BA (Hons) International Hospitality & Business Management

Core Units:

• Fundamentals of Business & Management: This unit aims to develop your understanding of the business context across industry and sectors globally. You will cover the key issues and challenges facing businesses going forward and the essential role of people in dynamic, resilient and complex organisations. You will explore key functional business areas including marketing, finance, accounting, economics, people management, and organisational behaviour.  
• Academic & Professional Practice: You will build your confidence in both academic and professional skills. This unit will cover the academic skills which will be required at degree level study and you’ll practice them throughout the unit with support from key university services including the library and study skills team. There will also be opportunity for you to reflect on and develop your own professional skills through interactions with employers, careers services and online resources. 
• Fusion Business Project: You will undertake a business project based on a real issue or problem. The Fundamentals of Business & Management unit will support you in understanding key issues and challenges which could form the basis for your project.  Projects will be undertaken in workplaces, community settings or part of research processes related to your chosen field of study. You will be allocated an academic mentor who will support you in developing and undertaking the project. 

Core units:

• Introduction to the Hospitality Industry: The unit will introduce you to the hospitality business environment. It looks at the key issues which facilitate or constrain the provision of hospitality services, focusing on differences in provision among the profit and not-for-profit sectors. You’ll also develop key skills that will underpin your future study, and learn about the range of data sources for understanding the hospitality industry.
• Contemporary Hospitality: You’ll develop detailed knowledge of the current operators and markets that make up the hospitality industry. There is a particular focus on global issues affecting the hotel and food industry including innovation and sustainability. The unit will also challenge you to focus on how the external environment shapes the nature, characteristics and development of the hospitality product.
• Hospitality & Food Operations: This unit combines lab-based learning, lectures, seminars and industry-focused research exercises to develop your knowledge and understanding of the principles of operations within hospitality environments.  You will be encouraged to develop an informed and responsible attitude to current issues, as well as a recognition of the relationship between food and health.
• Global Business Environment: An introduction to the fundamentals of the external global business context, enabling you to understand business-related political, economic, social and technological news stories and developments.
• Developing Management Competencies: You'll be exposed to real-life business and management challenges, enabling you to develop interpersonal, organisational, transferable, creative and reflective learning skills, as well as a learning culture founded on mutual support, empathy and respect.
• Fundamentals of Marketing: By identifying interesting marketing problems, you'll understand the range of marketing solutions available, and learn how to develop appropriate marketing strategies by focusing on real-life case studies. 

Core units:

• Hospitality Operations Management: You will develop your understanding of hospitality management, along with an informed and responsible attitude to the relationship between food and health.  You will also spend time working in the Food Management Studio to develop your practical skills.  You will also design and pitch a live hospitality event.
• Managing People in Tourism & Hospitality: This unit helps you to develop awareness and understanding of the complexities associated with managing people in tourism and hospitality contexts, by introducing you to the principles and practices of contemporary human resource management.
• Consumer Behaviour in Tourism & Hospitality: This unit focuses on the individual and social processes that underlie and influence human behaviour, as it relates to the hospitality and tourism industries. You will develop the skills to understand and profile the consumer, and evaluate the industry practices to cope with constantly changing consumer behaviour. 
• Strategic Management: You'll develop the ability to apply appropriate tools and techniques to critically analyse the organisation and its environment, learning about the development of competitive marketing strategy and operations.
• Business Accounting: This unit will enable you to develop a solid foundation in the fundamentals of financial and management accounting, together with a basic understanding of the regulatory framework.  You will develop the knowledge and skills to progress to further study of financial reporting and/or financial analysis.

Option units (choose one):

• Branding & Integrated Communications: We live in a branded world, and brands are one of the most important assets for organisations.  This unit covers strategic issues of integration and planning as well as the tactical considerations needed to execute relevant marketing communications campaigns that meet consumer’s needs.
• Project Management: This unit will enable you to develop a critical awareness of project management, together with an understanding of the role and responsibilities of different stakeholders. You will evaluate a range of techniques that are available for effective project management in the context of organisational change and complexity.
• Supply Chain Management: As an essential aspect of business today you'll explore and evaluate key elements of supply chain management to understand how firms can match the flow of materials, products and services with customer demand. 

