Tourism is an increasingly important part of our lives, and the tourism industry is one of the few global industries forecast to grow in the long term. Managing this rapidly growing industry to meet visitors' demands in a sustainable way is exciting and challenging. This long-established course will give you the knowledge, analytical abilities and skills you need to make a career as a tourism professional.
You will study at the heart of London, one of the world's leading tourism destinations. Site visits, integrated in the course modules, will allow you to explore a wide variety of aspects of the dynamic tourism industry.
Annual student feedback for the course is very positive, with teaching, staff contract and course content receiving particular praise. This reflects the tourism team's efforts to provide a valuable and effective course as well as a supportive, friendly and stimulating environment for your studies.
Members of the teaching team have published academic texts used by students of tourism at many UK universities. You will benefit from access to these texts – and the insights of these authors. Furthermore, staff teaching on the course are active researchers, and their teaching is informed by both their own research and their engagement with industry.
You will learn about the nature and characteristics of tourism and explore how it can be marketed, managed and planned, examining cases from around the world. Your management and entrepreneurial skills will be developed to assist you in finding employment in many different parts of this dynamic and growing industry.
A range of option modules allows you to focus on your particular interests, and to explore the links between the different aspects of tourism. A dissertation gives you the chance to applying your learning to develop in-depth, specialist knowledge of a tourism topic of your choice.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
You will be able to choose three option modules, a selection of which are listed below. Please note that we cannot guarantee all option modules will run each year, as availability will depend on demand.
Core modules
Option modules
This course is accredited by the tourism management institute (TMI) meaning you can be confident it will give you the knowledge, understanding, skills and experience which will fully prepare you for a career in tourism destination management.
Graduates of this course have gone on to establish careers in a wide variety of fields around the world, including:
Some of our graduates have launched their own travel agency businesses, while others work in a variety of management roles in hotels, and in consultancy roles for tourism research organisations.
Did you know the tourism industry is a major contributor to the global economy? It accounted for 9.8% of world GDP in 2015 and supports 284 million people in employment, the equivalent of 1 in 11 jobs on the planet.
This Master's degree has been developed to meet the growing demand for competent and resourceful managers in the rapidly expanding tourism industry. It is delivered on our Greenwich Campus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which attracts tourists from all over the world.
Organisations that develop tourism facilities, and those that provide essential services such as transport and holidays, are set to expand in the future. There is increasing demand for experts in formulating tourism policies, tourism plans, strategies and tourism marketing. As a tourism professional, you will need to take a strategic perspective and help develop a competitive sector that is sustainable.
Our tourism teaching team consists of highly qualified academics, researchers and practitioners in the tourism field.
You will gain sound foundation of business and management principles as well as specialist tourism skills and expertise that are essential for a successful career in tourism management today.
You will be able to undertake an optional placement with a tourism business or organisation. This gives you the opportunity to gain professional experience in various aspects of tourism management, which is an increasingly important requirement.
Our hospitality, leisure, recreation and tourism subjects were ranked:
Greenwich is one of the top two most globally diverse universities in the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand, by Hotcourses Diversity Index.
We have also been named as one of the "most international" universities on the planet by Times Higher Education magazine.
The aims of this degree are to:
Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Year 2
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
You will be assessed through various means, which may include:
Careers in all aspects of the international tourism industry are open to you, including government tourism agencies, international tourism organisations, tour operators, airlines, marketing, and cultural, heritage, festival and other specialist tourism operations.
You can reach out to top employers through our dedicated Business School Employability Office (BSEO). Our team focuses on developing your employment skills through CV support, interview skills workshops and guidance through mentors to progress in the industry. This includes the opportunity to network with employers and recruiters at career fairs.
The BSEO team was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards; which shows their dedication to actively support career development.
The Tourism Society provides an additional forum for students to meet and discuss current trends with faculty and guest speakers.
Within the travel and tourism industry, there is an increasing focus on the need to adopt responsible business practices that improve the quality of life for communities and conserve the environment and local cultures. This course helps meet the resulting demand for managers with the ability to implement responsible tourism strategies within marketing, operations and product development.
You will explore domestic and international tourism and you will understand that the principles of responsible tourism are as applicable to the Yorkshire Dales as they are to The Gambia. In addition to developing your subject knowledge, you will learn how to plan, implement and evaluate responsible tourism policies and practices.
This is the only responsible tourism course in the world certified by the UNWTO.TedQual programme established by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. It is taught by staff with first-hand experience in tourism management, research and consultancy, who will share their global expertise with you.
