Courses and Faculty

Location: Aviation A and B Buildings

Hours: Monday-Friday – Times vary by class and office schedules

Phone: 310-287-4362

Email:feiners@wlac.edu

Chairperson – S. "Scott" Feinerman, Office: Aviation A Building, Room 212

Vice Chairperson - Marc Mancini

SUBJECT FIELDS

Hospitality/Hotels

Travel/Tourism

FACULTY

Leland Babbitt

S. "Scott" Feinerman

Marc Mancini, Ph.D.

Martin Nee

Michael O'Callaghan

Craig Wilder

Certification and Degree – Program Requirements

West Los Angeles College's Travel program - one of the nation's largest -will prepare you for one of the world's fastest growing and most gratifying industries. Our courses prepare students for careers in most segments of the travel industry: touring, lodging, the airline industry, cruising, destination promotion, event planning, airport operations and travel agencies. Job advancement in the field often comes quickly, and the business lends itself to entrepreneurs, home-based workers and career changers as well.

ASSOCIATE OF ARTS DEGREE MAJOR CODE 3009.00 (36 UNITS, PLAN B)
The Associate of Arts degree in Travel is designed for the student who seeks a rewarding career as a travel professional. To fulfill the degree requirements, you must complete 12 of the 3-unit travel classes listed below (36 units total), plus 24 semester units of general education subjects as described in this catalog, for a total of 60 semester units.

REQUIRED:
TRAVEL 100 - Introduction to the Travel Industry (3 units)

AND

AT LEAST 33 UNITS FROM THE FOLLOWING:
TRAVEL 110 - Apollo Computer Reservations (3 units)
TRAVEL 115 - Sabre Computer Reservations (3 units)
TRAVEL 130 - Geography of North America, Hawaii and the Caribbean (3 units)
TRAVEL 135 - Geography of Europe and the Middle East 3
TRAVEL 137 - Geography of Asia, Africa, South America and the South Pacific (3 units)
TRAVEL 140 - Travel Industry Sales, Service and Marketing (3 units)
TRAVEL 155 - Tour Escorting, Planning and Operations (3 units)
TRAVEL 161 - How to Run a Travel Business (3 units)
TRAVEL 175 - Meeting/Convention and Incentive Planning (3 units)
TRAVEL 180 - Cruise Sales Specialization (3 units)
TRAVEL 186 - Internet Travel Research (3 units)
TRAVEL 200 - Introduction to the Airline Industry (3 units)
TRAVEL 300 - Introduction to the Hospitality Industry 3
TRAVEL 931 - Cooperative Education/Travel (Internship) (3 units)

TOTAL UNITS 36

CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT - ADVANCED TRAVEL - MAJOR CODE 3009.01 (30 UNITS)
This certificate is designed for Travel students who want to attain a deeper understanding of multiple sectors of the travel industry and further enhance their employability. To earn this certificate, you must complete the 12 unit requirement for the Skill Certificate - Basic and then complete an additional (and different) 18 units of Travel courses, selected from the above list, for a total of 30 units. In order to receive the skill certificate, certificate of completion or an AA degree in Travel, you must submit a petition to the Admissions Office during the semester in which the requirements will be completed. (To determine the deadline for petitions, consult the schedule of classes.) For certificates, all travel courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better. For an AA degree, you must have completed all courses with a grade-point average of "C" or better.

SKILL CERTIFICATE
Note: Some skills certificates are not included on transcripts, and students completing skills certificates that are not transcripted do not participate in commencement.

SKILL CERTIFICATE IN BASIC TRAVEL MAJOR CODE 3009.00
This certificate is designed for Travel students who wish to acquire fundamental knowledge of the travel business, the kind necessary for entry-level positions.

REQUIRED:
TRAVEL 100 - Introduction to the Travel Industry (3 units)

ELECTIVES (9 UNITS FROM THE FOLLOWING)
TRAVEL 110 - Apollo Computer Reservations (3 units)
TRAVEL 115 - Sabre Computer Reservations (3 units)
TRAVEL 130 - Geography of North America, Hawaii and the Caribbean (3 units)
TRAVEL 135 - Geography of Europe and the Middle East 3
TRAVEL 137 - Geography of Asia, Africa, South America and the South Pacific (3 units)
TRAVEL 140 - Travel Industry Sales, Service and Marketing (3 units)
TRAVEL 155 - Tour Escorting, Planning and Operations (3 units)
TRAVEL 161 - How to Run a Travel Business (3 units)
TRAVEL 175 - Meeting/Convention and Incentive Planning (3 units)
TRAVEL 180 - Cruise Sales Specialization (3 units)
TRAVEL 186 - Internet Travel Research (3 units)
TRAVEL 200 - Introduction to the Airline Industry (3 units)
TRAVEL 300 - Introduction to the Hospitality Industry 3
TRAVEL 931 - Cooperative Education/Travel (Internship) (3 units)

TOTAL UNITS 12
 

Course Description

NOTE: Subject credit for courses in this program may be obtained at California State University Los Angeles after transfer with an Associate of Arts Degree.

