Business Studies with Travel and Tourism Management – BBs (Hons)

Innovations in technology, with a particular focus on Information Systems and the Internet, have transformed how businesses operate; therefore, learners must understand the basic economic and business forces driving technology within an organisation. They must comprehend the value of information systems and the technology of the Internet, as well as the security and ethical implications of both. The module will also give learners an appreciation of digital multimedia technology and how it can be utilised effectively by organisations.

To provide learners with the knowledge, skills and competencies to enable them to operate in a professional manner within a food and beverage environment.

This module provides students with an introduction to the concepts, principles, and practices of financial accounting. No prior knowledge of accounting is required.

The aim of this module is to provide learners with an introduction to the key concepts and theories of management and marketing and to develop an understanding of the role of marketing and management in modern organisations. The module aims to develop the student’s ability to apply knowledge, techniques and skills in order to solve marketing and management problems.

The module aims to provide the learner with a comprehensive introduction to tourism as an area of academic and applied study. It will highlight the significance of the industry from national and international perspectives and also outline key tourism products and services.

This module provides students with an in-depth insight into contemporary travel operations in both the Irish and global travel industries. It will also introduce students to the key components of the wider travel agency and tour operations industries which will develop core knowledge and understanding of how products are packaged and sold to the tourist.

This module aims to equip students with a range of academic writing competencies by providing an opportunity for students to practise the writing, revising, editing and referencing skills necessary in third level education

The aim of this module is to introduce learners to accounting tools and techniques that can aid management decision-making process in any modern organisation. Topics to be included are budgetary process, preparation of operating budgets in particular focusing on cash flow budgeting, variance analysis, and internal control procedures. Learners will also actively learn the use of a widely recognised accounting package.

This module will provide the learner with an understanding of a range of theories, issues and trends within the geography of tourism on a global scale. This module examines worldwide tourism destinations, providing a comprehensive knowledge of the major characteristics of the regional geography of destinations: identifying and locating countries, main cities, physical features, climatic conditions, tourist attractions and their significance for the tourist experience. Using maps, case studies, travel itineraries and other techniques, the Destination Geography module aims to introduce an array of established and emerging destinations to the student through theoretical and practical applications.

The aim of this module is to provide students with the tools to aid analysis and decision-making. The basic theories and models of microeconomics will be introduced and related to the business decision-making process.

The module aims to provide the learner with a detailed overview of the main factors influencing the demand for tourism. It will also introduce learners to the importance of consumer behaviour and marketing within the tourism industry.

This module has been developed to enable learners to keep pace with emerging demands for online business presence. During this module students will acquire the requisite skills to plan, develop and analyse an integrated digital presence for organisations in their industry. Furthermore, through this 100% CA based module, learners will have practical exposure to digital analytics.

This module equips students with an understanding of the core concepts in HR management, taking students on a journey from the earliest origins of the discipline to the present-day role of HR as an operational and strategic organisational function. Students will develop a strong applied knowledge of HRM systems, processes, and best practice in the planning, staffing and reward of employees. They will appreciate the practical operation of HRM in small, medium, and large organisations, as well as the increased devolution of HR activities to line management. Students will also develop practical people management skills through in-class and assessment activities, as well as highly transferable soft skills.

A key feature for the management and operation of any business is the regulatory environment in which it trades. In turn it is both controlled and protected by the legal instruments and requirements of that environment. An understanding of the legal environment, through a business lens, is thus a central feature in the academic grounding of a rounded business graduate and allows them to reflect upon the many and varied interacting influencing aspects of business life.

The aim of this module is to provide students with the tools to aid analysis and decision-making. The basic theories and models of macroeconomics will be introduced and related to the business decision-making process

The Professional Travel and Tour Guiding module will equip students with the skills and understanding of the national and international travel and tour guiding industry. It will demonstrate skills in leadership, advanced guiding, and group management. It will also implement the best safety and environmental practice in the overall tour experience. Finally, it will introduce students to the professional, social, and administrative skills necessary to offer a quality guiding service both in Ireland and abroad.

This module engages the learner in the application of strategy and marketing to a social media and mobile app environment. It emphasises both the processes and the tools, in an overall marketing strategy, from planning and implementation to the analysis of digital campaigns and mobile app functionality. Learners will examine how best these communication tools and strategies can be applied to compete effectively both offline and online.

The aim of this module is to develop an awareness of the historical and contemporary environment in which special interest tourism has developed and operates. The module will introduce learners to a variety of special interest tourism topics such as adventure, business, dark, food and wine, health and wellness, special events and festivals.