Research Excellence Framework 2014
Research Excellence Framework 2014: 59% of our research submitted was assessed as world leading or internationally excellent.
To support your studies, you will be assigned a personal industry mentor. Our mentors are experienced tourism professionals and have all graduated from this masters course, so they understand your journey. Your mentor could assist you in a number of possible ways, including discussing career pursuits, giving advice on work placements, helping to improve your CV and providing tips on assignments, course material and work / life balance. We have over 20 mentors from areas as diverse as the Gambia Travel Foundation Programme, TUI UK & Ireland and VisitEngland, so we will attempt to match you with an appropriate mentor.
Our teaching is grounded in industry consultancy and research. The quality of our research is evident in the outstanding results achieved in the Research Assessment Exercise completed in 2014 in which Leeds Beckett came second in the country for sport and exercise science, leisure and tourism.
Staff teaching this course have played a leading role in the responsible tourism and hospitality movement through research and development work with the industry and government which enables our students to also play an important role in this sector. Lucy McCombes is a certified Travelife auditor and Dr Simon Woodward is chair of the ICOMOS-UK Cultural Tourism Committee and a Trustee of the Landscape Research Centre.
Modules
Core modules
Option modules
Core Modules
Option Modules
You will enhance your ability to operate effectively at a strategic level within conservation organisations and in both the public and private sectors, and you will have expertise and confidence to devise , implement and manage responsible tourism programmes. Graduates have gone on to work as sustainability and product managers for tour operators and have also taken senior managerial positions in government departments and with international non-governmental organisations.
Our MSc International Tourism Management programme is one of the longest-established university tourism programmes in the world, combining our world-class research expertise with a strong focus on enterprise and innovation.
We have channelled our wealth of industry-relevant teaching and research experience into the ideal platform for a career in the global tourism industry.
The structure of our Euromasters programme includes the opportunity to undertake a placement in industry between the two years of study.
This experience gives students (particularly those with little prior work experience) a significant advantage in terms of employability upon graduation.
This programme is studied full-time over two academic years and part-time over four academic years. It consists of twelve taught modules and a dissertation.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
The programme takes a broad view of tourism and provides an opportunity to explore issues and problems relevant to a wide range of situations and aspects likely to be faced by tourism managers and other relevant professionals.
It gives an opportunity to develop academic skills and knowledge. At the same time it maintains a practical focus on the rapidly developing tourism industry. Its intensive but generalist approach aims to prepare students for a wide range of possible careers in travel and tourism.
It is designed to provide an appropriate base for employment opportunities in official tourism organisations, in transport, hotels, tour operating and travel agency companies, in government and other organisations where knowledge of tourism is important.
The programme draws on the stimulus of the School’s recent research activities, and takes an integrated approach to the relationships between the various components of the programme.
The programme also provides students with opportunities to work directly with industry partners through not only guest lectures, but also on a real tourism project through the Applied Dissertation initiative and during fieldtrips.
The programme encourages students to develop skills in relation to practical research and decision making in a tourism business environment.
Knowledge and understanding
Upon completing the course, students will be able to demonstrate:
Intellectual / cognitive skills
Students will have the ability to:
Professional practical skills
Students will be able to:
Key / transferable skills
Students will learn:
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
The University of Brighton’s Tourism and International Development MSc provides the opportunity to learn from leading academics and practitioners working in the field of sustainable tourism development and management.
You will learn about theories and applications associated with macro-level destinations’ development and management issues, as well as micro-level interventions, such as those aimed at implementing ethical and responsible tourism practices and mass/niche tourism diversification approach, as well as strategically managing the positive and negative impacts of tourism.
Our programme prepares you for a successful and dynamic career in public, private and third sector organisations such as ministries, tourism boards, development agencies, SMEs, NGOs and consultancies.
The School of Sport and Service Management, where the course is based, is an affiliate member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) which informs our teaching and your learning. We are also a member of the UNWTO Knowledge Network, which will give you access to the extensive UNWTO e-library.
The course is suitable if you are looking to convert from another subject area and pursue a future career in tourism or if you already have a grounding in tourism or related subject areas such as business, management, events, hospitality or sport.
The course is delivered by staff that are actively involved in research and consultancy, ensuring that the curriculum and classroom discussions are informed by current knowledge and practice in the management of international tourism.
Full-time students normally attend class two days per week, while part-time students usually attend once per week. Some modules may be delivered intensively over several consecutive days.
