Higher National Diploma in International Travel & Tourism Management

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Pearson BTEC HND (Level 4/5)

Awarding Body: Pearson Education
Mode: Full time
Duration: 2 Years

Stratford College London Academic Board recommends this programme specification. However, this specification is designed in relation to the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, making references to the FHEQ and RQF frameworks. This specification should therefore be read in conjunction with overarching guidance from Pearson as the awarding body for the programme.

Stratford College London has internal procedures to assure the quality of provision to be offered to students and to enhance the quality in the light of experience following delivery, taking into account the input of external experts and students. The guidance and procedures for assuring quality are set out in the College’s Quality Manual and Quality Assurance Policies.

Key features

Pearson BTEC Higher National qualifications in International Travel & Tourism Management offer:

• A stimulating and challenging programme of study that will be both engaging and memorable for students.
• The essential subject knowledge that students need to progress successfully into further study or the world of work.
• A simplified structure: students undertake a substantial core of learning in the Higher National Certificate and can build on this in the Higher National Diploma, with optional units linked to their specialist area of study.
• Five specialist pathways in the Level 5 Diploma, so there is something to suit each student’s preference of study and future progression plans.
• Refreshed content that is closely aligned with Professional Body, employer and higher education needs.
• Assessments that consider cognitive skills (what students know) along with affective and applied skills (respectively how they behave and what they can do).
• Unit-specific grading and Pearson-set assignments.
• A varied approach to assessment that supports progression to Level 6 and also allows Centres to offer assessment relevant to the local economy, thereby accommodating and enhancing different learning styles.
• Quality Assurance measures – as outlined in sections 6 and 7 of this Programme Specification – to ensure that all stakeholders (e.g. professional bodies, universities, colleges and students) can feel confident in the integrity and value of the qualifications.
• A qualification designed to meet the needs and expectations of students aspiring to work in an international hospitality environment.
  
  

Qualification frameworks

Pearson BTEC Higher National qualifications are designated higher education qualifications in the UK. They are aligned to the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Subject Benchmark Statements. These qualifications are part of the UK Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

Purpose of the BTEC Higher Nationals in International Travel & Tourism Management

The purpose of BTEC Higher Nationals in International Travel & Tourism Management is to develop students as professional, self-reflecting individuals able to meet the demands of
employers in International Travel & Tourism Management and adapt to a constantly changing world. The qualifications aim to widen access to higher education and enhance the career prospects of those who undertake them.

Objectives of the BTEC Higher Nationals in International Travel & Tourism Management

Objectives of the BTEC Higher Nationals in International Travel and Tourism Management The objectives of the BTEC Higher Nationals in International Travel and Tourism Management are as follows:

• To provide a stimulating and challenging programme of study of the visitor economy that combines both subject knowledge across a range of multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks and industry experience that is both responsive to the interests and needs of students and employers.
• To equip students with specific travel and tourism skills, knowledge and the understanding necessary to achieve high performance in the global travel and tourism environment.
• To provide education and training for a range of careers in travel and tourism, including aviation, destination management, events management, sustainable management, visitor management, heritage management and tour operations management.
• To provide students with opportunities to engage in an industry-recognised apprenticeship scheme for aviation standards that aligns with their employer’s needs and their own career aspirations.
• To provide insight and understanding into the diversity of roles within the travel and tourism sector, recognising the importance of collaboration at all levels.
• To equip students with knowledge and understanding of culturally diverse organisations, cross-cultural issues, diversity and values.
• To provide opportunities for students to enter or progress in employment in travel and tourism, or progress to higher education qualifications such as an Honours degree in travel and tourism or a related area. Pearson BTEC Levels 4 and 5 Higher Nationals in International Travel and Tourism Management 8 Specification – Issue 4 – May 2023 © Pearson Education Limited 2023
• To provide opportunities for students to develop the skills, techniques and personal attributes essential for successful professional and career development.
• To provide students with opportunities to address cutting-edge issues facing the industry, and society at large; with particular emphasis on tourism production and consumption, sustainability and ethics, globalisation and intercultural dimensions, recognising the role that travel and tourism plays in addressing these issues.
• To provide opportunities for students to achieve a nationally-recognised professional qualification within their chosen area of specialisation.
• To offer students the chance of career progression in their chosen field, with particular emphasis on achieving management-level positions, professional recognition and beyond.
• To allow flexibility of study and to meet local or specialist needs.
• To offer a balance between employability skills and the knowledge essential for students with entrepreneurial, employment or academic aspirations.
  
  

Who is this qualification for?

Who is this qualification for? The BTEC Higher National qualifications in International Travel and Tourism Management are aimed at students wanting to continue their education through applied learning. Higher Nationals provide a wide-ranging study of the travel and tourism industry and are designed for students who wish to pursue or advance their career in the travel and tourism sector. In addition to the knowledge, understanding and skills that underpin the study of travel and tourism, Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals in International Travel and Tourism Management give students experience of the breadth and depth of the sector that will prepare them for further study or training.

What could these qualifications lead to?

