Published: 6 July 2020
At the University of Sunderland in London, we have a number of tourism, hospitality and events degrees for you to choose from. Whether you want to explore the exciting world of international tourism or organise events in the entertainment industry, you’ll find the course to help you reach your goals.
But before you decide which degree to go for, it’s worth taking some time to think about what you want to get out of it. What kinds of job can you get with an MSc in Tourism and Hospitality? Should you choose the integrated BSc (Hons) in International Tourism and Hospitality Management? Read on to have all your questions answered.
Jobs directly related to your degree
Studying tourism teaches you a lot of things that are needed if you plan on entering the industry. Depending on the course, you can either go straight into work after you graduate or keep studying and go for a higher degree. Graduate from our BSc (Hons) International Tourism and Hospitality Management course, for example, have gone on to work for Harrods, St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel and the South West London Environment Network.
Jobs where your skills will be useful
But you don’t have to limit yourself to the tourism industry only. We pride ourselves on the transferable skills we teach to all of our students. This opens up your options and makes you more employable. With a tourism degree, you’ll be able to excel in customer-facing roles, marketing, sales and more. But remember that many employers are more interested in what you can bring to the company than what specific degree you have.
What other skills will you need?
Whatever you end up doing with your degree, it’s important to think about the skills you’re learning as you go. Work out how you are with each of the areas below and start working on improving them. So-called soft skills are important for any industry, but in tourism and hospitality things like communication and diplomacy are vital.
Communication
This goes well beyond just knowing how to talk. It’s about listening to other people and thinking about what they’ve said before you speak. Check out our article, ‘Communication skills for students’ for more.
Diplomacy
You don’t need to be planning on managing trade deals to learn how to be diplomatic. Similar to communication, diplomacy is often about knowing how to speak to someone in difficult situations.
Handling pressure
Tourism and Hospitality is a high-pressure environment. Working in a hotel, for example, needs you to be quick, professional, clever and polite at all times. Especially in today’s world of internet reviews, guests are on the lookout for excellent staff, and will most likely call you out if you fall below their standards. The same is true for every sector in the tourism industry.
Problem-solving
Much of the tourism industry can be labelled as being the service sector. With that in mind, whichever role you end up in, you’ll be working for customers. Your job will be to help solve their problems for them, enhance their experience and leave them feeling happy and wanting to come back or talk to their friends about you.
Wherever you end up in the tourism industry, it’s an exciting, fast-paced and growing sector to be involved in. You could find yourself travelling all over the world, experiencing new cultures and ways of life. Make sure you take a look through our Tourism, Hospitality and Events degrees to find the right path for you.
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