BA in Tourism Policy Studies
Course Overview
The BA in Tourism Policy Studies is a full LSTITM honours degree that integrates tourism policy studies, regulation, evidence-based policy work, sector engagement and applied research to produce graduate-ready tourism policy and public-affairs professionals. The full honours route runs 36 months with a placement year coordinated by the LSTITM careers service, and top-up routes are available for Higher Diploma holders. The syllabus is aligned with Tourism Society published references, Chartered Management Institute (CMI) leadership practice, British Chambers of Commerce material, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) outlook material and UKHospitality references.
By graduation you will be able to lead a policy project inside a UK tourism employer or public-affairs body, contribute to consultation responses, run applied research to inform policy decisions, and present policy options to a senior stakeholder or council commercial team with confidence.
The BA is delivered through structured lectures, seminars, applied projects and a dissertation or capstone project, with a UK-referenced reading list, tutor-led feedback on every submission and a small cohort designed to keep discussion sharp.
Key Features
- Full honours syllabus co-designed by former tourism policy advisers and DMO public-affairs leads
- Alignment with Tourism Society, CMI, British Chambers of Commerce, WTTC and UKHospitality references
- Placement year coordinated by the LSTITM careers service with London public-affairs employers
- Guided reading from ABTA, ITT and UNWTO published outlook material
- Structured induction to policy analysis, consultation drafting and stakeholder mapping
- Practical exercises writing policy briefs, consultation responses and executive readouts
- Coaching on presenting policy options to a senior stakeholder or council commercial team
- Structured modules on sustainability, safeguarding and inclusive tourism policy work
- LSTITM careers workshops on graduate policy roles across UK tourism
What You Will Learn
- Lead a policy project inside a UK tourism employer or public-affairs body
- Contribute to consultation responses at DMO, tourism board or trade-body level
- Run applied research to inform tourism policy decisions
- Draft a full honours-grade dissertation or capstone project on tourism policy
- Read a policy performance dashboard for a UK tourism programme
- Contribute to a business case for a tourism policy intervention
- Follow sustainability, GDPR and inclusive-policy principles
- Support a supplier or partner conversation on shared policy goals
- Present policy options to a senior stakeholder or council commercial team
Who This Course Is For
- School leavers holding A-Levels or IB targeting a full honours tourism policy degree
- LSTITM Higher Diploma and Advanced Diploma holders on the top-up route
- International students seeking a UK honours-grade tourism policy qualification
- Career changers holding a first degree in a related discipline
- Working professionals moving into a full honours tourism policy career
Career Pathways
- Tourism Policy Officer
- Tourism Policy Advisor
- Tourism Development Officer (senior)
- Tourism Board Coordinator (policy)
- Tourism Corporate Development Manager
- Regional Tourism Director (junior)
- Head of Tourism Development (junior)
- Tourism Consultancy Partner (associate)
- Executive Director (Tourism Board, junior)
LSTITM's careers service supports BA students with CV writing, LinkedIn coaching, mock interview practice, salary preparation and placement-year matching, plus warm introductions to London tourism boards, national trade bodies, DMOs and public-affairs consultancies recruiting into graduate policy roles. Weekly workshops include portfolio reviews of the policy briefs, consultation responses and executive readouts you produce during the BA, and one-to-one coaching for personal statements.
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 shaping modern global tourism. Every LSTITM programme is aligned with recognised UK bodies including the Tourism Society, ITT, ABTA, CIM, CMI, British Chambers of Commerce, WTTC and UKHospitality, giving BA graduates a credible reference base for their next graduate policy application in a competitive UK market.
BA students learn from former tourism policy advisers, DMO public-affairs directors and travel-industry consultants, in a curriculum that articulates cleanly into LSTITM Master's-level programmes, ready for later executive career progression into head of policy, chief tourism officer and consultancy partner roles across UK tourism.
Apply for BA in Tourism Policy Studies
Apply for your full LSTITM undergraduate tourism degree with a policy specialism, delivered by a specialist London school for tourism and international travel management with a full honours policy focus at its core. You will graduate with a policy-grade portfolio of briefs, consultation responses, executive readouts, dissertation research and placement-year evidence built on real UK tourism-sector case material, ready to bring to interviews with London tourism boards, national trade bodies and public-affairs consultancies. Apply for your full LSTITM undergraduate tourism degree and articulate cleanly into a Master's route when you are ready. Enrol Now.
