BSc (Hons) International Tourism and Hospitality Management Top-up (Online)

The programme aims to:

• Develop advanced knowledge and understanding of international tourism and hospitality management.
• Enhance students’ ability to analyse and evaluate complex organisational and industry challenges.
• Build leadership, strategic thinking and decision-making capabilities.
• Develop professional competencies required for management and leadership positions within tourism and hospitality organisations.
• Strengthen research, analytical and problem-solving skills through independent investigation.
• Promote ethical, sustainable and responsible management practice.
• Prepare graduates for career progression or postgraduate study

This programme equips students with advanced knowledge and practical skills to address contemporary challenges and opportunities in the tourism and hospitality industry. The industry-relevant curriculum explores key areas such as leadership and organisational performance, digital transformation, sustainable tourism development, risk and resilience management, tourism and hospitality business transformation, and global industry trends. Delivered fully online, the course offers flexible study through weekly structured activities, recorded lectures, multimedia resources, access to extensive digital libraries, and dedicated academic and personal tutor support, enabling students to balance their studies with professional and personal commitments. Graduates will develop valuable career-focused competencies in leadership, strategic planning, research and data analysis, risk assessment, project management, communication, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable business practice, preparing them for senior and strategic roles across the sector.

Students wishing to undertake the one-year online Top-Up programme should normally possess one of the following qualifications:

• A Pearson Higher National Diploma (HND) in Tourism, Hospitality, Business or a related discipline with an appropriate overall profile.
• An Ofqual approved HND qualification in the same or related subject areas at levels 4 and 5, with a total of 240 credits.
• A Foundation Degree, Diploma of Higher Education, or other Ofqual-recognised qualifications equivalent to 240 credits at Levels 4 and 5 in relevant subjects. Applicants will be invited to attend an admissions interview or provide additional evidence of academic readiness for honours-level study.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• The ability to undertake independent study and critical analysis at Level 6.
• Appropriate academic writing and research skills.
• A commitment to pursuing a career in tourism, hospitality or a related sector.

Applicants will be invited to attend an admissions interview or provide additional evidence of academic readiness for honours-level study

As the programme is delivered and assessed in English, applicants must demonstrate an appropriate level of English language proficiency during their interviews and preparation of their personal statement.

The programme consists of 120 Level 6 credits completed over one academic year.

Leadership Theory and Practice in International Tourism and Hospitality Management (20 Credits)

This module aims to develop students’ critical understanding of leadership theories and practices within the context of International Tourism and Hospitality Management. It examines contemporary leadership perspectives and the application of authentic, transformational, and responsible leadership approaches in addressing organisational challenges. The module enables students to evaluate the role of leadership in fostering employee engagement, driving organisational performance, and leading change effectively within dynamic and culturally diverse tourism and hospitality environments. Through the application of theory to practice, students will develop the knowledge, skills, and professional competencies required to lead ethically, responsively, and sustainably in the global tourism and hospitality industry.

The Future of Tourism and Hospitality (20 Credits)

This module develops students’ capacity to investigate, interpret and critically evaluate the forces likely to reshape tourism and hospitality. It moves beyond the simple description of trends by asking students to assess the evidence behind forecasts, examine interactions between technological, cultural, demographic, economic, environmental and geopolitical change, and consider the implications for destinations, organisations, employees, communities and visitors. Students will use horizon scanning, contemporary sector evidence, case analysis and scenario thinking to develop reasoned judgements about plausible futures rather than treating any single prediction as certain. The module recognises that the future of the sector will be uneven and contested. New technologies and business models may improve productivity, accessibility and personalisation while also creating risks involving employment, privacy, exclusion, market concentration and loss of human contact. Growth may generate jobs and investment while intensifying pressure on climate, resources, housing, culture and host communities. Students will therefore evaluate innovation and growth through commercial, social, ethical and environmental perspectives.

Managing Change in the International Tourism and Hospitality Sector (20 Credits)

This module aims to develop students’ understanding of the nature, process, and management of organisational change within the tourism and hospitality industry. The module explores key theories, models, and approaches to change management and examines their application in addressing contemporary industry challenges, including digital transformation, sustainability, changing customer expectations, and global market developments. Through critical engagement with academic literature, industry case studies, and reflective learning activities, students will evaluate the impact of change on individuals, teams, and organisations and assess the effectiveness of different change management approaches in diverse tourism and hospitality contexts. Students will develop the ability to design and evaluate change strategies that support organisational performance, innovation, and sustainable growth.

Managing Risk in Tourism and Hospitality (20 Credits)

This module examines the nature of risk and the processes used to identify, assess, communicate and manage risk across the tourism and hospitality sector. It considers the distinctive operating conditions of hotels, restaurants, visitor attractions, events, tour operations and destinations, including intensive human interaction, seasonality, dispersed supply chains, changing demand, cultural diversity and exposure to external disruption. Human fallibility and unsafe behaviour are explored as a foundation for evaluating risk assessment and risk-management approaches. Students analyse how guest and employee safety, service quality, consumer protection, reputation, resilience and commercial performance can be integrated within organisational systems. The module concludes by considering how a just culture can support openness, learning and proportionate accountability.

Research Project (40 Credits)

The independent research project provides students with an opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge and understanding from the final level of the degree to a typical workplace environment and to develop research skills in a specialised area. The project is an original, detailed research analysis on a topic selected in consultation with, and supervised by a member of LSME’s academic staff. The project includes a critical literature review and primary and/or secondary empirical work to address a specific research question (or questions). Through a series of seminars, students will be introduced to theories, models and concepts used to undertake a research project supported by guidance on research methods and ethics, and writing a research project.

The BSc (Hons) International Tourism and Hospitality Management Top-up (Online) programme lasts one academic year of online study.

The programme is delivered online through a combination of:

• Tutor-guided Independent learning
• Live and recorded lectures, workshops and seminars
• Interactive learning activities
• Discussion forums
• Case studies analysis
• Guided reading
• Reflective exercises
• One-to-one tutor support
• Independent study and research

Students are supported by a personal tutor and have access to academic guidance throughout their studies.

Assessment is designed to reflect real-world tourism and hospitality management practice and may include:

• Case study analysis
• Essays
• Reflective assignments
• Risk assessments
• Research reports
• Applied projects
• Online oral Presentations

The programme does not rely on traditional unseen examinations, enabling students to demonstrate practical and analytical skills through authentic assessment methods

Graduates will be well prepared for management and leadership roles across a wide range of sectors, including:

• Hotel and Resort Management
• Tourism Operations
• Destination Management
• Events Management
• Travel and Tourism Consultancy
• Airline and Aviation Services
• Hospitality Operations
• Visitor Attraction Management
• Tourism Marketing
• Sustainable Tourism Development
• Customer Experience Management

Students successfully completing the programme may progress to postgraduate study, including Master’s degrees in tourism, hospitality, business, management, marketing, sustainability and related disciplines.