactive, working alongside others as you plan and develop your business ideas. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Generating creative, innovative and responsible business solutions 

• Digital innovation 

• Basic project management techniques 

• Business environment analysis and economics 

• Business ethics and sustainability  

• Data and financial management 

• Sector/organisational types 

• Business and events planning 

This module introduces contemporary issues in business management, developing your awareness and understanding of factors affecting people and organisations in an ever-changing world. Teaching sessions will examine contemporary sources and debate current issues. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Ethics and sustainability in business management 

• Geopolitics and globalisation 

• Changing business cultures and the role of stakeholders 

• Smart technology and big data 

• Business management research and approaches 

• Shifting communication channels 

• Economic controversies 

This module introduces different types of businesses and organisations, focusing on operations, supply chain and marketing – developing academic literacy, business skills and future aspirations. You’ll work independently, within groups and in a real-world applied project, developing and applying academic and professional behaviours.   

You’ll study topics such as:  

• Organisational types, scale and span 

• Responsible and sustainable practice 

• Business functions 

• Marketing 

• Supply chain 

• Operations management 

• Excel  

• Academic skills and advising 

• Employability and entrepreneurial advice  

• Applied reflective practice 

This module provides you with the knowledge and insight to lead, develop and engage with a diverse workforce, operating across varied business contexts. You’ll also take part in a simulated international collaboration. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Organisational behaviour and development 

• Ethical/legal/business case for equality, diversity and inclusion 

• Role of HR and line managers in developing people  

• Inclusive working environments 

• Employee engagement 

• Responsible, inclusive and ethical leadership 

• Intercultural management 

• Working and studying in other cultures  

An introduction into the global tourism and hospitality (T&H) industry, developing an understanding of global activity and economic value within operations, introducing contemporary issues, awareness and understanding of people and organisations.  

Students will develop an understanding of operational management and key principles that underpin successful businesses. Learners will have developed a strong and comprehensive foundation in the discipline of operations management, theories, and concepts, in an applied context.

Indicative content:

• An overview of the T&H Industry Characteristics, Size and Shape  
• Operations and Financial Performance metrics
• Stakeholders involved in T&H operations
• Key Operations, Lodging, F&B, Cruise, Events, Wellness, Airline, Tour Operation, Visitor Attractions and Third-Party Ancillaries.
• Theories of Operations Management
• Professional Bodies
• Quality Management
• Service Management  
• The international, national, and regional nature of such factors and relationships.
• The relationships between private sector businesses, public sector organisations, SME’s, non-profit organisations etc.
• Value and operation of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills within global tourism activity. 

This module enhances your professional development via work-related learning opportunities.  You will gain interpersonal and business problem-solving skills that are key to successful graduate-level employment and learn about the business environment and the world of work.

The module will comprise teaching and individual supervision. Learners will undertake work-related activities e.g. work shadowing, volunteering, short placement, projects and so on.

Indicative content:

• Professional identity
• Reflective practice
• Problem-based research skills
• Teamwork
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Project management and report writing
• Networking
• Ethical practice

This module builds upon concepts and practical approaches introduced at level 4 and will prepare you for sandwich placement and for level 6 consultancy project.

Aims:

This module examines innovations in tourism and destination marketing. Although this industry employs established marketing approaches, the intangible nature of the product requires conceptualising services and experiential marketing. Furthermore, there is increasing consumer demand for sustainable and ethical products and experiences.

Indicative content:

• Marketing mix
• Marketing communications
• Innovative product development
• Digital marketing
• Experiential marketing
• Sustainable and responsible marketing
• Inclusive marketing
• Destination marketing
• Innovative tourism experiences

This module develops theoretical understanding of performance management in organisations and equips you with a range of practical tools and techniques. You’ll work independently and in groups, actively interpreting and analysing both financial and non-financial performance management information.  

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Financial and non-financial performance management data 

• Internal and external reporting 

• Planning and control systems 

• Accounting and control tools 

• Risk management 

• Sources and availability of finance 

• Environmental and economic analysis  

• Market forces and fair trade in a global context

Aims:

To develop a sustainable, ethical, and responsible management philosophy in the design and development of hospitality and tourism facilities and evaluate how people, planet and profit impact and shape the design and delivery principles.

Indicative content:

• Facilities and design principles within multivenue outlets, independent business, branded hotels, SMEs, social enterprise, cost sector and related services in the day and night-time economy
• Designing and managing the complexity of different types of hospitality and tourism outlets within a single business
• Assessing service performance for operational excellence
• Managing cultural complexity, diversity, inclusion, and wellness of the hospitality and tourism labour force
• Exploring the role of creativity and innovation in sustainable hospitality and tourism businesses
• Mega trends impacting the future of the hospitality and tourism industry
• Understanding the cost and affordances of high technology versus the impact of high touch in delivering effective and memorable hospitality and tourism experience
• Ethics, responsibility, sustainability, and the implications of these practices

Module aim:    

The aim of this module is to enhance students’ professional development through the completion of and reflection on meaningful work placement(s).  

A work placement will provide students with opportunities to experience the realities of professional employment and experience how their course can be applied within their chosen industry setting.

The placement will: 

• Allow student to apply the skills, theories and behaviours relevant and in addition to their course 
• Enable students to enhance their interpersonal skills in demand by graduate employers – communication, problem-solving, creativity, resilience, team work etc
• Grow their student network and relationship building skills
• Provide student with insights into the industry and sector in which their placement occurs 
• Help student make informed graduate careers choices

Indicative Content:  

In this module students undertake a sandwich placement (min 24 weeks / min 21 hours per week) which is integrated, assessed and aligned to their studies.  

Their personal Placement Academic Supervisor (PAS) will be their key point of contact during their placement and will encourage and support students to reflect on their experience, learning and contribution to the organisation they work for.  

To demonstrate gains in professional development, students will be required to share their progress, learning and achievements with their Placement Academic Supervisor and reflect on these for the summative piece of work. 

This module applies your knowledge of contemporary business management, developing critical and analytical research skills to inform decision-making in a real-life setting. You’ll develop an individual research project with others in small groups – based on a live consultancy brief or your own venture – exploring relevant theories in large group sessions. 

You’ll apply learning and skills such as:   

• Consultancy research  

• Entrepreneurial projects 

• Project design and management 

• Identifying discipline-relevant frameworks and concepts 

• Research methods, including ethics   

• Business report writing 

• Personal and professional reflection  

Aims:

This module aims to extend, develop understanding and knowledge of responsible governance of planning for global tourism destinations and the importance of policy and decision-making in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Indicative content:

• UN Sustainable Development Goals and Tourism
• Global bodies and sustainable tourism (UNEP, UNWT)
• Over -tourism in destinations
• Sustainable Tourism Planning strategies, goals, methods.
• Innovative destinations and transitions to sustainability in destinations
• Public and private interactions for tourism destination management and planning.
  Sustainable Tourism Planning:  Objectives and Character
• Tourism planning processes: Formal Planning & Adaptive Planning
• Tourism Growth Management
• Partnerships in tourism policy-making
• Planning for sustainable tourism in different contexts

This module enables you to critically evaluate how organisations develop and implement their strategies in a diverse, digital and global environment. We’ll look through the lens of real-life case studies that bring to life how organisations create their strategies, including applied environmental analysis in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Strategy process and its influencers in a global and digital environment 
• Strategy development  
• Complex organisational and environmental circumstances 
• Risk analysis and mitigation 
• Responsible and ethical decision-making