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International Hospitality, Events and Tourism Management

MSc

Find out more about our courses by joining a live master’s webinar

Start dates: January 2024 / September 2024 / January 2025 / September 2025

Full time: 1 year or 2 years in sandwich mode which includes one year's full-time paid supervised work experience (a work placement).

Part time: Part-time: MSc: 24 months for UK and EU students (teaching normally structured to provide one day or two half days each week in the semester)

Location: Headington

Department(s): Oxford School of Hospitality Management

Overview
Course details
Careers
Entry requirements
How to apply
Tuition fees

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Overview

Imagine a career where 2 days are never the same. Where you’ll meet new people, travel to new places and maybe even learn new languages. On our International Hospitality, Events and Tourism Management MSc, you’ll do exactly that. 

If you want to work in hospitality, events or tourism, but aren't sure which area, this course is for you. It doesn’t matter if you don't have experience – we’ll teach you everything you need to know to stand out.

Helping you secure the job you want is really important to us. You’ll get hands-on experience through live projects and field trips, and help finding a one year paid placement. Past placement organisations include Marriott and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

Thanks to our unique Bacchus Mentoring programme, you’ll receive support from a senior professional working in the hospitality, tourism or events industry who can help you navigate your career path. We’ll also introduce you to other professionals, employers, and alumni. All of this will help you grow your network and build connections. 

Attend an open day or webinar Ask a question Order a prospectus

Why Oxford Brookes University?

  • Industry placement

    We’ll help you find a paid placement so you can apply your skills and boost your employability within multinational hotels, Michelin star restaurants and exclusive clubs.

  • Unrivalled support

    The Bacchus Mentoring and Leadership programme focuses on boosting your employability.

  • City of opportunity

    Oxford is a global city, and we use all its distinctive aspects to provide you with unique learning opportunities.

  • Explore your options

    Study all 3 areas to discover which career path is the perfect match for you.

  • Freedom to shape study

    We provide an unbeatable range of modules so you can explore the areas that fascinate you.

Course details

Course structure

We prepare you for a variety of roles in the hospitality, tourism, and events industries.

You’ll look at the global visitor economy, examining how these 3 areas depend on each other to survive. Following this, we’ll look at the role of digital marketing and consumer experience. You’ll think about how to use different platforms and get to know the impact of review sites.

What makes this course stand out is the range of optional modules. You might decide to plan and deliver a sustainable event. Maybe you’ll design a new visitor attraction for a dark tourism destination. Or perhaps you’ll learn more about revenue management.

For your final project, you’ll either complete a dissertation or carry out a client project. This will put your research skills to the test and give you the opportunity to apply your expertise to a challenge facing the industry. 

Students in a Classroom

Learning and teaching

We use a range of teaching methods including: 

  • multicultural group work
  • case studies 
  • workshops 
  • seminars 
  • lectures 
  • events 
  • one-to-one tutorials.

Your learning experience will be innovative, student-centred and interactive. 

Alumni and senior industry professionals contribute to the programme through guest lectures. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by an industry leader. 

 

Assessment

You will be assessed on individual coursework and your dissertation. As well as an examination for the strategic financial management module.

Field Trips

The International Business in Practice Study Trip module allows you to experience ideas and practices of global business. During the trip you will have direct interaction with management executives and practices. You will: attend presentations from local management executives and experts go on site visits to major corporations and agencies. This study trip is voluntary and you will need to fund all costs associated with the trip. It is not linked to university assessments in any way.

We also run a study trip to Chengdu, China. If you choose the study trip (which runs in July), we will give you all the details by March so that you can make your decisions ahead of the trip in July.

If you successfully complete this non-credit bearing module, it will be recorded on your transcript as P58335 International Business in Practice: Study Trip.

Throughout the course you can choose to go on field trips to events such as:

  • the world travel market
  • destinations and attractions
  • hotels
  • museums
  • the corporate office of a leading international hotel company.

Field trips carry an additional cost. Please see the Additional costs section of this page for details.

Start this course in January

You have the option to start this course in January. You will study a range of modules between January and May. During the summer months of June, July and August you will study further modules and begin work on your dissertation. Between September and December you will complete your final modules and focus on your dissertation.