The course is delivered through a variety of lectures, workshops, presentations, tutorials and case studies with an emphasis on interactive learning. You will work both individually and in small, multi-national teams to develop international capabilities and build global networks, learning how to adapt your knowledge to a variety of cultural settings. Our MSc students come from across the world from a variety of backgrounds, and benefit greatly from sharing experiences.
A distinctive feature of postgraduate study within the school is the flexibility and choice provided by the final project. Guided by your programme of study and in consultation with an individual supervisor, there are several options open to you. Whether undertaking an academic dissertation, an applied piece of research such as a business or enterprise project or a study that includes a portfolio or exhibition of work, the final project enables you to pursue your own particular interest in an area relevant to your programme of study.
For international students, the MSc also offers an extended masters route with English language study for between two and sixth months before the course begins.
Our Tourism and International Development MSc aligns with our vision of tourism as a key driver for economic diversification and growth, environmental regeneration, socio-economic integration and inclusive development. Many international organisations, like the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the World Bank and the EU as well as national ministries and regional development agencies share our vision.
By stimulating a critical understanding of theories and practices, the course offers insight into the role of tourism in international development. Alongside your student peers, you can expect to gain valuable insight into topics such as development in the era of globalisation, responsible tourism practices, consultancy, and social anthropology.
We also offer unique opportunities to study visual discourse in tourism, and management issues in the global cruise industry.
You will take five core management modules and one option module from a choice of four.
Modules
One from:
All credit-based postgraduate courses at the School of Sport and Service Management offer the Professional-Based Learning module.
The module offers you an opportunity to undertake practical experience in a work environment and gain invaluable first-hand knowledge. It is designed to help you engage with the process of planning and delivering expertise in practice, and to reflect upon and take steps to improve your academic, personal and professional skills.
In Semester 1 (September–January) you will have classes on CV development, interview skills, target setting, reflective practice and experiential learning, leading to 100 hours of professional experience in Semester 2 (February–June). This experience could take the form of a part-time job, an unpaid internship, a volunteering opportunity in the university or time as a mentee in your chosen industry. You can also take this module as part of a live consultancy in connection with one of your tourism, sport, hospitality or event modules, either in the UK or a School of Sport and Service Management project overseas.
Our school-based Employability Hub will be on hand to assist you in securing an experience that best meets your career goals and aspirations. Professional experience will enhance your practice and academic knowledge, and many of our students have started their careers with their placement organisation.
Our graduates work for some of the world’s largest tourism and travel companies.
Many hold senior positions in private and public sector organisations, such as government tourism ministries and development agencies, NGO’s, tour operators, cruise companies and international hotel chains. Those with entrepreneurial skills run their own enterprises, whilst others work as freelance consultants in a wide range of service industries, with many opting for a career in the not-for-profit and volunteer sector. A substantial number of graduates embark on PhDs before starting their career in academia.
Our alumni include Head of Events at the British Heart Foundation, a Senior Government Advisor in Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism, and a Senior Project Manager for the world’s largest executive search organisation, Korn Ferry.
This programme takes a broad view of tourism management, exploring the challenges relevant to a wide range of situations that managers and other professionals are likely to face.
You will develop your academic skills and knowledge, and learn approaches to management decision-making and critical evaluation. Importantly, the programme has a practical focus on the managerial and strategic issues in the rapidly developing tourism industry.
The programme’s intensive but generalist approach prepares you for a wide range of careers in travel and tourism. Our graduates are often employed in official tourist organisations, transport providers, hotels, tour operating and travel agencies and government organisations.
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year. It consists of eight taught modules and a dissertation.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
The programme takes a broad view of tourism and provides an opportunity to explore issues and problems relevant to a wide range of situations and aspects likely to be faced by tourism managers and other relevant professionals.
It gives an opportunity to develop academic skills and knowledge. At the same time it maintains a practical focus on the rapidly developing tourism industry. Its intensive but generalist approach aims to prepare students for a wide range of possible careers in travel and tourism.
It is designed to provide an appropriate base for employment opportunities in official tourism organisations, in transport, hotels, tour operating and travel agency companies, in government and other organisations where knowledge of tourism is important.
The programme draws on the stimulus of the School’s recent research activities, and takes an integrated approach to the relationships between the various components of the programme.
The programme also provides students with opportunities to work directly with industry partners through not only guest lectures, but also on a real tourism project through the Applied Dissertation initiative and during fieldtrips.
The programme encourages students to develop skills in relation to practical research and decision making in a tourism business environment.
