MSc in Sustainable Tourism & Society

Sustainable Tourism & Society

The Sustainable Tourism & Society track allows you to confront today's most pressing challenges concerning the economy, global politics, environmental changes, and socio-cultural values, all through the lens of tourism and societies. Through this programme, you will be encouraged to tackle the complex entanglements of tourism from the local to the international scales through engagement with theory and empirical research projects.

✔ Study how tourists, visitors, local communities, and the natural and built environment interact

✔ Learn about sustainable tourism development from a local, regional, national and global perspective.

✔ Enrich your expertise by working on real-life challenges together with our partners:

• Tourism Alliance of Friesland (TAF) supports the region's development as a tourist destination.
• Waddenacademie, an academic institution focussing on the socio-economic development of the Wadden Sea Region (a UNESCO World Heritage site).
• Policymakers in the province and in several municipalities in the north of the Netherlands.
• Key players in the field of tourism, such as TUI and World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

Note: Sustainable Tourism & Society is part of MSc Cultural Geograpy (you can follow two tracks: Climate Adaptation Governance and Sustainable Tourism & Society.

The curriculum is aligned across four blocks:

1. Block 1

Courses:

• Critical Approaches to Cultural Heritage and Identity
• Critical Tourism Studies: An Introduction
• Field Work and Community Engagement

2. Block 2

Courses:

• Critical Tourism and Regional Planning
• Nature, Landscape & Heritage
• Thesis Design

3. Block 3

Courses:

• Geographies of Migration
• Social Impact Assessment - Data and Representation
• Sustainable Tourism: Planning and Practices

4. Block 4

Courses:

• Thesis

Credits: 60 ECTS

Degree: MSc in Cultural Geography

After graduation: Cultural Geography equips you with the necessary theoretical and practical tools to contribute to place-related liveability in society. A focus on tourism allows you to use your skills to improve local livelihoods, invest in community futures, and work towards tourism that improves tourists' and residents' health and well-being. Guest lectures, field trips, community lectures, and empirical research in the community prepare you to develop a working knowledge of the field.

Job prospects

Graduates of the Sustainable Tourism & Society track can apply their theoretical and practical research and problem-solving skills and knowledge internationally and locally as:

• policy analysts in governmental offices

• tourism officers

• destination planners

• tourism entrepreneurs

• UNWTO officers

• researchers

• lecturers

During the programme, we offer support for your career preparation with workshops, networking events, and career advice.