Introduction
This interdisciplinary programme combines expertise in business management, marketing, human resource management, entrepreneurship and tourism in a practice-oriented way, enabling students to gain the advanced knowledge and critical skills required to plan, to manage and to market tourism products, services, businesses and destinations in a competitive and sustainable manner.
Study Information
Study Options
- Learning Mode
- On Campus Learning
- Degree Qualification
- MSc
- Duration
- 12 months or 24 months
- Study Mode
- Full Time or Part Time
- Start Month
- January or September
- Location of Study
- Aberdeen
The MSc International Tourism Management is designed to help students build a solid theoretical and practical foundation in international tourism management. By interdisciplinary curriculum integration, students will understand the various challenges that modern tourism managers are likely to face and how to keep informed on innovation in the dynamic international tourism sector. Not only will students develop essential, evaluative decision-making skills, the programme also nurtures their academic abilities while inspiring the skills and characteristics they need to become an accomplished tourism professional.
Our research-led teaching is combined with a practical focus on up-to-the-minute managerial and strategic issues, supported by three Industry Sessions, live consultancy projects, guest speakers and field trips; students will be benefited from such a real-world approach, gaining grounded insights to succeed in international tourism management.
Upon graduation, students will be equipped with a solid theoretical foundation in International Tourism Management and a wealth of experience gained from the deep involvement in the thriving (inter)national tourism scene, gaining a competitive edge with prospective employers.
Available Programmes of Study
The MSc International Tourism Management features live learning projects, including three Industry sessions and field trips. The programme also gives the option of seeing through a practical ‘consultancy project’ focused on a tourism-relevant managerial issue.
Our industry connections mean we provide opportunities to network with, present to, brainstorm with and do work for the tourism industry; such a deep industry engagement is intended to foster personal and professional development, and to help you to make a connection between academic learning and the working world.
The partners we are closely networked with to offer students opportunities to undertake the work-related learning (e.g., field trips, Industry Sessions, etc.) include (but are not limited to):
• VisitScotland
• Historic Environment Scotland
• National Trust for Scotland
• Doune Castle
• Abbotsford Trust
As students progress through the programme, selecting option modules/courses and setting up your industry network through our live learning projects, such as Industry Sessions, field trips, ‘consultancy project' etc., graduates is capable of establishing the exact career path that they are enthusiastic to pursue, including:
• Cultural services management
• Operations management
• Airlines
• Public sector organisations
• Retail
• Hospitality
- MSc 12 months or 24 months On Campus Learning Full Time or Part Time September Aberdeen View
-
Programme Information
- Semester 1
-
Semester 1
Compulsory Courses
International Tourism Management
- Issues in International Management (BU5057)
-
15 Credit Points
The course aims to provide students with an understanding of Issues in International Management as viewed from a number of diverse perspectives eg Coaching; Oil & Gas; Entrepreneurship; Technology; Accountancy & Finance
View detailed information about this course - Marketing Management (BU5039)
-
15 Credit Points
The course will apply theoretical and practical content to explore the key concepts of marketing management to provide students with an understanding of planning, coordinating and controlling marketing activities. It aims to take students understanding beyond what has been labelled as a transaction-based approach to a relationship-based approach. As such the aim is to provide students with an understanding of the role of marketing in establishing, developing and maintaining relationships for mutual gain. This will be achieved through a combination of lectures, seminars, simulations and directed private study.
View detailed information about this course
Optional Courses
BU5072 Negotiation & Cross-cultural Management
- Human Resource Essentials (BU501Q)
-
15 Credit Points
Human Resource (HR) Essentials course serves as the first course in the program to provide students foundational understanding and knowledge of HR, and functions as a sound basis for other courses in the International Human Resources Management Programme. The course is focused on introducing HR theories and the application of theories and ideas into practice. In this course, students engage in a range of theories taught by lecturers as well as interactive exercises such case studies and evaluation of journal articles, through which they can reflect on and critically evaluate different HR theories. In this way students develop cognitive skills by actively and critically reflecting on practice, and practical transferable skills through assignment and in-class activities and exercises.
View detailed information about this course
- Semester 2
-
Semester 2
Compulsory Courses
Destination and Tourists
- New Product and Service Development (BU551K)
-
15 Credit Points
Innovation is at the forefront of much of the current economic and political debate to improve the competitiveness of economies and firms. This course will focus on the role of new product development in enabling firms to generate competitive advantage, and the types of problems faced by firms in their innovation management. In particular this course blends the perspectives of marketing, design and manufacturing into a single approach to product development. It provides students with an appreciation for the realities of industrial practice and introduces sets of product development methods that can be put into immediate practice on development projects.
View detailed information about this course - Research Practice (BU5583)
-
15 Credit Points
This course introduces students to what is involved in undertaking business research in practice. Within lectures, tutorials and workshops students will develop an understanding of: Information retrieval and critical analysis; Philosophical issues in the construction of knowledge; Accessing and gathering quantitative and qualitative data; Data analysis; Student/Supervisor expectations.
