MSc Leisure, Tourism and Environment
The Leisure, Tourism and Environment programme is one of the few leisure and tourism related studies worldwide that does not focus on management or marketing. It is an academic Master programme involving theories from many different disciplines; it critically reflects on current tourism practices and opens debates about innovative ideas. This combination together with a very international group of students and teachers is unique in the world.
Programme summary
Increasing numbers of people around the world are spending a growing proportion of their leisure time and money on leisure and tourism related activities. The economic and social impact of leisure and tourism services on the environment has grown dramatically in recent years, and this is expected to continue. What motivates tourists to visit remote destinations? How does this travel affect local cultures and economies? And how do issues on sustainability, authenticity, identity and commercialisation fit into the picture? During the two-year MSc programme Leisure, Tourism and Environment you learn the reasoning behind the transformation of certain locations into leisure and tourism environments. The programme pays special attention to concepts such as landscape, space, place, locality, authenticity and sustainability.
Fast growing and dynamic field
By joining the MSc Leisure, Tourism and Environment programme, you study the underlying issues of the fast growing leisure and tourism industry. You look at leisure and tourism from a historical and philosophical perspective, learning about social and cultural theory and how to apply these using advanced research methods and analysis techniques. The MSc integrates the role of governmental, business and ‘third sector’ organisations in the innovation process towards sustainable (tourism) development.
Leading edge learning
It’s an extremely international programme; faculty members from many parts of the world come to Wageningen and give lectures, bringing together an extraordinarily wide range of academic experience. You debate with them and others on globalisation processes as well as on the experience of leisure and tourism within the spatial, natural and social environment.
Challenging international internship
Your internship can take you all over the globe, as we have partner organisations located on every continent. We encourage you to take advantage of these, often, life-changing opportunities. The projects are incredibly diverse, ranging from studying sustainable tourism in Peru to gastronomic culture in Spain and many more. Whatever your internship may be and wherever it may take you, you will both personally and professionally benefit from it.
Develop an international perspective
Another great advantage of studying at Wageningen is that you work together with students and professionals from a wide range of international and cultural backgrounds. You critically discuss contemporary issues in the field of leisure, tourism and the environment, and develop your own international perspective.
Specialisations
Within the MSc Leisure, Tourism and Environment there are no specialisations. It is however possible to specialise yourself by choosing compulsory courses in your minor.
Your future career
You are looking for a career which builds on the knowledge and experience gained in your MSc. This may be in the areas of policy and planning, research, or consultancy, and development, or as an entrepreneur. Many alumni can be found all over the world, working for government agencies and NGOs in the field of policy development and implementation. Others work for consultancy agencies, research institutes or network organisations that link leisure and tourism organisations with conservation institutes, or private business with government organisations and communities. Of course, if you want to continue in research, you can enter a PhD programme, either here at Wageningen or with colleague universities all over the world. We offer you an extensive and well-developed network to move your career forward.
Alumna Ana Raguz.
“I adored and enjoyed working on my MSc! It has given me an amazing diversity of personal experiences, broadening my horizons by working in teams with people from many cultures and disciplines. The programme is so well designed; I could immediately put the theory into practice, and I developed an ability to think critically, inspiring me for creative action. At some point, the right people started appearing, people I could really trust and get along with, and we worked hard together. I was able to take both the harvesThink and IMPACT HUB projects a major step forward – giving me the confidence to move forward myself." (
http://www.impacthub.net)
Related programmes:
MSc International Development Studies
MSc Management, Economics and Consumer Studies
MSc Development and Rural Innovation
MSc Applied Communication Studies
MSc Landscape Architecture and Planning
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