Tourism courses in Ireland, online.
Hospitality and tourism at two levels, studied from Ireland: the QQI Level 6 Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management from OTHM, and the BA (Hons) Tourism top-up from Arden University a year later. There is no foundation in tourism; without a Leaving Certificate you start with the business foundation. From €220 a month.
The courses, by level.
Two priced courses. The diploma is the entry point for anyone with a Leaving Certificate or work experience, and it leads directly to the top-up degree.
There is no foundation diploma in tourism. If you do not have a Leaving Certificate, start with the Foundation Diploma in Business Management →
What you learn.
Twelve modules written for the sector, then a degree year on crisis management and where tourism is going. Written assignments, no exams.
DiplomaDiploma in Hospitality and Tourism ManagementQQI 6 · 10 to 15 months12 modules
- Academic Writing and Research Skills
- Business Environment for Tourism and Hospitality
- Services Marketing in Tourism and Hospitality
- Sustainability in Tourism and Hospitality
- Events Management
- The Development of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry
- Digital Marketing Management for Tourism and Hospitality
- Operations Management
- Management Accounting
- Management of Human Resources
- Customer Relationship Management
- Contemporary Issues in Tourism and Hospitality
DegreeBA (Hons) TourismQQI 7–8 · One year6 modules
- Business Transformation
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Corporate Governance, Law & Ethics
- Independent Study
- Tourism Crisis Management
- Tourism Trends and Futures
Who this is for.
People on the floor of Ireland’s hotels, restaurants, events and travel who want to run them.
- Front office, food and beverage and events staff who want the next role
- Supervisors who want the management qualification behind the job
- People in seasonal work who want a year-round one
Without a Leaving Certificate or a QQI Level 5 award, the Foundation Diploma in Business Management comes first; the tourism diploma accepts it.
Where it leads in Ireland.
Recruiters’ guides name the roles each level opens. The two figures are Ireland’s, from Eurostat.
Front Office Manager, then Food and Beverage Manager
Role titles from the Excel Recruitment hotel and catering guide.
Eurostat, Structure of Earnings Survey 2022 and Labour Force Survey 2024. Averages for people with any tertiary qualification, not a promise about anyone.
Entry, in plain terms.
The school confirms your place when you apply; we check it with you on the first call, before you pay anything.
A Leaving Certificate, a QQI Level 5 award, a QQI Level 5 foundation diploma, or the equivalent, or strong professional work experience in place of them. Age 16 or over.
A QQI Level 6 diploma or an HND in business, or the equivalent, with prior learning consistent with QQI Level 6. English at IELTS 6.0 or evidence that your previous study was in English. Arden University decides, and considers applications without an exact match case by case.
How QQI levels work in Ireland.
Ireland uses the QQI framework, which numbers levels differently from the EQF. A QQI Level 6 is the same level as an EQF Level 5. Irish NFQ and EQF levels compared →
Tourism in Ireland: the questions we get.
There is no tourism foundation. Where do I start without a Leaving Certificate?
With the Foundation Diploma in Business Management: thirty credits, about ten months, €220 a month. The tourism diploma accepts it as its entry qualification.
Do I need to be working in hospitality already?
No. Work experience counts towards entry and the assignments draw on real operations, but the diploma is taken by people entering the sector as well as people in it.
Does the diploma cover events?
Yes. Events management is one of the twelve modules, alongside operations, services marketing and customer relationship management.
Is the diploma recognised in Ireland?
It is awarded by OTHM, regulated by Ofqual in the UK. On Ireland’s framework the level is its QQI equivalent, under QQI’s own referencing of the EQF, and the certificate is recognised across the EU.
Other subjects in Ireland.
Studying from Malta? The same courses carry EQF levels there. Tourism courses in Malta →