The Level 4 Higher National Certificate provides a solid grounding in travel and tourism, which students can build on should they decide to continue their studies beyond the Certificate stage.

The Level 5 Higher National Diploma allows students to specialise by committing to specific career paths and progression routes to degree level study.

On successful completion of the Level 5 Higher National Diploma, students can develop their careers in the travel and tourism sector through:

• Entering employment
• Continuing existing employment
• Linking with the appropriate Professional Body
• Committing to Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Progressing to university
  
  

Progression to university

The Level 5 Higher National Diploma is recognised by Higher Education providers as meeting admission requirements to many relevant travel and tourism related courses, for example:

• BA (Hons) in International Travel and Tourism
• BA (Hons) in Aviation Management
• BA (Hons) in Tourism Management
• BA (Hons) in Museum and Heritage Studies.
  
  

Students should always check the entry requirements for degree programmes at specific Higher Education providers. After completing a BTEC Higher National Certificate or Diploma, students can also progress directly into employment.

Employment

The skills offered as part of the Pearson BTEC Higher National Diploma can provide graduates with the opportunity to work in many different areas of hospitality.

Entry requirements and admissions

Although Pearson do not specify formal entry requirements, as a Centre it is your responsibility to ensure that the students you recruit have a reasonable expectation of success on the programme. For students who have recently been in education, the entry profile is likely to include one of the following:

• A BTEC Level 3 qualification in Travel & Tourism
• A GCE Advanced Level profile that demonstrates strong performance in a relevant subject or adequate performance in more than one GCE subject. This profile is likely to be supported by GCSE grades A* to C (or equivalent), and/or 9 to 4 (or equivalent) in subjects such as maths and English
• Other related Level 3 qualifications
• An Access to Higher Education Diploma awarded by an approved further education institution
• Related work experience
• An international equivalent of the above. Centres may wish to consider applicants’ prior learning when considering their acceptance on a BTEC Higher Nationals, through Recognition of Prior Learning.
  
  

English language requirements for Higher Nationals

Pearson’s mission is to help people make more of their lives through learning. In order for students to be successful on Pearson BTEC Higher National qualifications which are both taught and assessed in English, it is critical that they have an appropriate level of English language skills. The following clarifies the requirements for all centres when recruiting applicants on to new Pearson BTEC Higher National qualifications. All centres delivering the new Pearson BTEC Higher National qualifications must ensure that all students who are non-native English speakers and who have not undertaken their final two years of schooling in English, can demonstrate capability in English at a standard equivalent to the levels identified below, before being recruited to the programme where the programme is both taught and assessed in English:

• Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level B2
• PTE 51
• IELTS 5.5; Reading and Writing must be at 5.5
• or equivalent.
  
  

It is up to the centre to decide what proof will be necessary to evidence individual student proficiency.

HN Global support

HN Global is an online resource that supports Centre planning and delivery of BTEC Higher Nationals by providing appropriate teaching and learning resources. For further information see sections 5 and 6 of this Programme Specification.

Modes of delivery

Subject to approval by Pearson, Centres are free to deliver BTEC Higher Nationals using modes of delivery that meet the needs of their students. We recommend making use of a wide variety of modes, including:

• Full-time
  
  

Reasonable adjustments to assessment

A reasonable adjustment is one that is made before a student takes an assessment, to ensure that he or she has fair access to demonstrate the requirements of the assessments. You are able to make adjustments to internal assessments to take account of the needs of individual students. In most cases this can be achieved through a defined time extension or by adjusting the format of evidence. We can advise you if you are uncertain as to whether an adjustment is fair and reasonable. You need to plan for time to make adjustments, if necessary. Further details on how to make adjustments for students with protected characteristics are available on the support section of our website (http://qualifications.pearson.com/)

Special consideration

Special consideration is given after an assessment has taken place for students who have been affected by adverse circumstances, such as illness, and require an adjustment of grade to reflect normal level of attainment. You must operate special consideration in line with Pearson policy (see previous paragraph). You can provide special consideration related to the period of time given for evidence to be provided, or for the format of the assessment (if it is equally valid). You may not substitute alternative forms of evidence to that required in a unit, or omit the application of any assessment criteria to judge attainment. Pearson can consider applications for special consideration in line with the policy, which can be found in the document linked above.

Please refer to the College’s Special Consideration Policy.

Appeals against assessment

Please refer to the college’s Appeals Policy and Procedure.

Dealing with malpractice in assessment

Please refer to the College’s Malpractice Policy

Programme structure

Units, credits, Total Qualification Time (TQT) and Guided Learning (GL)

The Higher National Certificate (HNC) is a Level 4 qualification made up of 120 credits.

