College to pilot first online Tourism and Hospitality Management degree

Dec. 30, 2012 - PRLog -- Coventry University College is one of the first HE institutions in the UK to pilot an online degree course aimed at working professionals in the tourism and hospitality sector.

The BA (Hons) degree in Strategic Tourism and Hospitality Management, starting from January 2013, is a management degree aimed primarily at people already working within the industry who want a relevant management qualification.

The course has had the backing from the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality (CTH) one of the main professional bodies within the industry.

Coventry University College’s Head of Studies for Tourism and Hospitality, Dean Bennett, says that there is a great deal of interest already from the professional bodies.

Dean Bennett said:

“We have been working with industry to tailor this course to the working professional.  Many people working in this sector work in shifts or have unusual working patterns, so a classroom-based degree course is not an ideal option as it would not fit in with their working life.

“An online degree for these professionals is an obvious response to this. We already run the Strategic Tourism and Hospitality Management Degree within Coventry University College which will be reshaped to an online format. In developing this format we have been working alongside industry professionals to understand what they regard as important and relevant in this sector, creating a focused management degree and qualification. In fact, completing the various stages of the degree also allows students to gain CTH qualifications and existing CTH students can also gain direct access onto the degree programme.

“We have designed the content and process of the course to ensure it remains varied and interesting. This is critical as in an online study environment the majority of the study time relies on individual motivation, which in turn only comes if students are engaged. We are incorporating things like an online student lounge, blogs, tutorials and an area for the students to store their work so they can access it anywhere; either at work during breaks or waiting for a flight in the departure lounge.”

One of the reasons CUC is offering this degree online is that conversations with professionals in the sector indicate that there is a definite market within the industry both at home and abroad for this style of delivery. A professional qualification, alongside an academic one, is geared towards people who can work and study at the same time.

Dean Bennett added:

“The content of the course is very much influenced by the sector and we will be asking industry experts to share case studies with us so that students can use them.

“There is nothing better than taking an online degree while working in the very industry you’re getting the qualification for.  Students can apply the knowledge they are learning in their day-to-day work and use their own case studies and experience as practical examples of what they are learning online. It is a classic case of the work environment becoming part of the study environment. “

The Tourism and Hospitality Management degree focuses on a broad range of topics from emerging issues in the tourism industry to business and marketing strategies.

For more information about the Tourism and Hospitality Management online degree, contact Dean Bennett on 024 7765 8787 or email dean.bennett@cuc.coventry.ac.uk