Hospitality and tourism
Hospitality and tourism are among the world’s fastest growing industries, employing over 60 million people worldwide. The opportunities for an interesting and exciting career in a range of different industry sectors are enormous, particularly for those with relevant qualifications.
Checklist: why study hospitality and tourism in the United Kingdom?
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The United Kingdom (UK) has a long-established reputation for high-quality hospitality and tourism service.
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Many courses provide the opportunity to undertake relevant work experience within the UK or abroad.
UK institutions teaching these subjects have close links with hospitality and tourism companies worldwide. UK skills, training and qualifications are recognised by employers worldwide, with many companies choosing to recruit graduates directly from UK courses.
You will have the opportunity to improve your English language skills, which will also help in your future career. There are a wide range of educational opportunities to choose from and numerous professional associations that offer industry-specific qualifications.
1 What can I study? You can study on a range of courses within a variety of subject areas including: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
adventure tourism management culinary arts ecotourism event and festival management events management heritage tourism hospitality studies hospitality and tourism management hotel services management hotel and restaurant management international food and hospitality management international hospitality management international hospitality management and sports tourism international hospitality business management international travel management leisure tourism tourism attractions management tourism management
Hospitality and tourism
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tourism planning tourism studies
2 How do I decide what’s the right course for me? In general, courses with the word ‘management’ in the title tend to help you to develop relevant management skills and knowledge for professional practice. These courses generally include the study of management functions such as marketing and human resource management. In contrast, courses with the word ‘studies’ in the title tend to draw on a wider range of subject areas. The first thing to do is to think about your own interests and career aspirations and then try to find the course that will help you to achieve your goals. It is always a good idea to read up on different careers within the industry and the Springboard website is a good place to start: www.springboarduk.org.uk. The next thing is to consider what qualifications you have already and the level of study that is most appropriate for you. If you have relevant work experience, then you might be able to gain entrance to advanced levels of study. The table below will give you an idea of the different options available.
Type of study
What it involves
Where you can study
National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)
These can be studied for while working and there are no entry requirements. Normally students are aged 16 to 18 years. A range of qualifications are available at four levels from the Hospitality Awarding Body including food and drink service, front office, customer service and professional cookery.
Further/higher education colleges.
These qualifications are for students normally between 16 to 18 years. The duration of the courses vary between one and two years. Most provide access to higher levels of study, including degree level.
Further/higher education colleges. Sixth form colleges.
Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SNVQs) BTEC National Awards Vocational Alevels
Some private providers.
Secondary schools with sixth forms.
Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education (AVCE) Scottish National Qualifications (SGAs) or Highers
Hospitality and tourism
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Hospitality and Catering Diploma (available from September 2009)
These are new qualifications for students normally between 14 to 19 years of age. There are three levels of study that mix traditional learning and work experience. Students who complete level three will qualify for access to degree level study.
Travel and Tourism Diploma (available from September 2010) Higher National These courses are designed for those Certificates who want to develop their academic (HNCs) skills on a practical, work-based course. Certificates can be completed Higher National in one year of full-time study and Diplomas diplomas after two years. (HNDs) Foundation These are employment-related degrees qualifications designed to prepare students for work in hospitality and tourism industries. They are usually of two years duration and may be taken within an institution or the workplace (these are not available in Scotland). Foundation, These are distinct courses from access or foundation degrees. They provide bridging course students with relevant subject knowledge and language skills to gain access to a particular degree course. They are usually up to one year of study.
Undergraduate These are three- or four-year courses degree courses of study that lead to a BA or BSc honours degree in a wide variety of hospitality and tourism subjects. Fouryear courses tend to include a period of paid industry work experience and are called sandwich courses. Postgraduate These include both taught and degree courses research degrees at Master and Doctoral levels in a wide variety of hospitality and tourism subjects. Taught Master degrees are usually one year of study and Doctoral degrees three years.
Hospitality and tourism
Further/higher education colleges. Secondary schools.
Further/higher education colleges. Some universities.
Further/higher education colleges. Some universities.
Further/higher education colleges. Some universities. Sixth form colleges. Secondary schools with sixth forms. Some private providers. Universities. Some further/higher education colleges.
Most universities.
www.educationuk.org
3
Are there other study options available?
Several professional bodies have developed accreditation schemes, qualifications and short courses in hospitality and tourism-specific subjects. You can find out further details of these courses through the website details below:
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Professional organisation
Website
Association of British Travel Agents
www.abta.com
British Association of Hospitality Accountants
www.baha-uk.org
British Institute of Innkeeping
www.bii.org
Hospitality Awarding Body
www.hab.org.uk
Institute of Hospitality
www.instituteofhospitality.org
Institute of Travel and Toursim
www.itt.co.uk
International Air Transport Association
www.iata.org
Wine and Spirit Education Trust
www.wset.co.uk
Next steps
Checklist: your next steps
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If you know what course you want to study, ask for advice on the different educational routes from sources in your own country.
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Start to research courses available. Remember that websites are a useful starting point and can help you to narrow down your options.
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Make a shortlist of your preferred institutions and courses. Ask all of them for a copy of their prospectus and read these carefully.
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Make sure you choose the course that best matches your interests and goals. If you want to gain work experience in the UK while you study, make sure you choose a sandwich course.
