Course description
COURSE INFORMATION
Tourism is a catalyst for economic growth for advanced and emerging economies in terms of the hospitality and transportation involved in destination management. Tourism is a global industry that embraces diverse players including profit enterprises as well as many non-commercial players such as governmental bodies that seek to maximise the economic benefits derived. Development needs to be managed in an increasingly sustainable and responsible way. Tourism dependant communities are faced with a growing dilemma - how can the local quality of life be maintained as tourism develops? The industry has undergone a dramatic change in the last decade resulting from the emergence of the Internet as a platform for the sale and promotion of tourism 'products'. Many new industry players have emerged, especially online, together with numerous new influential intermediaries, whilst established players such as travel agents have had to restructure or offer superior customer service to survive.
The programme will recruit from among applicants with either a first degree in an associated subject (e.g. Travel and Tourism, Geography, Social Sciences, Modern Languages and Culture) or other first-degree or equivalent qualifications and who wish to convert to tourism and hospitality management.
The programme is designed to meet the needs of students contemplating a career in either Business and Visitor Tourism or Tourism Planning. Typical students possess keen enthusiasm and interest in tourism developments from a commercial perspective and for their own managerial career aspirations.
This taught Masters programme has been designed to deliver up-to-date and appropriate knowledge and insight into the principles and practice of management in the tourism and hospitality industries. The programme is driven by using insight into current trends and developments in professional tourism and hospitality management and the demands of those sectors. It is a modularised programme taught over two semesters, full time and followed by a 15,000 word dissertation on a relevant topic of the student's choice. Students are allocated a personal supervisor to guide them through the dissertation process.
Supported by Masters Core management modules, specialist International Tourism and Hospitality Management modules provide insight in both breadth and depth into the theoretical and applied issues that surround contemporary tourism and hospitality management. Two pathways - Business and Visitor Tourism and Tourism Planning and Development - allow students to specialise in areas of particular interest through separate and distinctive module combinations that include management issues in Visitor and Attractions, International Destinations, Airline Management, Responsible Tourism and Tourism Planning and Regeneration. A variety of teaching and learning approaches, supported by guest presentations and site visits, will support students in their learning and ensure a learning experience that reflects the complexity of the industry in which graduates will eventually work.
Our location in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne is ideal for students to investigate many world renowned tourist destinations such as Durham Cathedral, Hadrian's Wall, Newcastle's famous Quayside, and the beauty of the Northumberland coast and castles.
COURSEWORK AND ASSESSMENT
Assessment is by a combination of coursework assignments, examinations and a dissertation.
CAREERS
The majority of students progress to a career in travel and tourism on leaving the course, either within a larger travel or hotel group or within a tourism management role within the public sector, whilst others have gone on to establish their own businesses either in the UK or in the case of overseas students, back in their home country.
OTHER INFO
The Tourism teaching team is active in terms of publications and research with expertise in Tourism Transport, Culture and Heritage, Online Marketing and Tourism Strategy.
Students will also benefit from an excellent guest speaker programme which brings together the best of industry practitioners from all sectors of the travel and tourism industry.
