Tourism and Special Events
The Tourism and Special Events concentration aims to provide students with "real world" practice and theory within the discipline. Students will be armed with tools to succeed in the field, understand current theories, and be exposed to professionals to formulate relationships with practitioners which can lead to internships and job placements. Several of the tourism and special events courses provide opportunities to learn about emerging trends, business and marketing skills and opportunities to create and implement event planning skills.
Career Opportunities
There are diverse career opportunities in Tourism and Special Events. This includes: resorts, hotels, desintation marketing organizations, convention and visitor bureaus, tour operators, travel agencies, convention and congress centers, event planning companies, airlines and many more. You could be hired as a wedding planner, hotel manager, resort recreation director, convention and visitors bureau director, special events coordinator, esports coach, concert venue manager, or recreation center manager. Jobs in recreation, parks, and tourism are projected to increase 24% in the next 10 years with a median salary of $30,000 annually.
Tourism and Special Events Highlights:
- Whether you want to pursue a career in tourism or event planning, the program's student-centric mentorship approach will prepare you for a successful start.
- Hands-on projects in classes provide assignments with real-life impact.
- Get involved with the Tourism and Special Events Lab to work on industry projects.
- Opportunites to network with industry, such as site visits, invited speakers, field work, and conferences.
Major Course Requirements
The RCPT major fulfills the A and L areas of the REAL Curriculum. Students will study how leisure has shaped culture and its technical economical, and political significance in modern society. A full-semester internship will provide students with the opportunity to make practical use of principles, methods, knowledge, skills, and materials that have been developed or acquired in the academic program of study. Students concentrating in Tourism and Special Events need majors/minors to fulfill the R and E areas to complete the REAL Curriculum requirements.
Campus Resources
The Tourism Resource Lab is designed to facilitate student involvement with regional professionals in order to offer diverse opportunities in tourism development throughout the area and surrounding communities. The Lab functions as an innovative approach to learning and professional advancement by directly channeling students into areas of need for the design, promotion, and implementation of tourism and special events for the region. The Lab becomes an extension of the Tourism and Special Events curriculum at Radford University by enabling student engagement in tourism projects and events that facilitate mentoring and learning experiences alongside professionals in the field, while providing resources and expertise for those partnering entities. Students engaged in the Tourism Resource Lab can work on a multitude of tourism projects such as marketing, promotion, research, outreach, and many others as opportunities arise.