This module sets out to introduce learners to the complexities of the relationships of contemporary technology and the travel and tourism industry. Few industries have adapted so speedily to technology as travel and tourism and it is safe to say that it has changed the face of modern travel marketing, retailing and distribution. This module sets out to investigate and evaluate many of these impacts, changes and consequences.

The aim of this module is to provide students with a strong practical knowledge of human resource management (HRM) as it operates globally.  They will be exposed to the latest HR practices that organisations deploy to maximise competitive advantage through their human resources. Students will track evolving trends in HR management practice globally, critically evaluating their effectiveness and applying this knowledge to in-class activities and practical assignments.  They will further develop practical soft skills that are directly transferable and beneficial to their work placement in third year.

The Irish Culture and Heritage Guiding module will develop student competencies regarding providing a professional guiding experience. This module proposes to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to assess Irish tourism, heritage, and cultural products. Finally, it facilitates an understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s culture and heritage with emphasis on an identified region or place.

The aim of this module is to engage learners in the importance of comprehending the key communication concepts within a marketing context and then to engage these learners with specific marketing communication techniques that organisations use in reaching their target audiences.

The module will support the learner as they make the successful transition to a new learning environment. It will introduce personal, academic and career development within the context of their programme of study, previous experiences and future aspirations. Ways of enhancing learner motivation and employability will be identified which encourages clarification and attainment of the learner’s personal objectives through a process of planning, experience and reflection. Therefore, this module instils in the learner the value of personal development and self-management and provides the knowledge, skills and competencies to provide a professional career plan for the service’s industry.

The aim of this module is to consider the vital role of innovation and creativity within the travel and tourism industry and will offer learners the opportunity to develop a new product or service concept, thereby applying the knowledge acquired.

The aim of this module is to provide the learner with a broad knowledge of the law relating to the tourism and event industry and the necessary expertise to manage the regulatory and legal requirements of the tourism and event enterprise more effectively. The learner will be able to limit the legal exposure of the enterprise and liaise effectively with legal advisors and will have an insight into how the enterprise needs to arrive at decisions that are in compliance with existing and new legislation. As law is an ongoing and dynamic subject, the syllabus content will be expanded or modified, as the case may be, to reflect developments in the law set out in this module.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the entrepreneurial process and to equip them with the required skills to transform creative ideas into commercially viable businesses. Learners consolidate prior knowledge and skills in Market Research, Marketing, Operational Planning and Financial Accounting discipline areas through a 100% continuous assessment with three required submissions – business concept presentation, business plan and a funding / pitch presentation. The module deliverables are therefore focused on improving generic skills (oral and written presentation) while engaging learners with as realistic a simulation of the business start-up process as possible considering the centrality of entrepreneurial venture creation to future economic development and prosperity.

The aim of this module is to develop an understanding of managing global tourism destinations, and it will identify the core principles of sustainable development and examine how they can be put into practice with the aim of making various tourism types and destinations more sustainable. This will involve an in-depth evaluation of good practice within the tourism industry, governments, host communities and tourists. Environmental, economic and cultural aspects of sustainability will be considered. A practical focus will be adopted through the use of global case studies and classroom-based exercises. Students will learn about different approaches to tourism planning, explore the interplay between various stakeholders in the tourism planning process and consider the importance of effective tourism planning to destination development.

The aim of this module is to provide the learner with a clear insight into how the various tools and techniques within the field of marketing communications can be utilised in practice in order to allow the organisation achieve competitive advantage and commercial success. This module will also provide insight into the role played by internal organisational communications and its associated importance In addition, an in-depth examination of the key media options available to both traditional and contemporary marketing organisations will be undertaken.

This Work Placement/Study Abroad component is an integral part of all academic programmes of the Institute and is provided in compliance with HEA/DES requirements for practice-based learning on all third level courses as laid out in the “Higher Education System Performance Framework 2018-2020”. The overall aim of the module is to offer the student the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout their course of study up to this point in a new and relevant experiential setting. This is to achieved whilst facilitating the student in developing the practical life-skill competencies and communication skills necessary to function as an effective member of the work environment and wider society. Students choosing to study abroad will be provided a comparable programme of study in an approved foreign partner Institution

This module will enable learners to appreciate the role that financial analysis plays within an organisation. The aim of this module is to equip learners with the requisite tools to analyse a firms’ financial performance and stability, specifically looking at profitability, liquidity, working capital management and gearing.

