In brief

What you are signing up for

The Development of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry and Business Environment for Tourism and Hospitality, each 20 credits, give this diploma its context: where the industry came from and what shapes it now. Services Marketing in Tourism and Hospitality is about selling an experience rather than a product, Sustainability in Tourism and Hospitality about the industry's footprint, and Events Management is the practical unit that most learners choose to build their assignment project around. Academic Writing and Research Skills opens the programme as it does across OTHM's Level 4 range.

Hospitality promotes quickly, and many of those who take it are supervisors or duty managers in their early twenties who were never taught the theory they are applying. Assignments use their own property or operation and produce things they can use: a services marketing plan, a sustainability audit, an event proposal. The Qualifi Level 4 Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management is the close cousin, with four larger units and a visitor attractions focus; the difference is explained below. This one is 120 credits at Level 4 and carries no industry body membership.

Intended photograph: Intended photograph: a hotel duty manager in a lobby at a quiet hour, tablet in hand, reviewing an event floor plan with a colleague. Any teaching setting shown would be LSPM's; this site has no premises of its own.
Contents

The six units

  1. Academic Writing and Research Skills20 credits
  2. Business Environment for Tourism and Hospitality20 credits
  3. Services Marketing in Tourism and Hospitality20 credits
  4. Sustainability in Tourism and Hospitality20 credits
  5. Events Management20 credits
  6. The Development of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry20 credits
six mandatory units, no optional units 120 credits

Unit titles and credit values are taken from the OTHM qualification specification. The order in which LSPM teaches them is set by LSPM and confirmed at enrolment.

Writing and research first, then the two context units, then services marketing, then sustainability, with Events Management last so that the event you propose can draw on every earlier unit.

Entry

Entry requirements

OTHM sets the entry requirements for this qualification and LSPM, as the approved centre, applies them when it assesses your application. As published by the awarding body:

  • Relevant Level 3 Diploma or equivalent qualification
  • GCE Advanced level in 2 subjects or equivalent qualification
  • Mature learners (over 21) with relevant management experience (learners must check with the delivery centre regarding this experience prior to registering for the programme)

Source: the OTHM specification. If you are not sure whether your qualification counts as equivalent, send us the details and we will put the question to LSPM's admissions team, who make the decision.

A Level 3 diploma or two A levels will get you in directly; otherwise OTHM's mature route applies, and a couple of years supervising in a hotel, restaurant, venue or travel operation is exactly what that clause has meant in practice.

Assessment

How you are assessed

Written reports and plans for each unit, anchored in an operation you know. No exams; ask LSPM about draft feedback.

Assignments are set and marked by LSPM's tutors, moderated within LSPM and sampled by OTHM before LSPM claims certificates. Draft feedback and resubmission arrangements are LSPM's own practice; confirm them at enrolment. How assessment works in full.

Progression

Where it leads, stated carefully

Level 5 Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management from OTHM, picking up where this leaves off.

Year-two entry to a hospitality, tourism or events degree, wherever a university is willing to grant it.

Duty manager, front office manager, events coordinator or travel operations roles.

We do not name partner universities on this page. If and when LSPM shows us a written progression agreement for this diploma, it will be listed here with the date it was signed.

Readership

Who it suits

Likely to get a lot from it

  • Hotel and restaurant supervisors promoted early who want the theory.
  • Travel agency and tour operations staff moving towards management.
  • Events assistants who want a broader industry grounding.

Better served by something else

  • Anyone seeking a culinary or practical service skills course; this is management theory.
  • People who want the aviation sector specifically; the Airline, Airport and Aviation Management diploma is the right one.
  • Learners looking for a shorter programme; the Qualifi cousin is the same 120 credits, so there is no quicker option in this sector.
Questions

Asked about this programme

Is there a placement or practical component?

No placement is included. Most learners are already working in the industry and use their workplace for assignments; those who are not choose an operation they can research well.

How does this compare with the Qualifi Hospitality and Tourism Management diploma?

OTHM has six 20-credit units including events and services marketing. Qualifi has four larger units with a visitor attractions and employability emphasis. Same level and total credits; different emphases and awarding body.

Does the events unit cover large festivals or just hotel functions?

Both in principle. Events Management teaches planning, budgeting and risk for events of any scale, and learners pick a scale that matches their setting.

Documents

Read before you decide

Programme brochure

Brochure slot: PDF to be supplied by LSPM, with its fees, dates and tutor profiles for this programme. Ask us for it by email in the meantime and we will obtain the current version from LSPM.

Official specification

OTHM Level 4 Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management specification, published by the awarding body. The authoritative source for units, learning outcomes and assessment criteria. Also listed on the Ofqual register under 610/0783/3.

Also in Tourism, Hospitality and Aviation