Alumni Focus: Katie Moncaster – BA (Hons) International Tourism Management

BA (Hons) International Tourism Management graduate, Katie, shares her experience studying at Lincoln International Business School, and what her course taught her.

What is your full name?
Katie Moncaster.

What undergraduate degree did you study?
BA (Hons) International Tourism Management

Why did you choose your undergraduate course and why Lincoln in particular?
After year 11, I chose to continue my studies at my secondary school sixth form, and I did travel and tourism, which was my favourite subject. I enjoyed the creative side of the subject because I was intrigued by the idea of being provided with a design brief, and then you research into amenities and packages that would correlate to that design brief. I wanted to continue that in more depth and when I was exploring the course, it covered a variety of topics in tourism that I was not aware was important to consider within the tourism industry. Regarding Lincoln, I wanted to study at a university close to my home as my family live in Lincoln. Still, I looked at the university ratings, and at the time, the University of Lincoln was the best university for International Tourism Management. Lincoln is quite a small city compared to others like Manchester, Liverpool, London etc. The positive is everything is close together, so the campus is close to the main sights within Lincoln that make it such a historic and welcoming city. Additionally, it is all within walk distance.

Describe the course in five words…
Educational, Versatile, Captivating, Informative, Insightful.

Did you undertake a work placement year?
No.

What did the course involve?
First Year- Introduction to Business Finance, Principles of Marketing, Spanish, Investigating the Experience Economy, Space, Mobilities and The Experience Economy, Principles of Tourism Management

Second Year- Buyer Behaviour, Event Management, Cultural and Heritage Attractions Management, Tour Operations Management, Managing the Environment for Tourism and Events, Understanding the Visitor Experience Client Based Project, Research Methods for Tourism, Events and Sports

Third Year- Destination Management, Enterprise and Strategic Analysis in Tourism, Events ad Sports, Social and Political Perspectives on Tourism, Disaster Management, Crisis Management, Dissertation in Tourism and Sport Business Management

What did the course teach you?
The different aspects of tourism, it is not just about planning holidays or researching into different tour operators and airlines. Strategic analysis, finance, planning, social justice, and marketing are all important areas to consider within tourism as they contribute to the leading industry.

Was the course well connected to relevant employers?
Yes, the business school and the University, in general, work closely with the careers and employability team. Therefore, they are very supportive and involved during your three years. They are always willing to help me look for employment when you come to the final stages of your degree, and people like myself hate change, so it has been challenging figuring out what to do after my studies. However, the careers department have been influential and considerate and have helped me figure out what areas are my strongest and what job roles are out there if I choose not to pursue a postgraduate degree.

Were you part of any societies and / or sports teams?
Unfortunately, I was not part of any societies as a part of me thought I would not have the time to commit to a society due to working part-time and other commitments. However, I recommend joining a society you are interested in and enjoy when you start as it is a positive way to make new friends and socialise.

What are your career ambitions?
I have a few ambitions that I hope I will achieve in my lifetime. Eventually, I would like to work internationally. I also see myself working within the cultural and heritage department. I discovered during my three years my interest in visitor experience and technology being used within the heritage sector. Lastly, I would like to work myself up into a senior role within the tourism industry.

What tips would you give to others choosing an undergraduate degree?
Commit to the degree that you are passionate about and enjoy as it will be a waste of time and money if you do something that you feel like you have felt pressured into or you are doing a degree just because your friend is. During the research process, I found courses I knew I would enjoy, but I also knew I would not be passionate about, e.g. Criminology and Hospitality Management. Therefore, if you are stuck, you need to do the pros and cons of each course you are interested in and see which one works best for you as this is hopefully going to be your career path, so it is crucial to get it right at the beginning. Taking Covid-19 out of the picture as half my degree was online but when teaching gets back to face-to-face, I advise every student to work on time management as you will have essays and deadlines due around the same time. Hence, it would help if you plan your days out strategically to enable yourself to produce high-quality work and to hand work in on time.

What has been the highlight of your time at Lincoln International Business School?
Well Covid-19 struck and did hinder a lot of plans. For example, in my third year I chose to do disaster management which gave students the opportunity to go to Sri Lanka for 3 weeks so that was going to be the highlight of my degree if it was to go ahead. Unfortunately, due to government restrictions we were not allowed. Therefore, the highlight of my time at Lincoln Business School was the opportunities you are exposed to. In my second year, I did Events Management where we created our own event and we had to plan it considering human resources, operations, project management, finance so that was different and something I will remember vividly.

Katie Moncaster
Katie Moncaster

To find out more about undergraduate study at Lincoln International Business School at University of Lincoln, visit our courses page here.