Knowledge and understanding
Upon completing the course, students will be able to demonstrate:
Intellectual / cognitive skills
Students will have the ability to:
Professional practical skills
Students will be able to:
Key / transferable skills
Students will learn:
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
This programme offers the opportunity to learn from leading academics and practitioners working in the field of sustainable tourism management.
You will learn about management decision-making, the significance and complexity of managing human and financial resources, and the critical issues involved in marketing international tourism and travel.
All our programmes are underpinned by an emphasis on the impact of globalisation for the international tourism industry, and a critical evaluation of ethical and social responsibility in business, and tourist behaviour.
The School of Sport and Service Management, where the course is based, is an affiliate member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) which informs our teaching and your learning. We are also a member of the UNWTO Knowledge Network, which will give you access to the extensive UNWTO e-library.
The course is suitable if you are looking to convert from another subject area and pursue a future career in tourism or if you already have a grounding in tourism or related subject areas such as business, management, events, hospitality or sport.
The course is delivered by staff that are actively involved in research and consultancy, ensuring that the curriculum and classroom discussions are informed by current knowledge and practice in the management of international tourism.
Full-time students normally attend class two days per week, while part-time students usually attend once per week. Some modules may be delivered intensively over several consecutive days.The course is delivered through a variety of lectures, workshops, presentations, tutorials and case studies with an emphasis on interactive learning.
A distinctive feature of postgraduate study within the school is the flexibility and choice provided by the final project. Guided by your programme of study and in consultation with an individual supervisor, there are several options open to you. Whether undertaking an academic dissertation, an applied piece of research such as a business or enterprise project or a study that includes a portfolio or exhibition of work, the final project enables you to pursue your own particular interest in an area relevant to your programme of study.
For international students, the MSc also offers an extended masters route with English language study for between two and sixth months before the course begins.
Tourism is a global sector, and so international perspectives will be at the heart of your learning experience. Alongside your student peers, you can expect to gain valuable insight into topics such as destination planning and management, responsible tourism practices, tourism impacts, destination marketing, and mass/niche tourism development strategies. We also offer unique opportunities to study visual discourse in tourism, and management issues in the global cruise industry.
You will work both individually and in small, multi-national teams to develop international capabilities and build global networks, learning how to adapt your knowledge to a variety of cultural settings.
Our MSc students come from across the world from a variety of backgrounds, and you'll benefit greatly from sharing experiences.
You will take five core management modules and one option module from a choice of four.
Modules
One from:
Professional-Based Learning Module:
All credit-based postgraduate courses at the School of Sport and Service Management offer the Professional-Based Learning module.
The module offers you an opportunity to undertake practical experience in a work environment and gain invaluable first-hand knowledge. It is designed to help you engage with the process of planning and delivering expertise in practice, and to reflect upon and take steps to improve your academic, personal and professional skills.
In Semester 1 (September–January) you will have classes on CV development, interview skills, target setting, reflective practice and experiential learning, leading to 100 hours of professional experience in Semester 2 (February–June). This experience could take the form of a part-time job, an unpaid internship, a volunteering opportunity in the university or time as a mentee in your chosen industry. You can also take this module as part of a live consultancy in connection with one of your tourism, sport, hospitality or event modules, either in the UK or a School of Sport and Service Management project overseas.
Our school-based Employability Hub will be on hand to assist you in securing an experience that best meets your career goals and aspirations. Professional experience will enhance your practice and academic knowledge, and many of our students have started their careers with their placement organisation.
Our programme prepares you for a wide range of possible employment options in international tourism.
Our graduates work for some of the world's largest tourism and travel companies in sales, marketing, human resources and finance. Many hold senior management positions in private and public sector organisations, such as tour operators, cruise lines, international hotel and restaurant chains, destination management and marketing organisations, and transportation providers.
Those with entrepreneurial skills run their own enterprises, whilst others work as freelance consultants in a wide range of service industries. A substantial number of graduates embark on PhDs before starting their career in academia.
Whether you are thinking of starting a career in tourism management or are already working in the sector, the University of Brighton’s International Tourism Management MSc will enable you to begin a successful and rewarding future.
The International Tourism Management programme will equip you with the knowledge, skills and insights required to work in the diverse and dynamic tourism sector. Our stimulating and challenging programme takes a comprehensive approach to understanding tourism and its relationships with the economy, environment and society, within a broad business-based curriculum. The programme is delivered by a world-class team, passionate about their subject and highly respected for tourism research, consultancy and leading academic publications.