Find out more about January entry

Study modules

Taught modules

Compulsory modules

  • Global Visitor Economy

    This module introduces students to key concepts in the visitor economy and looks specifically at the sectors of tourism, hospitality and events by developing knowledge, understanding and synthesis of their contemporary milieu.

  • Digital Marketing and Consumer Experience

    This module seeks to explore the nature of digital marketing in the global visitor economy and how this is transforming the nature of tourism, hospitality and events. It also seeks to analyse how a digital marketing plan is developed using an omni channel approach for different cultures.

  • Hospitality Operations Management

    You will be introduced to hospitality operations within an international context. Drawing on relevant management principles, you will develop an understanding of financial, human resource and marketing management knowledge at the unit level, which underpins the successful management of hospitality, events and tourism companies. You will take part in a computer based hotel business simulation assignment.

  • Strategic Financial Management

    You will focus on the use of financial information for managerial decision making in the international hotel, events and tourism industries. You will study the key financial issues impacting on managerial decision-making in planning for profit and managing assets. You will explore the financial implications of current developments affecting the management of hotels, events and tourism businesses.  

  • Research Methods in Hospitality, Events and Tourism Management

    This module is geared towards the preparation for, and successful completion of, high quality, rigorous and systematic hospitality, events and tourism management research. It underpins the range of capstone modules offered by the Business School and is of general relevance to the successful completion of coursework.

  • Mentoring and Leadership Development

    You will develop an in-depth understanding of leadership theory and practice. Your understanding of leadership theory will develop by engaging with contemporary debates on leadership in the hospitality, events and tourism industries, with a particular focus on ethical leadership. You will develop your professional competences and understanding of leadership practice through participation in the school’s Bacchus Mentoring Programme. This programme gives you one-to-one support from a mentor from the international hospitality, events or tourism industry.

Optional modules

Dark Tourism

This module aims to introduce students to the context and practice of dark tourism within the hospitality, tourism, and events industries. Students are introduced to the conceptual and practical development of dark tourism; its scale and scope, which includes a wide range of international case studies of dark visitor attractions, dark accommodations, and dark festivals and events; as well as the underpinning issues and challenges relating to the management of dark tourism experiences, including ethical concerns, authenticity, and experience design.

Professional development (compulsory for those on sandwich mode)

This supervised work experience module is part of the two-year sandwich mode for international students, who joined their MSc Programme in September or January. The module offers MSc students paid supervised work experience in one of a range of hospitality, tourism and event organizations in the UK for up to 52 weeks (40 weeks minimum).

Tourism Digital Distribution Strategies

The main aim of this module is to enable you to critically evaluate current and emerging developments in electronic distribution systems. You will explore the impact of global distribution systems and social media from both a consumer and an organisational perspective.

Global Events and Society

The module focuses on three themes: the social and cultural contexts in which events take place; the various stakeholders who affect and are affected by events; and the social, cultural, environmental, economic and political impacts of events for states, regions, organisations, groups and individuals.

Planning and Delivering the Sustainable Event

The module is based on ISO 20121 Sustainable Events Management; this is a global industry standards framework, and focuses on key principles and concepts of international events management to the delivery of a real world event.

Revenue Management

This module introduces you to key concepts within Revenue Management such as capacity management, dynamic pricing and creative product development. To fully understand how to apply revenue management within hospitality and tourism businesses, you need to be aware of elements which influence customer purchase decisions and to evaluate the complex relationship between price, cost, volume and profit. Other electives may also be available.

Tourism Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Tourism innovation and entrepreneurship are fundamental to the development of tourism products and services that contribute to sustainable local, regional and national development strategies. You will consider the process of innovation, including the role of key tourism stakeholders such as government, the private sector, NGOs and local communities.

Placement

Optional modules

Sandwich mode / Placement

If you decide to take the sandwich mode your year of full-time taught study will be followed by one year of full-time, supervised work experience. The time on supervised work experience is paid and spent with a suitable international hospitality and tourism employer. You carry out an assessed project for the company as part of your academic studies on the placement. You will be fully supported in finding a placement.

