Global Tourism Major - Bachelor of Arts
Do you believe in a future where tourism is a force for good in the world? Study the Bachelor of Arts in Global Tourism at AUT.
If you’re interested in global issues in tourism, the Bachelor of Arts in Global Tourism will help you understand how tourism enriches the wellbeing of the communities it engages with and protects the natural environment it relies on.
This degree focuses on creativity and innovation in tourism, and how to create a more ethical and sustainable tourism industry.
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This is part of the Bachelor of Arts.
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This major looks at tourism from a global perspective. Courses cover a wide range of topics including tourism and sustainability, current issues the tourism industry faces, innovation and entrepreneurship, and how to create more sustainable destinations.
You could consider combining the Global Tourism major with a second major or minor in areas like business and innovation, digital cultures, languages, Māori development or law.
Apart from the courses below you also need to complete courses from your second major, your chosen minor(s) or electives.
Core courses
All Bachelor of Arts students need to complete core courses that help you develop transferable skills and support your work in all other courses in the degree.
Complete one course from each of the following clusters. Each cluster aligns with one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Partnerships and Reduced Inequalities
Choose one of:
- ENGL502 Reading New Zealand
- ENGL503 A Pacific Reader
- JAPA511 Speak Japanese I
- MAOR505 Te Mānutanga Beginners Māori Language 1
- MAOR506 Te Ekenga Waka Beginners Māori Language 2
- NZSL502 Deaf Community and Culture I
- NZSL510 New Zealand Sign Language I
- NZSL520 New Zealand Sign Language II
- SPAN501 Spanish 1A
- SPAN502 Spanish 1B
Peace and Justice, Climate Action and Economic World
Choose one of:
- CRIM580 Criminology and Criminal Justice
- EVNT500 Introduction to Event Management
- HIST500 Introduction to New Zealand History
- HIST501 The Holocaust: Its Causes, Character, and Legacy
- PSYC580 Introduction to Psychology A
- SOSC582 Social Thinking
- SOSC583 Social Institutions
- SOSC585 Climate Action
- TOUR511 Global Issues in Tourism
Sustainability, Health and Wellbeing
Choose one of:
- FOOD501 Food and the Senses
- CLSY513 Organisation and Human Behaviour Perspectives
- HOSP509 Hospitality Social Enterprise
- TOUR512 Tourism and Sustainability
Quality Education, Gender Equality and Reduced Poverty
Workplace experience is an important part of your degree, and the Work Integrated Learning course is the final part of your degree. This is a supervised work placement related to your major(s), for an organisation of your choice. It's a great way to get industry experience while still being able to get feedback from AUT lecturers, and for many of our students this workplace experience also leads to a job offer.
Our strong industry links provide students with placement opportunities in a wide variety of businesses, including:
- Air New Zealand
- Disney
- Auckland Unlimited
- Auckland Sea Kayaks
You could also take the Foundations in Research course if you’re considering continuing into postgraduate study.
Want more info about work integrated learning at AUT?
Read more about workplace experience in AUT programmes, how it works and why it’s so beneficial when you start your career.
Global tourism courses
If you're majoring in global tourism, this is the main subject area you specialise in. It makes up one third of your degree and consists of eight tourism-related courses you study throughout your degree.
Year 1 courses
Complete the following courses:
- TOUR511 Global Issues in Tourism
- TOUR512 Tourism and Sustainability
Year 2 courses
Complete the following course:
And choose two of:
- TOUR601 Tourism and Cultures of the World
- TOUR611 Tourism and Natural Areas
- TOUR612 The Responsible Tourist
- TOUR613 Tourism Destination Field Study
Year 3 courses
Complete the following course:
- TOUR713 Global Tourism Challenge
And two of the following courses:
- TOUR704 Sustainable Destinations
- TOUR709 Wellbeing in Tourism Destinations
- TOUR711 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Tourism, Hospitality and Events
Ready to enrol in your courses?
Find out how you can enrol in the courses and classes for your programme, whether you’ve just joined AUT as a new student or you’re already studying with us. If you’re looking for a course timetable or more info on a specific course use our course search.
Build your degree
Use our online tool to build your own degree and see what your three years of study could look like.
https://www.aut.ac.nz/courses/bachelor-of-arts/global-tourism-major-bachelor-of-arts
Graduates of our programme could work in:
- Government
- Destination marketing organisations
- Operations management
- Industry and trade organisations in tourism and hospitality
- Social enterprises
- Community leadership
- Conservation
- UN agencies
- Business owner/operators
Other majors in the Bachelor of Arts
- Creative Writing
- Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Culinary Arts
- Event Management
- Economics (not open to new students from 2025)
- Education
- History
- International Studies
- Interpreting
- Māori Development
- Māori Media
- New Zealand Sign Language & Deaf Studies
- New Zealand Sign Language - English Interpreting*
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
*This major focuses on New Zealand Sign Language and developing the skills to become a Sign Language interpreter. It doesn’t include the option to include courses from different subjects.
- Gain in-depth knowledge of global issues in tourism
- Explore how to create change and make the tourism industry more sustainable
- Draws on the United Nations Sustainability Goals and United Nations World Tourism Organisation objectives
- Valuable workplace experience in your final semester
- Option to include subjects from across AUT in your degree
- The Bachelor of Arts in Global Tourism has UN Tourism TedQual Certification
- Interested in global issues in tourism
- Passionate about creating positive change in the tourism industry
- Having a strong understanding of sustainable development and growth
- A strong communicator
- A critical thinker with good problem-solving skills
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.