View detailed information about this course
Optional Courses
- The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)
-
15 Credit Points
This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.
View detailed information about this course - Marketing Communications (BU5573)
-
15 Credit Points
Through a combination of lectures, tutorials, workshops, debates and in-course assessment, this course encourages students to critically reflect upon: Social theory and its relevance to marketing communications; Concepts and contemporary thought within the practice of marketing communication; expressive practice.
View detailed information about this course
- Semester 3
-
Semester 3
Compulsory Courses
MSc Tourism Management and Marketing Dissertation/Project
- Digital Marketing (BU5991)
-
15 Credit Points
The course provides both a strategic orientation and tactical orientation:
Strategic:
§ How to align digital strategy with a wider business strategy
§ The value that (internal and external) research and analytics can bring to digital marketing decisions
Tactical:
§ Assess the quality of any website based on a range of important measures
§ Benchmark a website’s performance against online competitors
§ Investigate the potential of a business idea for a given market sector
§ Present digital marketing research and advice to a generalist audience
§ Understand the potential commercial value of social media
§ Interpret onsite analytics in support of business objectives
View detailed information about this course
Programme Fees
Please refer to our InfoHub Tuition Fees page for fee information for this programme, or contact gbs@abdn.ac.uk.
- MSc 12 months or 24 months On Campus Learning Full Time or Part Time January Aberdeen View
-
Programme Information
- Semester 1
-
Semester 1
Compulsory Courses
International Tourism Management
- Issues in International Management (BU5057)
-
15 Credit Points
The course aims to provide students with an understanding of Issues in International Management as viewed from a number of diverse perspectives eg Coaching; Oil & Gas; Entrepreneurship; Technology; Accountancy & Finance
View detailed information about this course - Marketing Management (BU5039)
-
15 Credit Points
The course will apply theoretical and practical content to explore the key concepts of marketing management to provide students with an understanding of planning, coordinating and controlling marketing activities. It aims to take students understanding beyond what has been labelled as a transaction-based approach to a relationship-based approach. As such the aim is to provide students with an understanding of the role of marketing in establishing, developing and maintaining relationships for mutual gain. This will be achieved through a combination of lectures, seminars, simulations and directed private study.
View detailed information about this course
Optional Courses
BU5072 Negotiation & Cross-cultural Management
- Human Resource Essentials (BU501Q)
-
15 Credit Points
Human Resource (HR) Essentials course serves as the first course in the program to provide students foundational understanding and knowledge of HR, and functions as a sound basis for other courses in the International Human Resources Management Programme. The course is focused on introducing HR theories and the application of theories and ideas into practice. In this course, students engage in a range of theories taught by lecturers as well as interactive exercises such case studies and evaluation of journal articles, through which they can reflect on and critically evaluate different HR theories. In this way students develop cognitive skills by actively and critically reflecting on practice, and practical transferable skills through assignment and in-class activities and exercises.
View detailed information about this course
- Semester 2
-
Semester 2
Compulsory Courses
Destination and Tourists
- New Product and Service Development (BU551K)
-
15 Credit Points
Innovation is at the forefront of much of the current economic and political debate to improve the competitiveness of economies and firms. This course will focus on the role of new product development in enabling firms to generate competitive advantage, and the types of problems faced by firms in their innovation management. In particular this course blends the perspectives of marketing, design and manufacturing into a single approach to product development. It provides students with an appreciation for the realities of industrial practice and introduces sets of product development methods that can be put into immediate practice on development projects.
View detailed information about this course - Research Practice (BU5583)
-
15 Credit Points
This course introduces students to what is involved in undertaking business research in practice. Within lectures, tutorials and workshops students will develop an understanding of: Information retrieval and critical analysis; Philosophical issues in the construction of knowledge; Accessing and gathering quantitative and qualitative data; Data analysis; Student/Supervisor expectations.
View detailed information about this course
Optional Courses
- The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)
-
15 Credit Points
This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.
View detailed information about this course - Marketing Communications (BU5573)
-
15 Credit Points
Through a combination of lectures, tutorials, workshops, debates and in-course assessment, this course encourages students to critically reflect upon: Social theory and its relevance to marketing communications; Concepts and contemporary thought within the practice of marketing communication; expressive practice.
View detailed information about this course
- Semester 3
-
Semester 3
Compulsory Courses
MSc Tourism Management and Marketing Dissertation/Project
- Digital Marketing (BU5991)
-
15 Credit Points
The course provides both a strategic orientation and tactical orientation:
Strategic:
§ How to align digital strategy with a wider business strategy
§ The value that (internal and external) research and analytics can bring to digital marketing decisions
Tactical:
§ Assess the quality of any website based on a range of important measures
§ Benchmark a website’s performance against online competitors
§ Investigate the potential of a business idea for a given market sector
§ Present digital marketing research and advice to a generalist audience
§ Understand the potential commercial value of social media
§ Interpret onsite analytics in support of business objectives
View detailed information about this course
Programme Fees
Please refer to our InfoHub Tuition Fees page for fee information for this programme, or contact gbs@abdn.ac.uk.