Final project - choose one of:

Compulsory modules

  • Dissertation

    This is an opportunity for you to investigate a topic in depth from multiple perspectives, working independently and supervised by a specialist tutor. You choose the hospitality, events or tourism management topic which you wish to study. Writing the dissertation, will develop your ability to critically review literature, identify the gaps in current knowledge and practise relevant research skills to facilitate data collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation.

  • Client Project

    You have the opportunity to link theory to practice by analysing a real organisational issue. Having identified a project (with the approval of both the client company and the Module Leader) you investigate a particular issue, one that can be supported through the relevant literature and by conducting primary research with the client. This module is not an internship but can be taken in conjunction with an internship you have identified and are participating in. The 'issue' in question may be a current management problem for the client organisation or related to future strategic choices. The Client Project provides you with a significant learning and personal development experience.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Research

96% of the research conducted by The Oxford School of Hospitality Management is internationally recognised. Our aim is to conduct research that advances academics' understanding of hospitality management.

Students at an Event

Careers

Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries, so you’ll never be short of opportunities when you graduate. Your degree could take you anywhere in the world. 

Our graduates secure a range of rewarding roles including:

  • operations manager
  • visitor experience manager
  • hotel manager
  • events manager
  • food and beverage manager.

Want to expand your expertise? Completing a PhD with us is a great option if you’re eager to join the academic community or teach the next generation of industry professionals. 

Student profiles

Wantanee Chansawad

"Pre-sessional English helped me with my listening and speech skills. The teachers especially helped with that - they were patient and helped me prepare for my next step."

Read more about Wantanee
Left
Right

Our Staff

Wantanee Chansawad

Pre-sessional English helped me with my listening and speech skills. The teachers especially helped with that - they were patient and helped me prepare for my next step.

Read more about Wantanee

Dr Rachel Wang

Rachel is a member of the Global Conference on Hospitality, Tourism, Events and Leisure Management and teaches numerous modules while supervising Postgraduate student dissertations.

Read more about Rachel
Left
Right

Dr Rachel Wang

Rachel is a member of the Global Conference on Hospitality, Tourism, Events and Leisure Management and teaches numerous modules while supervising Postgraduate student dissertations.

Read more about Rachel

Entry requirements

International qualifications and equivalences

How to apply

Application process


Apply now

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) full time
£10,600
Home (UK) part time
£5,300
Home (UK) sandwich (placement)
£2,000
International full time
£16,800
International sandwich (placement)
£2,000
Home (UK) full time
£11,150
Home (UK) part time
£5,575
Home (UK) sandwich (placement)
£2,100
International full time
£17,150
International sandwich (placement)
£2,100

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Tuition fees

2023 / 24
Home (UK) full time
£10,600
Home (UK) part time
£5,300
Home (UK) sandwich (placement)
£2,000
International full time
£16,800
International sandwich (placement)
£2,000
2024 / 25
Home (UK) full time
£11,150
Home (UK) part time
£5,575
Home (UK) sandwich (placement)
£2,100
International full time
£17,150
International sandwich (placement)
£2,100

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 483088

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

The full-time fees quoted are for the taught Year 1. Fees will be charged for the placement year in Year 2 and are available on request from finance-fees@brookes.ac.uk. For approximate fee levels of the placement year see the placement fee above.

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support. 

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Financial support and scholarships

For more information, please go to our Fees and Funding page

For general sources of financial support, see our Fees and funding pages.

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

We offer an International Business in Practice Study Trip module. This study trip is voluntary and all costs associated with the trip will need to be funded by you.

The International Study Trip modules allow you to experience ideas and practices of global business. During the trip you will have direct interaction with management executives and practices. You will attend presentations from local management executives and experts and go on site visits to major corporations and agencies. These study trips are voluntary and you will need to fund most of the costs associated with the trip. We have run study trips to Boston, Chengdu, Kuala Lumpur and Budapest.

As an example of costs, the fees in 2020 varied between £350 - £1500 and included: accommodation for seven nights, insurance, company visits and group transportation for all activities. This fee did not include international airfare, visa application fee (if relevant), dinners and activities during your free time.

Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.