Associate Degree of Business (International Tourism)

The Associate Degree of Business (International Tourism) is a two-year qualification taught at the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS), with English pathway options through Aspire English and Aspire Institute, and a related sport business offering via the International Sport College of Australia. It sits at the associate degree level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which puts it between a diploma and a bachelor degree. In practice, that means two years of full-time study rather than three, with a strong vocational bent and a clear pathway into further study if you want it. The course code is 0101129 on CRICOS, which is the register international students use to check that a course is approved for overseas students.

What you actually study

Expect a mix of business fundamentals and tourism-specific subjects. On the business side you cover accounting, marketing, management and economics, the core that every business student does. On the tourism side you look at destination management, tourism operations, visitor economy issues, hospitality and events, and the commercial realities of selling travel. Teaching is delivered in semesters or trimesters depending on the intake, and each unit carries a set number of credit points. You need to pass a defined number of units to graduate, and the exact sequence is set out in the course structure on the official page. Assessment is usually a combination of exams, reports, group projects and presentations rather than one big final test.

Work-integrated learning and industry links

Tourism is a field where employers want to see that you have actually worked with customers, suppliers or venues. ICMS has long-standing ties to hotels, tourism operators and event businesses in Sydney, and associate degrees of this type typically build in a work placement or industry project as part of the credit points. That placement might be in a hotel, a tour operator, an events company or a destination marketing organisation. It is one of the main reasons students choose this qualification over a purely academic degree, you finish with something on your CV beyond a transcript.

Who it suits and how it fits together

This course suits school leavers who want a faster route into the tourism and hospitality workforce, career changers who already have some industry experience, and students who plan to articulate into a bachelor degree with credit for the units they have already completed. It also works for international students who need an English pathway first, Aspire English and Aspire Institute exist to get you to the required IELTS 6.0–6.5 standard before you start. If you are coming to Australia on a Student visa, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register, so check there rather than relying on second-hand figures, and confirm the current unit list, intake dates and English requirements on the official page before you apply.

• Tourism operations coordinator, working with tour operators, inbound travel companies and destination management organisations across Australia.
• Hotel or resort front office supervisor, many graduates move into accommodation, where Sydney and regional NSW have large hotel networks.
• Events and conferences assistant, business events, weddings and festivals are a big part of the Australian visitor economy.
• Destination marketing assistant, working with regional tourism boards, local councils or marketing agencies promoting Australian destinations.
• Airline or airport customer service roles, ground operations, reservations and passenger services.
• Travel agency or wholesale consultant, selling domestic and international travel products.
• Visitor information officer, often with councils, national parks or tourism associations.
• Pathway into a bachelor degree, many students articulate into a bachelor of business or tourism with credit, then move into management, marketing or event roles.

Typical employers include hotels and resorts, tour and transport operators, event management companies, destination marketing organisations, airlines, and state or local tourism bodies. Tourism is one of Australia's larger service industries, so the work exists across capital cities and regional areas alike.