International Tourism Management
We will endeavour to make all course options available; however, these may be subject to timetabling and other constraints. Please see our InfoHub pages for further information.
How You'll Study
Students will learn by a variety of teaching methods including:
• face-to-face experiece
• virtual or simulated active or experiential workshops
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Workshops
• Tourist destination/site-based Learning or field trips (subject to Covid-19 policy )
• Independent Learning
• Industry Sessions
Learning Methods
- Group Projects
- Individual Projects
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Tutorials
Assessment Methods
Our programme employs a variety of assessment methods which are designed to assess knowledge, competencies and skills that are required in the role of a modern marketer.
- Just like the industry, we do not run our programme around exams – in fact there are no exams. Just intensive real-world learning that helps you gain relevant knowledge, quickly and effectively.
- All assessments are done by a portfolio of work-based assignments.
Why Study International Tourism Management?
• Learn from specialist academic staff who are actively involved in research ensuring the curriculum is informed by cutting-edge knowledge and practice, which promises students pioneering research and a strong focus on forward-thinking ideas and innovation
• Identify and engage with specialisms such as consumer behaviour, marketing and international human resource management
• Students will meet industry experts, with the opportunity to take a professional placement, network and share knowledge and experience whilst learning in a structured and supportive environment
• Three Industry Sessions and field trips help students connect academic learning and the working world, fostering personal and professional development
• An optional ‘consultancy project’ focused on managerial issues with a tourism employer can further enhance students employability
• Emphasis is given to the use of digital technologies and social media in the context of (tourism) management, which is invaluable within the competitive and dynamic tourism sector
• Graduates will be well placed to find positions within international tourism corporations, businesses and organizations as destination managers, marketers, consultants, and hotel and event managers as well as tourism development, planning and impact assessment roles in the private and public sectors
Entry Requirements
Qualifications
The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.
Our minimum entry requirement for this programme is a degree at 2:2 (lower second class) UK Honours level (or a degree from a non-UK institution which is judged by the University to be of equivalent worth).
This programme is open to graduates from any discipline, and does not require marketing, management, business or tourism study to be completed at undergraduate level.
Please enter your country to view country-specific entry requirements.
English Language Requirements
To study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:
IELTS Academic:
OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
TOEFL iBT:
OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
PTE Academic:
OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency:
OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169
Read more about specific English Language requirements here.
Document Requirements
You will be required to supply the following documentation with your application as proof you meet the entry requirements of this degree programme. If you have not yet completed your current programme of study, then you can still apply and you can provide your Degree Certificate at a later date.
- Degree Transcript
- a full transcript showing all the subjects you studied and the marks you have achieved in your degree(s) (original & official English translation)
- Personal Statement
- a detailed personal statement explaining your motivation for this particular programme
International Applicants
Fee Information
International Applicants
Further Information about tuition fees and the cost of living in Aberdeen
Additional Fee Information
- Fees for individual programmes can be viewed in the Programmes section above.
- In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips. Any additional fees for a course can be found in our Catalogue of Courses.
- For more information about tuition fees for this programme, including payment plans and our refund policy, please visit our InfoHub Tuition Fees page.
Funding Opportunities
The University of Aberdeen provides an Alumni Discount Scheme:
The University of Aberdeen is very pleased to offer a 20% discount on postgraduate tuition fees for all alumni who have graduated with a degree from the University of Aberdeen. More Information can be found here.
Scholarships
Eligible self-funded international Masters students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Visit our Funding Database to find out more and see our full range of scholarships.
Careers
As a International Tourism Management graduate from University of Aberdeen, you will be well placed to progress within the tourism industry whether your career aspirations are local or international. Graduates potentially move on to senior management roles in sectors and organizations including:
• Senior Executive (in, e.g., destination management services)
• Tourism Manager (in, e.g., international tour operators and travel businesses)
• Tourism Marketing Manager (in, e.g., destination management services)
• Marketing Executive (in, e.g., destination management organisations)
• Conference Services and Facilities Manager
• Hotel Manager
• Tour operators
Our Experts
You will be taught by internationally respected academics who are at the forefront of their research and qualified professional practioners. We draw upon disciplines across the social sciences and give emphasis to the dynamic nature of the tourism sector, global connectivity and the management and leadership of the global challenges that lie ahead.
- Programme Leader
- Joyce Chen
Information About Staff Changes
You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. Staff changes will occur from time to time; please see our InfoHub pages for further information.
Get in Touch
Contact Details
- Address
-
Business School
University of Aberdeen
MacRobert Building
King Street
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX