This course has been designed to contribute towards achieving the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goal: SDG15 of Life on Land.
This programme offers two points of entry.
The first option is to undertake a one year programme of study including a dissertation. You will gain the skills required to manage sustainable tourism businesses, alongside the specialisms of strategic destination management, tourism futures, crisis and post-conflict tourism management, the strategic use of events for urban destination management and will be able to choose routes such as digital marketing or managing across cultures. The course draws upon a variety of case studies and projects, letting you explore the global scope of tourism, the policies and strategies associated with successful management, the role the industry plays in international development, and the stakeholders involved in its development. The course places emphasis upon the micro-economic contribution of enterprise projects in supporting development and sustainability, in line with the University’s Changemaker ethos.
The course will also prepare you for the practical, project-based, and customer focused characteristics of the tourism industry, drawing upon a variety of case studies and engaging you with industry experts.
This course provides students with higher-level knowledge, skills and capabilities to pursue a specialist career in a broad range of areas in the tourism industry across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.
List of modules
Semester 1
You will be introduced to the main themes in destination and tourism development, enabling you to analyse the strategic and dynamic nature of international tourist destinations and issues facing destination managers. Modules in semester one will highlight the need to ensure long-term viability of destination resources through themes such as international sustainable development and futures studies. You will have the option to choose to focus on developing competency in digital marketing.
Semester 2
The strategic use of events in both the public and private sectors will be examined, particularly their use as a catalyst for physical, economic and socio-cultural regeneration. You will have the option to choose to focus on developing your personal adaptability in cross-cultural (work) environments. You will begin the process of undergoing your dissertation through research methods and research supervision.
Semester 3
You will examine the vulnerability of destinations and the strategies and approaches needed by managers to develop and recover, particularly post-conflict, as well as examining a variety of concepts related to futures studies for tourism. An area of individual research will be developed into a clearly defined and evidenced dissertation that demonstrates critical thinking and research at postgraduate level. Guided by a dedicated subject specialist, you will collect, analyse and interpret a range of secondary and primary data, culminating in a 15-20,000 word dissertation.
The second option is to undertake a two-year programme of study incorporating an industry placement year.
This provides you with the same skills and holistic understanding of international tourism development, but builds on the first three semesters of academic content with the addition of a year in industry. The year in industry will develop your real world experience and you will undertake an applied research project that identifies and provides a response to an industry specific problem.You will be required to undertake a work-based learning module during Semester one which begins to prepare you for finding your placement.
LEIM041 Imagined Futures for Tourism and Hospitality (Compulsory)
The growth of international tourism is expected to continue in the decades ahead. Future thinking and scenario setting helps tourism policy makers, planners and stakeholders create new ideas for tourism development. The purpose of this module is to provide you with the ability to analyse the multidisplinary facets of the field of tourism futures, and systematically forecast and redefine the future of international tourism. You will postulate possible, probable, and preferable futures of international destinations and tourism stakeholders, drawing on current trends and research.
LEIM010 International Sustainable Tourism (Compulsory)
The social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts of tourism development on global destinations have highlighted the need to ensure the long-term viability of their resources, resulting in the emergence of sustainable development principles. The module will critically examine the concept of sustainable tourism development using a range of international case studies, and to demonstrate the application of the Changemaker Philosophy to social challenges or issues that can be alleviated through sustainable tourism strategies.
LEIM020 Strategic Destination Management (Compulsory)
The dynamic nature of international tourist destinations creates a number of strategic challenges for managers responsible for the planning, management and marketing of such destinations. This module has a broad strategic management and international focus and is designed to provide you with a subject specialism in the field of destination management.
LEIM011 Risk, Crisis and Post-conflict Management in Tourism (Compulsory)
International tourism is particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of natural and man-made disasters and catastrophes. Consequently, national governments have spent considerable time and resources in developing policy and planning measures specifically for the tourism sector. The intent is to prevent disasters and to mitigate risk and crisis in the event of their occurrence in the tourism destination.
Case studies have shown that timely and effective intervention may reduce negative outcomes such as a fall in visitor numbers and economic decline in the sector. This module examines the role of government in forming partnerships with the private sector and community based stakeholders in the development of a national tourism crisis management plan. It integrates general theoretical frameworks on risk and crisis management within the context of tourism operations with the utilisation of practical examples and case studies of past destination’s responses and recovery after disasters.
LEIM039 Eventful Cities (Compulsory)
You will evaluate and appraise the use of events as vehicles for urban regeneration and revitalisation. In recent years, events have become significant elements of public policy, allowing destinations to advertise their economic and cultural readiness to be seen on the global stage. You will utilise a range of case studies from international major and mega events to critique theoretical models and appraise the positive and negative legacies that can benefit or haunt destinations. The module draws on a range of associated disciplines including urban planning, tourism policy and strategic events management as a means of developing a holistic view of the eventful city.
HRMM061 Managing Across Cultures (Designate)
Due to the increase in organisations operating globally, this module has both a theoretical and practical focus. The module discusses different business cultures from across the world and considers their impact on individuals of working in environments that is not native them. There is a strong emphasis on developing personal adaptability in cross cultural (work) environments as Master graduates can be expected to, and will have the expectation to – lead and manage other people internationally.
MKTM027 Strategic Digital Marketing (Designate)
This module starts from the position that many aspects of our lives are becoming ‘digitized’ and that this digital world creates immense new opportunities for marketers. In order to capitalise on these opportunities companies need to have a strategic overview of how digital technologies can add value to both their target customers and their own organisation. You will identify and analyse a digital marketing opportunity and make an appropriate, well-reasoned proposal of how this opportunity may be exploited using innovative e-marketing models and techniques.
LEIM031 Dissertation & Research Methods (Compulsory for Dissertation route)
In the context of the experience economy, you will develop a critical understanding of: research design; the ethics surrounding research; research philosophy; research methods; and analysis. This module provides you with the knowledge and understanding required to evaluate and conduct research at postgraduate level.
HRMM072 Career Futures (0 Credit) (Compulsory for Industry Year Route)
This module is only available to those students who have registered for the industry placement pathway and is a pre-requisite for progression to HRMM074.
HRMM074 Work Based Project (Compulsory for Industry Year Route)
You will undertake an extended applied research project in a real world environment and combine appropriate industry work experience with the critical analysis of a contemporary challenge or issue relevant to their field of study.