It is usually studied full-time over one year, or part-time over two years. The Higher National Diploma (HND) is a Level 4 and Level 5 qualification made up of 240 credits. It is usually studied full-time over two years, or part-time over four years. Pearson would expect that an HND student would have achieved at least 90 credits at Level 4 before progressing to Level 5 units. This allows for the students to submit the remaining 30 credits at Level 4 while undertaking their Level 5 study. Students undertaking an HND who fail to successfully complete the full qualification may be awarded an HNC, if their credit achievement permits. BTEC Higher Nationals consist of core units, specialist units and optional units:

• Core units are mandatory
• Specialist units are designed to provide a specific occupational focus to the qualification and are aligned to Professional Body standards
• Required combinations of optional units are clearly set out in the tables below. All units are usually 15 credits in value, or a multiple thereof. These units have been designed from a learning time perspective, and are expressed in terms of Total Qualification Time (TQT). TQT is an estimate of the total amount of time that could reasonably be expected to be required for a student to achieve and demonstrate the achievement of the level of attainment necessary for the award of a qualification. TQT includes undertaking each of the activities of Guided Learning, Directed Learning and
  
  

Total Qualification Time (TQT) Higher National Certificate (HNC) = 1,200 hours Total Qualification Time (TQT) Higher National Diploma (HND) = 2,400 hours

Total Learning Guided Hours (LGH) Higher National Certificate (HNC) = 480 hours Total Learning Guided Hours (LGH) Higher National Diploma (HND) = 960 hours

Pearson-set Assignments

There are Pearson-set assignments, as part of the core units. Each year, Pearson will issue a Theme and (for Level 4) a set of related Topics. Centres will develop an assignment, to be internally assessed, to engage students in work related to the Pearson-set Theme. At Level 4, tutors will select a Topic to further define their approach to the Theme and assignment. At Level 5, it is expected that students will define their own Topic, in negotiation with Tutors, based on the Pearson-set Theme.

HND in International Travel & Tourism Management

Unit Details Level 4 (Eight Units, 120 Credit Value)

Requires at least 120 credits = 8 units, each with a value of 15 credits 5 core units and 3 Optional
Total qualification time = 1,200 hours Total guided learning hours = 480 hours All units are at level 4

Year 1 (Level 4)

Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate in International Travel and Tourism Management		Unit credit	Level
Core Unit Mandatory	1 The Contemporary Travel & Tourism Industry	15	4
Core Unit Mandatory	2 Managing the Customer Experience	15	4
Core Unit Mandatory	3 Professional Identity and Practice	15	4
Core Unit Mandatory	4 The Travel & Tourism Business Toolkit	15	4
Core Unit Mandatory	5 Leadership and Management for Service Industries (Pearson-set)	15	4
Optional Unit	13 Global Tourism Destinations	15	4
Optional Unit	17 Human Resource Management	15	4
Optional Unit	7 Managing Conference & Events	15	4

HNC/HND in International Travel & Tourism Management

Year 2 – Unit Details Level 5 (Eight Units, 240 Credit Value)

Level 5 – Requires at least 120 credits = 7 units, each with a value of 15 except Research 30 credit
credits 2 core units and 5 Optional
Total qualification time = 1,200 hours Total guided learning hours = 480 hours All units are at level 5

Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Hospitality Management		Unit credit	Level
Core Unit Mandatory	18 Research Project (Pearson Set)	30	5
Core Unit Mandatory	Unit 20 Tourism Consumer Behaviour and Insight	15	5
Optional Unit	Unit 41 Tourism Resort Management	15	5
Optional Unit	Unit 44 Organisational Behaviour	15	5
Optional Unit	Unit 45 Sales Management	15	5
Optional Unit	Unit 49 Managing and Running a Small Business	15	5
Optional Unit	Unit 50 Customer Value Management	15	5

Assessment

Students will be assessed through set tasks and activities and guided on the assessment response expectations by designing Assignment briefs which are fit for purpose as addressing all the Unit Learning outcomes. Students will therefore be guided to generate assessment responses in line with the Learning outcomes and set criteria and the form of the assignment will be indicated in the assignment brief. These will be a variety of evidence types such as Reports, Essays and Power Points Presentations,

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is primarily developmental in nature and designed to give feedback to students on their performance and progress. Assessment designed formatively should develop and consolidate knowledge, understanding, skills and competencies. It is a key part of the learning process and can enhance learning and contribute to raising standards. Through formative assessment tutors can identify students’ differing learning needs early on in the programme and so make timely corrective interventions. Tutors can also reflect on the results of formative assessment to measure how effective the planned teaching and learning is at delivering the syllabus. Each student should receive one set of written formative feedback, otherwise some students may feel that others are being given more than their share of verbal feedback.

Summative assessment

Summative assessment is where students are provided with the assignment grades contributing towards the overall unit grade. For summative assessment to be effective it should also give students additional formative feedback to support on-going development and improvement in subsequent assignments. All formative assessment feeds directly into the summative assessment for each unit and lays the foundations from which students develop the necessary knowledge and skills required for the summative assessment.

Teaching, learning and assessment

The teaching, learning and assessment strategies and methods used in the programme to enable learning outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated by you, the student.

The purpose of assessment is to ensure that effective learning of the content of each unit has taken place. Evidence of this learning, or the application of the learning, is required for each unit.

Teaching and learning methods

Learners must achieve a minimum of 240 credits to be awarded a Pearson BTEC Level 5 HND.