FdA Tourism and Events Management

To gain entry to the programme you must satisfy the standard or non-standard entry requirements detailed below.

Standard Entry requirements At Level 4 and 5:

• You will hold a relevant Level 3 qualification
• You are required to hold a minimum of 32 UCAS points from studying a relevant qualification or A-Level subjects
• You must hold four GCSEs at grade 4/C or above
• You are required to hold a grade 4/C or above in GCSE maths and English, or to have demonstrated ability in maths and English within further studies (such as key/functional skills).

Non-standard requirements Non-traditional or mature students (aged 21 by 31 December of the year of admission) who do not meet the above criteria will be considered based on assessment of the following criteria through a personal statement, supporting references and an interview:

• Evidence of ability for self-organisation.
• Evidence of ability to work independently.
• The motivation to learn.
• Interest in the subject area.
• Evidence of ability to work with others.
• Background knowledge, skills and experience in a relevant sector setting.
• Two years full-time work in a relevant organisation.
• If needed, a commitment to study GCSE Maths and English alongside the programme.

You will be invited to attend an interview. Please bring evidence of your relevant qualifications.

The aim of the programme is to develop you into a capable, well-rounded graduate with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to thrive in the Tourism and Event sector.

The programme seeks to engage you through effective teaching and learning strategies, to stimulate your intellectual capacity, and to promote creativity and exploration within the Tourism and Event sector. The curriculum also reflects the contemporary issues such as Governmental strategies, managerial approaches, skills shortages, and equality & diversity.

This foundation degree will prepare you to progress to Level 6 study either at New College Durham or another institution.

The programme therefore aims to:

• Provide you with an academic and vocationally oriented curriculum that establishes a firm understanding and knowledge of the sectors.
• Provide a flexible and supportive learning environment and a variety of learning tasks and approaches to enable you to develop your knowledge and understanding of the sectors.
• Provide a framework where employers can participate in the development of the curriculum in order that the programme remains current and fit for purpose.
• Provide a varied range of academic and practical teaching, learning and assessment strategies related to the Tourism, and Event sector.
• Provide you with sector specific employer links including guest speakers, sectors related visits and placement opportunities.
• Facilitate the development of individual values and personal skills that will enable you to continue to develop in pursuing your career and/or academic and personal aspirations.

Level 4

• Academic Development
• People Management
• Understanding the Travel, Tourism and Events sectors
• Work Related Learning
• Digital Sales and Marketing
• Business Finance.

Level 5

• Academic Development
• Global Travel and Event
• Retail and Tourism Operations (optional)
• Legal and Risk Issues (optional)
• Work Related Learning
• Planning and Delivering Live Tourism & Event
• Special Interest Tourism (optional)
• Entrepreneurship Live (optional).

A wide range of teaching and learning methods appropriate to the nature of the programme is used across the modules.

At Level 4, the teaching and learning strategies used include formal lectures, group activities, case studies, discussion, and role-play. These place emphasis on the development of knowledge, understanding, analysis and application, and tutors promote the relevance of these to the workplace through the use of work-related examples and case studies. Although initially sessions are tutor-led, independent learning is encouraged and supported at Level 4 and reinforced at Level 5.

The teaching and learning strategies used by tutors at Level 5 are designed to develop the higher order intellectual skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, particularly through the completion of an Enterprise Project. In addition, you will recognise and action plan for your own developmental needs in terms of academic and career progression, including identifying and participating in value added work experience and volunteering.

Independent learning will be encouraged and supported using Schoology to enable you to enhance your classroom learning, reading and access to programme information and pastoral care.

The programme team work very closely with employers and practitioners for their own professional work, enabling them to secure a host of guest speakers and to enable student visits. The programme teams consider this essential for the currency and validity of all Foundation degrees and honours degree ‘top up’ programmes.

Employer and practitioner engagement are a strength of this programme. The team continue to work with the Durham BID team and Business Durham, who coordinate the delivery of a project with Level 5 students around enterprise. The Durham BID team share their own business and Event expertise. You will have the opportunity to present business ideas in a ‘Dragons Den’ type presentation to a panel of sectors experts and receive feedback from these experts.

The team communicates with employers on a regular basis, via networking opportunities at exhibitions, conferences, workshops, and via e-mail. A partnership has been established with the Visit County Durham Initiative and it is expected that this will provide more opportunities for you to engage in work experience in the Event sector.

You will undertake a significant period of mandatory work placement to support your learning on this module. Specific details of the placement will be provided in the module guide. The placement organisation will be one operating within the sector in which your studies are based. The placement will provide you with the opportunity to gain direct experience of a working environment and to participate in work-based activities.

This will provide you with a hands-on experience that will support you in developing and refining work-based skills. It will also provide you with evidence upon which you can draw to relate organisational theory to organisational practice.

You could progress to our BA (Hons) Management (Top up) programme at New College Durham or apply for alternate top-up degrees such as the BSc (Hons) International Tourism & Hospitality Management (Top-up) at alternate local universities.
You could also choose to seek employment within the tourism and events sector or travel industry