Tourism and Destination Management (M.A.)

Language of Instruction: German


 

Standard period of study: 3 semesters (4 semesters extended)

Overview

"Tourism and Destination Management" and "Tourism and Destination Management - extended" are two study variants of a degree programme that provides further qualifications for an ideal career start. The Master students are intensively supervised by experienced and successful professors in small groups where specialist knowledge, methods and social skills are conveyed. In addition to a scientifically based course of study, this programme is characterised by a high degree of practical and application-related relevance. Project work during the studies is accompanied by well-known practice partners and exciting destinations and specialist congresses are visited in the context of excursions.

The focus of this Master's programme is on the creation of concepts with new ideas for a sustainable development of tourism destinations and service providers as well as innovative products and their marketing. The aim is to qualify specialists and executives who will be responsible for the management of destinations and other tourism players.

The courses in the winter semester emphasis on product development, destination marketing and tourism politics and planning. In the summer semester, the focus is on international tourism politics and planning and once again on destination marketing. In both semesters, Professional English is offered to enhance language skills. In addition to the subject, methods and social skills, independent scientific work and project work are at the heart of the study courses.

While the language of instruction in the winter semester is primarily German, it is mainly English in the summer semester. This enables exchange students to join the respective courses which is a valuable enrichment for all participants.

Modules

WINTER SEMESTER

- Product Development (Strategic Quality Management, Consultancy Project)
- Destination Marketing I (Media Concepts in Tourism, Tourism Psychology, Staging Experiences in the   
  Destination)
- Tourism Politics and Planning (Digitalisation in Tourism, Tourism Location Factors)
- Management Competence I (Cross Cultural Management, Social Competence)
- Methodological Competence I (Advanced Methodology, Project Management (TDM), Source Market
  Analysis)
- Professional English I

SUMMER SEMESTER

- Destination Marketing II (Meeting and Event Management, Destination Strategies, Strategic Cooperation 
  and Communication)
- International Tourism Politics and Planning (Sustainable Tourism and Quality of Life, Case Studies or 2.
  Foreign Language (Destination France))
- Management Competence II (Evidence-based Change Management, Controlling and Cost Management)
- Methodological Competence II (Geodata for Tourism, Quantitative and Qualitative Methods)
- Destination Project
- Professional English II

3rd SEMESTER (extended only)

Work Placement, Study Abroad or Research Semester

4th SEMESTER

Master Seminar, Master Thesis, Colloquium

Career

Career prospects: 

Successful completion of the master's programme opens up numerous employment and career opportunities in companies, associations and institutions of the travel and tourism industry. This includes not only travel organisers and tourism organisations at the destinations (e.g. tourism companies and tourism associations), but also event, trade fair and congress organisers, research institutes, and planning and consulting offices.

Practical knowledge: 

The education in the economic and scientific aspects of tourism at the Harz University of Applied Sciences has acquired a good reputation in many national and international companies and organisations, and this quality is enhanced by the master's degree programme. The limited number of students in the master's programme ensures that they receive intensive guidance from the experienced teaching staff.    

Competences:  

The project work, conducted in cooperation with industry partners, is a major aspect of the course. Based on current market realities, themes for projects for the development of tourism and destinations are worked on, and solutions are developed and discussed. A central element of the programme is the importance placed on language skills (e.g. two foreign languages), as is the feasibility of implementation processes for high-quality tourism.

Prof. Dr. Sven Groß

Degree Programme Coordinator

Professor Faculty of Business Studies
Tel +49 3943 659 279
Room 2.119, Haus 2, Wernigerode
Visiting Times nach Vereinbarung

Christin Wohlgemuth, Alumna, PR & Communications, Harz Tourism Association

»Looking back, it was the right decision to study at the Harz University. The university has a name in the tourism industry, you can see that when you apply and talk to other tourism professionals.«