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

A (minimum) 30-week supervised work placement in the UK or overseas which gives you the opportunity to turn theory into practice in a business environment. You’ll gain practical experience that could help you secure a management-level position immediately after graduating.

Core units (choose one): Dissertation or Consultancy Project:

• Dissertation (Tourism and Hospitality): This is a piece of independent research that involves collecting, interpreting and analysing data. You’ll share your key findings through a sustained and balanced argument. The dissertation will develop your analytical and problem-solving. You’ll develop a critical attitude to research methods, and the ethical issues associated with researching.
• Consultancy Project (Tourism and Hospitality): Working to a brief set by one of our industry partners, both as an individual and in teams, you will develop awareness, understanding and appreciation of the principles and practices of business decision making and the ability to consult within the tourism and hospitality sector, as well as vital project management, analytical and interpersonal skills.

Core units:

• Issues & Futures in Hospitality: This unit draws on current innovations and ideas, and considers their application and implementation within a hospitality context. You will critically analyse contemporary and future issues and reflect on the impact that these have both on business and your own management career.
• Organisational Leadership: In this unit you will critically explore leadership styles, theories and followership concepts in a range of organisational contexts.

Option units (choose one):

• Digital Marketing: This unit will equip you with technical skills and the conceptual understanding of how to engage effectively in digital marketing, which has evolved to the extent that it has become the dominant form of marketing in the majority of organisations.
• International Human Resource Management in Tourism, Hospitality & Events: This unit addresses current human resource management opportunities and challenges such as talent management, mobility and staff retention, which shape the international hospitality and tourism industries and organisations. It provides a forum in which you can critically analyse and reflect on relevant issues and their impact on business and your own management career.
• Visitor Attraction Management: This unit will explore the factors and issues that influence the development and management of visitor attractions in the UK and other countries. It aims to develop your awareness, understanding and appreciation of the principles and practices relating to the development and management of visitor attractions.
• Tourism & Hospitality Design: This unit will explore the factors and issues that influence the development and management of visitor attractions in the UK and other countries. It aims to develop your awareness, understanding and appreciation of the principles and practices relating to the development and management of visitor attractions.

Option units (choose one):

• Advanced Project Management: Providing an understanding of the role of project management, this unit focuses on the challenges, controversies, opportunities and debates around managing projects, within the organisational, social and environmental contexts in which they are located.

• Global Strategic Marketing: By helping you to develop the ability to think critically about real-world marketing scenarios and use market information to make informed decisions and recommendations, you'll be provided with skills in strategically managing the key elements of global marketing.

• Global Supply Chain Management: Supply chain management is the fastest growing area of business today, and this unit aims to develop a strategic understanding of global supply chain management through planning, sourcing, making, delivering and returning products and services.

• International Management: With a large focus on practical aspects of management, this unit will teach training and development in the contemporary global organisation, looking at global management policies, practices and processes.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Programme specifications provide definitive records of BU’s taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

We are looking for passionate, eager students who are going to make a real difference to the course they are studying. Our students learn from each other, as well as their academic staff, so it is really important to us that you can show us how much you care about the course you are interested in.

Ideal applicants should also be able to demonstrate an interest in hands-on organisation, showing the skills to be innovative, flexible and enthusiastic managers. These skills are needed by an industry that exists to create something special for its customers. Good interpersonal skills are vital, and a wide range of interests is a real advantage.

We select candidates for this course by looking at your application; there are usually no interviews or selection activities needed. For that reason, make sure your application really stands out from the crowd, and leave us in no doubt as to why you should be joining BU. You can find some handy hints about filling in your UCAS form on our how to apply web pages.

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

If you are unable to meet the entry requirements, we may be able to make you an offer through AccessBU if you meet certain criteria e.g. you have been in care or live in an area where fewer people typically progress to Higher Education. If you don't meet our published tariff, we will accept you at least 8 points below if your personal circumstances match our AccessBU criteria. 

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

AccessBU: AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships: We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferred entry: We are happy to consider eligible applicants for deferred entry. If you have already submitted your application, please submit your deferral request through our website.

Direct entry: We welcome applications from students who have previously studied at degree level at other institutions and wish to transfer onto a BU course. Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure enables credit awarded from one institution to contribute to a BU award, subject to an application process. Please visit our RPL webpage for more information.

