BA in Tourism Applied Research

Course Overview

The BA in Tourism Applied Research is a full honours-level degree delivered by LSTITM in London over 36 months full-time, with a shorter top-up route for holders of a Higher Diploma or Advanced Diploma. Aligned with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Tourism Society and Institute of Data and Marketing (IDM) practice, the programme combines method design, guest research and destination casework so that graduates can talk credibly about applied research inside UK operators, OTAs, DMOs and consultancies.

By graduation, you will be a placement-tested tourism applied-research graduate able to design a small guest research project, coordinate mixed-method data collection and produce industry-referenced write-ups suitable for boards, marketing directors and consultancy partners. The programme includes a supervised placement inside a UK research-heavy organisation so that final-year work is genuinely industry-tested and portfolio-ready. Final-year modules blend advanced research methods, qualitative technique and a dissertation-style capstone that brings design, data collection and write-up together for a defensible portfolio piece at graduate interview.

Key Features

• Full honours-level programme aligned with CIM, IDM and Tourism Society referenced practice
• Applied research casework using real UK destination and travel-brand scenarios
• Structured supervised placement inside a UK operator, DMO, OTA or consultancy research team
• Tutor briefings from former research directors and travel-industry consultants
• Portfolio-quality outputs including method plans, discussion guides and full research write-ups
• Careers coaching for graduate tourism-research roles across London
• Rolling intakes across on-campus, online and distance-learning routes for flexibility
• Structured articulation into LSTITM Master's routes for research-informed executive practice

What You Will Learn

• How to design a small guest research project with clear objectives and hypotheses
• Coordinating mixed-method data collection across survey, interview and observation formats
• Producing clean discussion guides, survey scripts and observation checklists
• Reading tourism-sector data and referencing it responsibly in applied research work
• Understanding research ethics and consent standards for guest studies
• Producing industry-referenced applied-research write-ups suitable for board briefings
• Coordinating a small applied research project during placement
• Presenting a full graduate applied-research portfolio to a tutor panel with rationale

Who This Course Is For

• A-Level and IB leavers targeting applied-research careers in tourism
• Higher Diploma holders topping up into a full honours BA
• International applicants preparing for UK graduate applied-research roles
• Career changers with research or analyst backgrounds entering tourism
• Tourism-board and travel-brand staff progressing into research-informed honours study

Career Pathways

• Graduate Tourism Research Analyst inside a UK destination board or consultancy
• Graduate Customer Insight Executive inside a London travel brand
• Junior Tourism Business Analyst inside a UK operator
• Graduate Applied Research Executive inside a UK OTA
• Graduate Tourism Consultant with a research specialism
• Junior Tourism Research Officer inside a UK regional partnership
• Graduate Tourism Insight Executive supporting a senior research director

The LSTITM careers service supports Bachelor learners with graduate-level CV drafting, structured interview coaching, placement mediation and warm introductions to London operator, DMO, OTA and consultancy research teams. Learners also receive coaching on how to present method plans, discussion guides and full research write-ups during graduate interview rounds, plus advice on how to talk credibly about ethics, consent and mixed-method design with senior research directors.

Entry Requirements

• A-Levels (BBC or above) or IB (26+ points) or overseas equivalents
• A completed Higher Diploma or Advanced Diploma for top-up routes
• IELTS 6.0 overall (no band under 5.5) or equivalent English proficiency
• Personal statement outlining career objectives in the tourism and travel sector
• Two academic or professional references

Why Study at LSTITM

LSTITM is the London School of Tourism and International Travel Management, a specialist division of Harold International College of London focused on the destination, business, systems and strategic disciplines that shape modern global tourism. Every LSTITM programme is aligned with UK bodies including the Tourism Society, Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT), ABTA, CIM, CMI, IDM and UKHospitality, giving graduates credible honours study behind them and a clean articulation route into Master's degrees.

Our curriculum is written by former research directors, destination leaders and travel-industry consultants, and delivered across on-campus, online and distance-learning routes so working professionals and international students can join. Dedicated careers services support every LSTITM learner with CV, LinkedIn, placement mediation and interview coaching plus introductions to London tourism boards, operators, OTAs and consultancy partners for graduate roles.

Apply for BA in Tourism Applied Research

Applications open on a rolling basis, and the LSTITM admissions team will guide you through documents, English requirements, references and cohort dates for on-campus, online and distance-learning routes so you can pick the pace that suits your undergraduate schedule. Bachelor graduates typically progress into graduate research roles inside UK boards, consultancies and travel brands, or continue directly into the LSTITM Master's route for research-informed executive practice. The admissions team confirms tuition, instalments, top-up eligibility and required documents at enquiry so you have full clarity on cost, placement window and cohort dates before you commit to the BA. Apply for your full LSTITM undergraduate tourism degree. Enrol Now