The aim of this module is to advance skills, knowledge and understanding that will enable students to undertake self-directed academic research in preparation for the independent research study thesis/project. More specifically, this module reflects the growing importance of implementing different methodologies in the current dynamic environment. As such, this module provides the knowledge and skills necessary to undertake each step in the research process by introducing students to the concepts of research philosophies, types of research, research approaches, methods of data collection, data analysis, sampling techniques, research integrity and research ethics.

The aim of this module is to consolidate learners’ knowledge from previous years in a capstone research thesis. This module provides students with the opportunity to focus on a specific area of interest by producing a self-managed, analytical, in-depth evaluation of a relevant area of study providing the student with the opportunity to research a chosen and approved topic and to draw on previous studies. Students will be able to pursue an empirical study with an applied focus concentrating on their specific discipline area while also having the opportunity to undertake a conceptual literature-based study. This module will enable students to demonstrate that they can take substantial responsibility for their own learning by affording the opportunity to choose, undertake and report upon a major investigation of a topic relevant to their discipline area and/or industry.

Strategic Management Concepts examines the theory and practice of strategic management within an organisational context, providing an understanding of the main elements and implications of strategy. Strategic position along with the impact on strategy of the macro environment, the industry environment, the organisation’s strategic capability, the stakeholders and organisational culture are examined utilising theory and application. The module is assessed through an experiential live consultancy project in the learner’s industry which is integrated with the Strategic Marketing module.

This module examines the role of marketing in strategy development and the move towards the market led business where the market and the customers should be the starting point in business strategy formulation. The aim of this module is to develop the learner’s ability to develop a critical approach in analysing, planning and implementing strategic marketing decisions. The module is assessed through an experiential live consultancy project with a client organisation in the learner’s industry which is integrated with the Strategic Management Concepts module.

This module will address transport management at the national level (the implementation of transport policy and infrastructural investment), the various types of transport firms (strategic and operational management while addressing competitive forces) and from the point of view of the consumer (issues of demand, e.g. service characteristics and price). Therefore, this module is designed to ensure that students develop an understanding of transport management related to tourism as it covers the principles and practice of transport policies, infrastructure planning/development, sustainability/resilience considerations, transport innovation, passenger demand, and incidents of good/bad practice.

The aim of this module is to provide the learner with a practitioner level understanding of the theories and application of branding in 21st century business. The module will examine the importance of creating and managing brands as well as the branding strategies employed across various brand leaders. Contemporary issues in branding will also be explored such as the use of social media, brand communities and the growth of the global brand. The continuous assessment component of this module is integrated with the Strategic Management Practice module through client engagement with a live consultancy project.

The aim of this module is for learners to appreciate the role that financial management plays in organisations and to apply the core concepts to help learners make strategic decisions which will allow them as managers to successfully manage and grow organisations. The module will allow learners to develop their knowledge of capital investment appraisal techniques and to apply these techniques to determine the viability of a new business development or expansion. This module will also enable learners to evaluate sources of financing for both short-term and long-term objectives and will also examine the valuation of companies.

This module presents lectures, tutorials and research seminars on the current global issues in the travel and tourism literature. This module examines a range of issues that are of both contemporary relevance and critical importance to the success or failure of both global travel and tourism organisations. Learners will develop the necessary skills to identify, research, and evaluate these issues and their implications for the effective development of the global travel and tourism industry. As it is anticipated that this module will deliver on issues that are deemed at the cutting edge of travel and tourism, the topic and content delivery will be flexible from year to year. In summary, this module aims to develop learners’ understanding of the nature of the contemporary global travel and tourism industry and of the external social, environmental and economic context they operate within. Finally, it will equip learners with the necessary skills which will enable them to undertake graduate-level employment and research within the travel and tourism industry.

The aim of this module is to consolidate learners’ knowledge from previous years in a capstone research thesis. This module provides students with the opportunity to focus on a specific area of interest by producing a self-managed, analytical, in-depth evaluation of a relevant area of study providing the student with the opportunity to research a chosen and approved topic and to draw on previous studies. Students will be able to pursue an empirical study with an applied focus concentrating on their specific discipline area while also having the opportunity to undertake a conceptual literature-based study. This module will enable students to demonstrate that they can take substantial responsibility for their own learning by affording the opportunity to choose, undertake and report upon a major investigation of a topic relevant to their discipline area and/or industry.

Strategic Management Practice examines theory and practice of strategic management in an organisational context. Strategic analysis is explored, along with the organisational considerations of deciding on exact strategies to follow and the implications of strategic choices & evaluation in dynamic and global environments. The module also investigates how internal leadership styles, varying organisational cultures and change management styles and perspectives impact on the implementation and practice of strategic management. The continuous assessment component of this module is integrated with the Brand Management module through client engagement with a live consultancy project.