Mature applicants: We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

As well as valuable experience of tourism, you’ll develop an understanding and appreciation of how individual organisations operate and their interrelationship within the wider context of tourism.

The knowledge and skills developed on placement and the opportunities for learning from and networking with professionals are known to enhance your performance, results and employment prospects.

The faculty running your course will offer the support of a Placement Co-ordinator.  

Through timetabled sessions and one-to-one appointments, they’ll help support you in your placement search including advice on finding a placement, information and advice on all aspects of job searching and job applications, as well as ensuring your proposed placement meets the requirements of your course.  

Our CareersBU service is also available throughout your time at BU, offering services like CV checking and careers fairs to meet employers.  

Placement Development Advisors will support you once you have started your sandwich placement – so you will be able to maintain contact with the university throughout.  

Our graduates have gone on to hospitality positions such as: 

• General Manager 
• Marketing Manager 
• Restaurant Manager 
• Room Manager 
• Conference and Exhibition Organiser 
• Sales and Marketing Administrator 
• Events Coordinator 

If you are more interested in a business career, our graduates have taken roles such as: 

• Account Executive 
• Account Manager 
• Business Analyst 
• Business Development Assistant 
• Operations Manager 

A degree in International Hospitality & Business Management will give you a range of career options after you graduate. 

Our graduates work in a range of positions across the hospitality sector. Employers include global hotel chains, premium independent hotels, and a range of restaurant/food service companies. Our Business graduates have gone on to positions in a range of organisations in a wide range of sectors. Some have set up and now manage their own businesses around the world.

Once you have completed an undergraduate Honours degree, you can further develop your education by studying for a postgraduate degree. Please visit our postgraduate section for further details about our range of Master’s degrees.

Research degrees 

If you are a BU graduate you are eligible for a 20% ‘loyalty’ discount on the published fees for further programmes with us!  

Depending on your qualifications and experiences, you can choose to undertake a MRes or PhD level research degree. Bournemouth University has a strong tourism & hospitality research foundation within our Department of Marketing, Strategy & Innovation through a number of research centres, which explores theory, education and professional practice. 

Visit our postgraduate research courses for further details about research degree options with the Bournemouth University Business School and the funding options available. 

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for laboratory and mandatory field-based teaching activity.
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
• Free software download to your personal device of Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus while you are studying, as well as access to applications provided on AppsAnywhere, subject to licensing and compatibility restrictions
• Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances.
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies.
• Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website. 
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass is included in your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.
• Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
• You will need to meet the cost of any Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if required by your placement setting, including any Post Office verification changes. 
• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study.
• SportBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

If you need to repeat one or more units during your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full-time fee.

Dr Jeff Bray is a Consumer Behaviour researcher and educator focused on the societal challenges of sustainable consumption both from an environmental perspective and a personal (health) perspective. He is the co-lead of Bournemouth Universities Consumer Insights Research Theme.

Jeff’s research and scholarship is interdisciplinary and focuses on applications of consumer theory to a variety of contexts. Recent funded research and publications have examined consumer decision making with respect to food choice, and the health impact that might be achieved through influencing these choices. This work has been funded by EU project FoodSMART (grant 643999) and British Council project Veg+ (grant 332207684).

Outside of the university he is active in promoting our societies young people. He serves as Governor of two large local schools. He is keen to supervise Doctoral students in the areas Consumer Behaviour, Food Choice and Ethical Consumption.

Dr Anya Chapman joined Bournemouth University in 2013 and has worked as an academic in UK universities since 2003, specialising in tourism, hospitality, and leisure management. Prior to joining academia, Anya worked as a manager for a number of tourism organisations in the UK, including Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the Trafford Centre, and Namco Operations. Anya gained her PhD from the Management School at the University of Liverpool in 2012, with a thesis entitled ‘The Arcade Fire and Other Misdemeanours: Organisational Subcultures and Employee Misbehaviour in Amusement Arcades’. Her current research interests and publications include work on the regeneration of coastal resorts; tourism development in Malta; tourism employment; and traditional attractions at British seaside resorts such as fairgrounds, piers, and amusement arcades. Anya serves on the Executive Committee of the National Piers Society and has visited all 61 seaside piers in the UK!

