Tourism Schools and Programs in Barcelona, Spain

About Tourism Schools and Programs in Barcelona, Spain

Tourism as a field of study covers how travel, hotels, destinations and leisure are planned, managed and marketed. Students combine business subjects (management, marketing, finance) with geography, heritage, languages and digital tools for the travel trade. In Barcelona the subject is taught at public and private universities, at university schools affiliated with them and at vocational training (FP) centres, so there are routes for school leavers, graduates and working professionals.

How the qualifications are organised

In Spain, Tourism is an official university bachelor's degree (grado). As a general rule, bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits (four years) and official master's degrees 60, 90 or 120 credits. Official degrees are listed in the ministry's Registry of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT); a school's own qualification (título propio) is not the same as an official degree. Below university level, the Hospitality and Tourism family of vocational training includes higher technician qualifications (Técnico Superior) in Tourist Accommodation Management, Travel Agencies and Event Management, and Guiding, Information and Tourist Assistance.

Where to study Tourism in Barcelona

Examples from our directory:

• CETT Tourism and Hospitality Education: its university school awards degrees of the Universitat de Barcelona, which has an official bachelor's degree in Tourism in the RUCT. The four-year Tourism degree is taught in Spanish, Catalan and English, and there is also a four-year degree in International Hotel Management (Spanish and English) and a five-year double degree in Tourism and Digital Business and Innovation.
• Escola Universitària de Turisme i Direcció Hotelera (UAB): the school of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona teaches bachelor's degrees in Tourism, Tourism in English and Hotel Management, an international double degree with FH Salzburg, and the master's degree in Cultural Heritage Tourism Management (Gestió Turística del Patrimoni Cultural).
• Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC): an official bachelor's degree in Tourism taught 100% online, with 240 credits, in Spanish or Catalan. The UOC states that the degree costs less than €900 per semester.
• Escola Universitària de Turisme MEDITERRANI: affiliated with the Universitat de Girona, it offers official degrees in tourism and marketing, including a double degree in Tourism and Marketing, and a higher FP course in Tourist Accommodation Management.
• Euroaula Escola Universitària: a bachelor's degree in Tourism with an international double qualification (a bachelor's in Dublin), and FP courses such as Travel Agencies and Event Management.

For master's level, the Universitat de Barcelona has official master's degrees in Tourism Business Management (Dirección de Empresas Turísticas) and in Developing and Launching Tourism Projects. Classes at Catalan universities may be in Catalan, Spanish or English, so check the language of each group in the study plan.

Admission and recognition

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply for UNEDasiss accreditation, which assesses international students' academic records and runs the tests needed to enter Spanish bachelor's degrees; with it they apply to each university. A master's degree requires a previous university degree. For a foreign degree, the ministry distinguishes homologación, which gives access to a regulated profession in Spain, from the declaration of equivalence, which certifies the academic level (bachelor's or master's).

Careers

Graduates work in hotel and accommodation management, travel agencies and tour operators, event and conference organisation, destination management and promotion, and tourism consultancy. The UOC, for example, describes its degree as preparation for hotel management, smart-destination management and consultancy for international travel.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a Tourism degree in Barcelona?

Usually four years and 240 ECTS credits, the standard length of a Spanish bachelor's degree. Double degrees take longer: the CETT double degree in Tourism and Digital Business and Innovation lasts five years.

Can I study Tourism in English in Barcelona?

Yes. The UAB school teaches a Tourism degree in English, and the CETT Tourism degree is offered in Spanish, Catalan and English.

Can I study Tourism online from abroad?

The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya teaches an official bachelor's degree in Tourism fully online, in Spanish or Catalan.

Is there a shorter route than a university degree?

Yes. Higher vocational training (FP) courses such as Tourist Accommodation Management or Travel Agencies and Event Management lead to official Técnico Superior qualifications and are taught at schools such as MEDITERRANI and Euroaula.