100 Introduction to the Travel Industry (3)
This course gives students a practical overview of the fast growing travel industry, including such sectors as cruising, tours, travel agencies, air transportation, car rentals and lodging, as well as information on career opportunities, both full-time and part-time.

110 Apollo Computer Reservations (3)
This course gives students hands-on experience with the Apollo computer system, one of the two systems most widely used by travel agents. Students will learn to make airline reservations, build passenger name records, quote fares and price itineraries.

115 Sabre Computer Reservations (3)
Students will get hands-on experience with the Sabre computer system, one of the two systems most widely used by travel agents. Students will learn to make airline reservations, build passenger name records, quote fares and price itineraries.

130 Geography of North America, Hawaii and the Caribbean (3)
In this course students will become familiar with the major attractions, tourist centers, climate patterns, lodging choices, travel options and traveler motivations for the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America.

135 Geography of Europe and the Middle East (3)
In this course students will become familiar with the major attractions, tourist centers, climate patterns, lodging choices, travel options and traveler motivations for Europe and the Middle East.

137 Geography of Asia, Africa, South America and the South Pacific (3)
In this course students will become familiar with the major attractions, tourist centers, climate patterns, lodging choices, travel options and traveler motivations for Africa, Asia, South America and the South Pacific.

140 Travel Industry Sales, Service and Marketing (3)
This course covers marketing objectives, strategy planning, travel motivation and research, promotional ideas, press releases, advertising, sales techniques and applications. Discover the secrets of selling travel profitably, effectively serving customer needs, and successfully marketing travel products.

155 Tour Escorting, Planning and Operations (3)
Tour conducting, guiding and planning are among the most rewarding and sought after careers in travel. In this course students will explore the appeal of tours, as well as job strategies, cross-cultural sensitivities, client psychology and anticipating customer and supplier needs. The course includes several field trips.

161 How to Run a Travel Business (3)
The key to business productivity and profitability: efficient operation. Using the travel agency as a model, this course will show students how to develop a business plan, generate sales reports, apply proven accounting systems and follow those best practices that can lead to success in any travel business.

175 Meeting/Convention and Incentive Planning (3)
This course is an introduction to meeting, event and convention planning including the scope of the industry, and its relationship to other parts of the tourism, travel and hospitality industries. Students will be prepared to plan, promote and operate travel programs for meetings, conventions and incentive groups, including site selection, pricing, entertainment, supplier negotiations, and the use of technology for registration. An overview of food and beverage service costs and audio-visual equipment will also be presented. Incentive programs will be covered as well as logistics, housing and transportation function, room set-up, marketing, promotion and publicity, and risk management. Students will learn industry terminology, the financial management aspects of meeting/convention planning, and about important industry-related professional associations.

180 Cruise Sales Specialization (3)
Cruising is the travel industry's fastest growing sector. This course will give students a deep understanding of the cruise experience and business, including client motivation, cruise line profiles, world-wide port geography, sales tactics and marketing strategies. Actual ship inspection field trips are included.

186 Internet Travel Research (3)
Students will become familiar with key travel industry web sites and learn how to book travel, communicate and access information from airlines, hotel chains, tour companies, cruise lines, tourist bureaus and government internet sites.

200 Introduction to the Airline Industry (3)
In this course, students will learn about entry-level jobs with airlines, and explore current issues such as airline operations, code sharing, sales and safety, and the market strategies of the 10 largest U.S. airlines.

300 Introduction to the Hospitality Industry (3) CSU
This course is an introduction to the Hospitality Industry. The course will give students an overview of careers in hotels, resorts, restaurants, private clubs and in institutional settings. Emphasis is placed on leadership, communication, training, performance appraisal, motivation, decision making and planning. Students will learn how knowledge of duties, organization, marketing and revenue sources will open world-wide opportunities for students in this growing industry.

Travel 305 Hotel and Restaurant Supervision (3) CSU
Prerequisite: Travel 300
This course covers the application of management and supervision concepts and techniques in the hospitality industry. Emphasis is placed on leadership, communication, employee selection and training, performance appraisal, motivation, coaching, delegation, decision making and planning.

931 Cooperative Education - Travel (3)
In this course, students will intern at a travel-related business and also learn about career-building strategies.