Babis has a dual background, as practitioner and academic; he has worked for 20 years as senior manager and GM in the Greek luxury hospitality industry. As an academic, he worked in Greece, Bahrain and the UK in undergraduate and postgraduate hospitality and business administration related programmes. His research interests focus on Managerial work, Hospitality Management, Culture, Human Resources Management/OB and Brain Drain. On these research themes he has published a book, book chapters, journal articles and presented papers to national and international congresses. Babis is a Senior Fellow member of the Higher Education Academy (UK), Academic fellow in CIPD and Institute of Hospitality Member (MIH). He is also a reviewer in reputable academic journals such as the 'International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management' (IJCHM).

Natalia Lavrushkina is a lecturer in Strategic Management at Bournemouth University. 

Quynh holds a PhD in Hospitality Management and an MSc in Tourism Management from Bournemouth University. Her research interests focus on tourism and hospitality employment, culture, service encounter, and marketing. Quynh has worked at various levels in the tourism and hospitality industry within the UK and internationally. Before joining Bournemouth University, she taught at Ton Duc Thang University, Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City, and University of Essex. She has published work related to service encounter and presented key findings at national and international conferences. Quynh has been a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy since 2019.

Dr Osman's research interests are in the areas of culture and the experiences of ethnic migrant workers the UK hospitality industry. She is also interested in autoethnography which is the study and reflection on self which may impact on a wider society and culture. She is currently working on research into Muslim women experiences in the UK hospitality industry using Auto autoethnography to reflect on my own experience. Hanaa teaches consumer experience and behaviour to students in hospitality management and supervises a number of MSc dissertations that also relate to her research interests.

Mark Ridolfo is a Principal Academic within BU's AACSB-accredited Business School. He is Deputy Director of the Senior Leader Apprenticeship, Deputy Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Business and Management, and a Senior Fellow of the HEA. Mark delivers courses in International Management and Developing Management Competencies.

Mark's academic interests lie in enhancing the student experience, innovation in assessment, professional effectiveness and cross-cultural capability. Mark is a thought leader in developing students' personal, professional and managerial competencies. He has delivered courses in presentations, negotiations and report-writing, in both commercial and academic settings, and, from 1997 to 2007, he was a visiting lecturer and curriculum advisor to the prestigious China-Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai, China.

In 2003, Mark was jointly awarded a BU Fellowship, for outstanding and innovative work in internationalising the curriculum. Mark has given many workshop and conference presentations on this subject.

In 2011, Mark's contribution to learning, teaching and assessment at Bournemouth University was further recognised, as he became the first recipient of the Vice Chancellor's Award for Making an Exceptional Contribution to Enhancing the Student Experience.

In 2018, his contribution towards the Business School achieving AACSB Accreditation was further recognised, when he became a co-recipient of the Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence.

Over the years, Mark has been highly involved in quality assurance and enhancement activities with the University. He is a particularly experienced Programme Leader, who has managed multiple Programmes. Mark is also at the forefront of the Business School's education enhancement and internationalisation strategies, and was, from 2013-2022, one of two AACSB Assurance of Learning (AOL) Leads for the Business School.

Mark has held multiple leadership roles, including Associate Dean (Student Experience), Coordinator for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), Exam Board Chair, Chair of Academic Offence Panels (AOPs) and Study Abroad Academic Coordinator (SAAC). Mark has also served on all of BU's major committees and has been a member of BU's Quality Assurance and Enhancement Group (QAEG) for over 25 years.

Mark has lived in France, Germany and Italy, and travelled extensively in China, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. Mark is also a Visiting Lecturer at ESC Amiens, France, SRH Heidelberg, Germany, FTU, Vietnam and BINUS, Indonesia. Mark holds PG Diplomas in Management and Education.

Simon Thomas is a senior lecturer in HRM and Personal Development at Bournemouth University.

Heather is a UK registered nutritionist. Her expertise and research is within the field of public health nutrition particularly as it relates to food service and food security. Currently she is principal investigator for the EU project Veggieat, the EU project FoodSMART and the British Council, Veg+ project with the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research puts academic impact from nutritional aspects of health and wellbeing into practice in a new and unique way and provides simple strategies for building healthier communities. A ‘whole systems’ approach is taken which integrates facets of consumer behaviour, nutrition, business practice and environmental sustainability.

Current research activity is also in the area of destination marketing and its relationship with wellbeing, Heather is PI of the ESRC project Destination FeelGOOD.