Our curriculum is international in scope and is suitable for UK and international students from a range of disciplines. The programme will help you to develop an ability to think critically about the relationship between tourism and management in different contexts and across a range of functions e.g. marketing, policy, business evaluation, strategy and applied research. Throughout our MSc, there is a strong emphasis on sustainability which positions people and the environment at the centre of tourism development and destinations.
Our dissertation module is the flagship of our programme, where you get to demonstrate and apply all the knowledge and skills you have acquired to study a contemporary tourism management issue of your choice. We encourage students to pick a dissertation subject that not only interests them, but is directly related to the kind of employment they are looking to secure following their graduation. Added to that, you can opt for our Work Based Learning module which allows students to work with a tourism business client in a consultancy role, or you may choose to travel abroad to take advantage of summer school opportunities in Europe and further afield.
By the end of the programme you will have the knowledge to understand and critically evaluate ideas at the cutting edge of tourism research alongside research skills that will enable you to predict and evaluate the changing business environment within a tourism context.
This programme is also available with a hospitality focused pathway, leading to a degree title of MSc International Tourism Management (Hospitality). This pathway is designed to address specific challenges in the hospitality industry, including services and facilities management.
Graduates from the MSc International Tourism Management are well placed to find positions with international tourism and hospitality corporations and businesses as destination managers and marketers, consultants, hotel and event managers as well as tourism development, planning and impact assessment roles in the private and public sectors. In addition, this MSc provides a sound research training for those wanting to go on to further study at PhD level.
The double degree option enables you to gain a second Masters qualification by studying for a year with one of our prestigious partner universities. For more information on this and other postgraduate study abroad opportunities, visit the Business School’s Study Abroad webpages. (http://business-school.exeter.ac.uk/programmes/postgraduate/studyabroad/)
During the programme you will study modules (including the dissertation) totalling 180 credits. Please note that programme structures may be subject to change. Descriptions of the individual modules are given in full on the Business School postgraduate module list http://business-school.exeter.ac.uk/programmes/postgraduate/modules/ .
Examples of compulsory modules include;
The MSc is available with a hospitality focused pathway, leading to a degree title of MSc International Tourism Management (Hospitality). This pathway is designed to address specific challenges in the hospitality industry, including services and facilities management.
For students without Hospitality:
For students with Hospitality:
Examples of optional modules include;
Tourism has experienced continued expansion and diversification, becoming one of the largest and fastest growing economic sectors in the world. According to UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, 2014) the worldwide international tourist arrivals are expected to see a 3.3% increase a year between 2010 and 2030, and reach 1.8 billion by 2030, with emerging destinations growing at the fastest rate.
This creates many career opportunities for qualified managers in the hospitality and tourism industries in both developed and developing countries. The MSc International Tourism Management is designed to prepare graduates for management and senior management positions in a complex and dynamic industry.
The course helps you to start or develop a career in the international tourism industry. You build a strong theoretical and practical foundation by studying both business management and tourism modules.
You learn to apply and critically challenge your understanding of the industries in practical contexts, particularly in the work-related learning module and during your industry placement. You also critically examine the sustainability of the international tourism industry. Throughout the course enhance your employability skills, such as communications and team-working, which are vital for rapid career development.
The placement option offers you an additional opportunity to develop your practical skills, either in the UK or abroad. We help you gain a placement by running employability workshops and have dedicated placement team to support you. Placement opportunities exist in organisations such as • Omega Travel • Cosmos • Visit Peak District and Derbyshire • Hilton • Marriott • Conrad • Anantara resorts • Como resorts • the Gleneagles hotel • the Hotelbeds Group.
You graduate with the skills and knowledge to plan, manage and promote products, services, businesses and destinations in the international tourism industry in a competitive and sustainable manner.
The course is based on the following principles
Professional recognition
This course is recognised by the Tourism Management Institute, the professional organisation for tourism destination managers.
September start – typically 12 months or 24 months with work experience
January start – typically 15 months
Core modules
Options
Choose one 15 credit module from
• strategic resort hotel management • hospitality service excellence • managing profitable food and beverage operations • managing the property asset • talent management • sustainable tourism and hospitality in 21st century • contemporary issues in tourism • tourism and globalisation • visitor attraction management • tourism, culture and society • sales and revenue management
You can find international careers in organisations such as • international tour operators • transport operators • visitor attractions • resort management • hotel corporations • conference and event organisers • national tourist organisations • government agencies • tourism consultancy firms.
You can also continue with further study by completing a PhD or Doctorate in Business Administration.
Events, Hospitality, International Development, Sports Science and Tourism masters at the University of Brighton
