Bachelor's Degree Programme in Tourism Management
Key learning outcomes
During Tourism Management studies, the students develop into professionals in responsible tourism management. Challenges like for example climate change, overtourism and cultural sensitivity in tourism need reaction both in national, destination and business levels. Our degree programme creates strong business competence for international and constantly changing positions in the tourism industry. Throughout the studies students will gain a deep understanding of responsible tourism, digital value creation, and creative service business. Customer orientation is applied with a focus in experience economy and service design.
The studies combine solid theoretical knowledge with diverse working life projects, event production and international study tours. The students utilise our extensive international cooperation networks and complete a part of their studies abroad.
After graduation, Bachelors of Hospitality Management have extensive professional competence and good capabilities for working in specialist and managerial positions in varied tourism organisations. Students have also good capabilities for working as entrepreneurs in tourism.
Education content and professional growth and know-how
The main competence areas in tourism management program are responsible tourism, development and production of customer oriented services and operational environment in international tourism industry. These competences mean that after completing the program the students will understand the structures in the tourism industry and its international nature, and will be able to take responsibility for developing the tourism field. Students will be also able to foresee the future challenges in tourism. In company level they will manage responsible tourism business and utilize digitalization in tourism business activities. They can also design profitable and meaningful tourism experiences.
Students will be able to develop systematically the quality of business activities in the tourism and hospitality industry and manage sustainable and profitable business activities in the field. Students know the special characteristics of marketing services and can sell services in a customer-oriented way. They can also commercialise potential ideas into innovations. The students will be familiar with creative work methods and service design process tools.
Flexible studies
The studies combine solid theoretical knowledge with diverse working life projects, event production and international study tours. The students utilise our extensive international cooperation networks and complete a part of their studies abroad.
Students have a choice of alternative or elective studies offered by partner universities, such as other universities of applied sciences (CampusOnline), universities and educational institutions involved in the EduFutura collaboration (University of Jyväskylä and Gradia). Higher level studies completed elsewhere may be accredited as part of your degree. The student must have a certificate or some other document to prove that they have completed the studies. Skills acquired elsewhere can also be described and demonstrated to enable accreditation. Further information is available in the Study Guide.
Working life oriented learning
During the studies students can have individual study paths depending on which areas of tourism industry they wish to focus on. Internationalization is a central part of the studies through international exchange and practical training. Students can also deepen their knowledge by attending diverse working life projects, event production and international study tours. The students can utilise our extensive cooperation networks and participate development projects in JAMK. The last year of studies is concluded by the thesis.
Working life oriented learning is included in bachelor’s degree courses throughout the studies. These include practical training to promote professional skills, the thesis and various working life projects. At JAMK University of Applied Sciences, the operating model for working life oriented and student-driven learning is called JAMK Future Factory®. It combines working life operators, students, JAMK experts and working life oriented LAB environments and other learning environments. In addition to multidisciplinary and working life oriented project studies, it offers students a chance to develop their future working life skills, career paths and networks.
Studification is also among the options offered by working life oriented learning. It refers to combining work, project work, Future Factory activities, etc. with studies. Studification involves students drafting a studification plan and documenting it in the manner agreed with the teacher. Further information is available in the Study Guide.
Career opportunities and employment
After graduation, Bachelors of Hospitality Management with a focus on tourism management have good capabilities for working in managerial, marketing, development and sales positions in companies and organizations in the tourism industry. Bachelors of Hospitality Management also have good capabilities for working as entrepreneurs in tourism. Job titles include, for example, team leader, congress manager, hotel manager, product developer, customer service manager, reception manager at a hotel and event coordinator.
Qualifications
There are no specific degree-related or statutory qualification requirements in the field.
Further studies
Students may, after graduation and a work career of at least two years, continue their studies in a Master’s degree programme. A Master’s degree from a university of applied sciences is a higher post-secondary degree. Studies can also be continued by applying for a university Master’s degree programme or similar programmes. After a Bachelor’s degree from a university of applied sciences, it is also possible to continue studies at higher education institutes abroad in Master’s degree-level programmes. A university of applied sciences also provides opportunities for continuing education in the form of specialisation studies, open studies, online study portal (CampusOnline) and working life-based continuing education.
A student who completes a master’s degree at a university of applied sciences may apply to continue on to postgraduate studies in science or arts at universities (Act 558/2009, Section 37).
Education planning
The close contacts between experts and students on the degree program with working life, as well as the research, development and innovation (RDI) projects, provide continuous information to support the development and planning of the education process. The experts are actively involved in the domestic and international tourism networks and participate in training programs for operators in the field. The Advisory Committee of the School of Business participates systematically in the development of training from the perspective of the needs of working life.
Contact Information
Nuijanmaa Susanna
Senior Lecturer, Tourism and Service Business and Master´s Degrees
+358408690659
firstname.lastname@jamk.fi