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Make sure as well that you have the qualifications they ask for, including English language requirements. Most courses at degree level require you to have IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 550.
5 What else do I need to know? The regulations for entry into the UK are constantly changing and it is vital that you check the Home Office Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) website (www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk) on a regular basis and check locally with your British Mission so you are aware of how UK immigration procedures will affect you. With the introduction of the new Australian-style points-based system, you will need to keep even more up to date with the new immigration system changes when applying for a visa or work permit. For information on the points-based system go to:
Hospitality and tourism
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www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/managingborders/pbsdocs. For advice on working in the UK: www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk. For advice about visas: www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk. For practical advice on living in the UK, download Studying and living in the UK from: www.educationuk.org/bc_img/body/articles/pdfs/stud_live_uk.pdf.
6 Where can I find more information? The British Council has produced the Education UK portfolio to provide international students with a wide range of information and guidance that will help them find out more about studying a UK course and other important issues, such as applying to study, entry clearance and living in the UK. The portfolio includes: • • • • •
the Education UK website and a number of country websites containing locally relevant information – www.educationuk.org The essential guides to education in the UK: Undergraduate and pre-university; Postgraduate and MBA* Universities, Colleges and Schools Handbook* Club UK magazine,* also available online at www.educationuk.org/clubuk Postgraduate UK magazine.*
*The publications are available at a selected number of British Council offices for students to use. The Education UK websites are a valuable source of information, with a database of over 450,000 courses and profiles of institutions and contain details of entry requirements and course fees; some offer a virtual tour of their campus. Universites and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) PO Box 28 Cheltenham GL52 3LZ Telephone +44 (0)87 0112 2211 E-mail enquiries@ucas.ac.uk www.ucas.com British Hospitality Association (BHA) Queens House 55-56 Lincoln’s Inn fields London WC2A 3BH Telephone +44 (0)20 7404 7744 Fax +44 (0)20 7404 7799 E-mail bha@bha.org.uk www.bha.org.uk
Hospitality and tourism
Association of British Travel Agents Ltd (ABTA) 68-71 Newman Street, London, W1T 3AH Telephone +44 (0)20 7637 2444 Fax +44 (0)20 7637 0713 E-mail abta@abta.co.uk www.abta.com British Institute of Innkeeping Wessex House 80 Park Street Camberley Surrey GU15 3PT Telephone +44 (0)12 7668 4449 Fax +44 (0)12 7623 045 E-mail reception@bii.org www.bii.org
www.educationuk.org
Edexcel One 90 High Holborn London WC1V 7BH
Hospitality Awarding Body (HAB) C/o City and Guilds 1 Giltspur Street London EC1A 9DD
Telephone +44 (0)12 0477 0696 Fax +44 (0)20 7190 5700 www.edexcel.org
Telephone + 44 (0)87 0060 2556 Fax +44 (0)87 0060 2555 E-mail info@hab.org.uk www.hab.org.uk
Institute of Hospitality Trinity Court 34 West Street Sutton Surrey SM1 1SH
The Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT) PO Box 217 Ware Hertfordshire SG12 8WY
E-mail commdept@instituteofhospitality.org www.instituteofhospitality.org
International Air Transport Association (IATA) Spencer House 23 Sheen Road, Richmond upon Thames TW9 1BN Telephone +44 (0)20 7660 0068 www.iata.org Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) Customer Relations 83 Piccadilly London W1J 8QA Telephone +44 (0)20 7509 5556 Fax +44 (0)20 7509 6666 E-mail info@qca.org.uk www.qca.org.uk Springboard 3 Denmark Street London WC2H 8LP Telephone +44 (0)20 7497 8654 Fax +44 (0)20 7497 2466 www.springboarduk.org
Telephone +44 (0)87 0770 7960 Fax +44 (0)87 0770 7961 E-mail enquiries@itt.co.uk www.itt.co.uk People 1st 2nd Floor, Armstrong House 38 Market Square Uxbridge UB8 1LH Telephone +44 (0)87 0060 2550 www.people1st.co.uk
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) The Optima Building 58 Robertson Street Glasgow G2 8DQ Telephone + 44 (0)84 5279 1000 Fax +44 (0)84 5213 5000 E-mail customer@sqa.org.uk www.sqa.org.uk
The Tourism Society Trinity Court 34 West Street Sutton Surrey SM1 1SH Telephone +44 (0) 208 661 4636 Fax +44 (0) 208 661 4637 E-mail admin@tourismsociety.org www.tourismsociety.org
Wine and Spirit Education Trust International Wine and Spirit Centre 39-45 Bermondsey Street London SE1 3XF Telephone +44 (0)20 7089 3800 Fax +44 (0)20 7089 3845 E-mail wset@sweet.co.uk www.wset.co.uk
Hospitality and tourism
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Other useful resources Careers in Travel and Tourism, Kogan Page, Collins, V.R, 2004, ISBN 0 7494 4205 0 – this is a practical guide with useful information and sound advice on travel and tourism.
Note: please note this book may not be available in your local British Council Office.
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information given here is correct and up to date, the British Council accepts no legal liability for its accuracy, currency or completeness.
April 2008 Š British Council 2008 The United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland).
Hospitality and tourism
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