Master in Northern Tourism
DURATION
2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
22 Jan 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 8,000 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Introduction
Tourism, an industry that is growing in the northern and Arctic regions, is affected by globalization and environmental transformation but also plays a role in changing the North. For example, tourism can be a component of community development, drawing out creative solutions to social, economic, and environmental challenges. On the other hand, tourism can bring unwanted and unintended pressures that have negative outcomes for community structures and the environment.
Our Master’s Degree Programme in Northern Tourism – based on a joint 30-credit component organized by the University of the Arctic (UArctic) Thematic Network on Northern Tourism – offers a comprehensive and international approach to tourism and reflects on the growing global influence and relevance of change in the north. It brings together researchers and students from northern universities with an interest in developing responsible tourism futures. The joint component is organized by Nipissing University, UiT – the Arctic University of Norway, Umeå University, University of Iceland, University of Lapland, University of Oulu, and Vancouver Island University, and it is hosted by UArctic Thematic Network on Northern Tourism.
What will you learn?
Our research and education on sustainable northern tourism builds knowledge on the challenges facing the northern and Arctic regions and offers tools for the sustainable development of tourism in the North. Through the involvement of the Thematic Network on Northern Tourism, our program offers education based on the research activities of the leading tourism scholars from Arctic areas. The joint component consists of a field course and two online courses.
Arctic research collaboration
Our master's degree program is based on research collaboration of the thematic network on Northern Tourism within the University of the Arctic. The main goal of the network is to address gaps in knowledge about northern tourism through comparative, circumpolar research and education. We collaborate with our core partners in the program on various research projects on the following topics:
- Arctic tourism in times of change: seasonality, urban dimensions of Arctic tourism, and from over-tourism to re-starting tourism
- Arctic tourism in the era of environmental crisis
- Mobilities in peripheral areas
- Analysis of future travel trends in the context of Arctic Europe
- Arctic winter tourism
- Destination development in the Arctic areas
Currently, we are working with the network partners on the following projects:
- The Contested Nature of Allemannsretten. Renegotiating local customs together with small-scale farmers in periphery landscapes (led by UiT, the Arctic University of Norway, funded by The Research Council of Norway, 2021–2025)
- Mobilities on the margins – creative processes of place-making (led by the University of Iceland, funded by Icelandic Research Fund, 2020–2023)
- Envisioning proximity tourism with new materialism (led by the University of Lapland, funded by the Academy of Finland, 2019– 2023)
- Partnership for Sustainability: Arctic Tourism in Times of Change, (subprojects led by the University of Lapland, Umeå University, and University of Iceland, Nordic Council of Ministers, 2018–2021)
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Finland Scholarship
What is the Finland Scholarship and who can apply for it?
Finland scholarships awarded by the University of Lapland are part of the national Finland Scholarship programme for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024. One Finland scholarship is awarded at the University of Lapland to the most merited applicant in each Master's programme based on their success in the admission process.
The Finland Scholarship is granted for the first year of Master's studies and the students who receive it must be non-EU/EEA citizens who are liable to pay tuition fees. The double degree -programme applicants are not eligible for this scholarship.
The Finland Scholarships will be granted until 2024. Prospective students who apply to Master’s programmes in 2025 are not eligible. The national Finland Scholarship programme is funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.
What does the Finland Scholarship include?
The Finland Scholarship
- Covers the programme tuition fee of 8000 € for the first year of studies and
- A 5000 € relocation grant
The total value of the Finland Scholarship at the University of Lapland is 13,000 €.
Information on the Finland Scholarship at ULapland
- The student needs to study on campus, as it is not possible to have these extra scholarships for distance learning
- The only exception is if the programme is forced to offer distance studies due to a force majeure situation
- Master's degree students who have been admitted in 2021 or earlier are not eligible, even if the start of their studies is postponed
- If the student defers the start of their studies for a statutory reason, they may begin the studies in the following academic year with the same conditions and keep the Finland Scholarship (one time)
- The scholarship is paid after the student has registered as being present at the University of Lapland
- The student must have a Finnish bank account, and the scholarship will be paid to that account
- The scholarship is paid after arrival in September/October
International Talent ULapland scholarship
Two-year scholarship for the most merited applicants
ULapland welcomes international talents to Lapland and Finland. In addition to the Finland Scholarship, the University of Lapland will provide one International Talent ULapland scholarship for the most merited applicants in each International Master’s programme in 2022, 2023 and 2024 based on their success in the admission process. The International Talent ULapland scholarship is granted for two years and the students who receive it must be non-EU/EEA citizens who are liable to pay tuition fees. The tuition waiver for the second study year will be granted according to the University of Lapland scholarship policy. The double degree -programme applicants are not eligible for this scholarship.
International Talent ULapland scholarship will be awarded to the most merited applicant in each Master’s programme for two years until 2024. Prospective students who apply to Master’s programmes in 2025 are not eligible.
The International Talent ULapland scholarship includes:
In the first year, the International Talent ULapland scholarship includes
- A 2000 € relocation grant and
- A 4000 € practicum voucher for an internship in Lapland or Finland. It can be used in the first or second year of study.
The total value of the first-year International Talent ULapland scholarship is 6,000 €.
In the second year, the International Talent ULapland scholarship includes
- A 7000 € scholarship for living costs in Finland and
- The programme tuition fee of 8000 € for the second year according to the ULapland scholarship policy: during the first year of studies, students must complete at least 60 ECTS credits according to the curricula of the degree programme
- In addition, a scholarship holder can participate in the Working on Campus -project to receive a total of 1000 € to support social and academic integration: divided into two; 500 € to support student tutoring and 500 € to participate in alumni work
Details for the second-year scholarships will be communicated to the students during their first year.
The total value of the second-year International Talent ULapland scholarship is 15,000 €.
Information on the International Talent ULapland scholarship
- The student needs to study on campus, as it is not possible to have these extra scholarships for distance learning
- The only exception is if the programme is forced to offer distance studies due to a force majeure situation
- Master's degree students who have been admitted in 2021 or earlier are not eligible, even if the start of their studies is postponed
- If the student defers the start of their studies for a statutory reason, they may begin the studies in the following academic year with the same conditions and keep the International Talent ULapland scholarship (one time)
- The scholarship is paid after the student has registered as being present at the University of Lapland
- The student must have a Finnish bank account, and the scholarship will be paid to that account
- The scholarship is paid after arrival in September/October
- The practicum voucher can be used in the first or second study year for an internship in Lapland or in Finland
- The practicum voucher will be paid to the hosting organisation of the internship, not to the student
- The 500 € support to student tutoring is meant for the degree student tutoring and includes the regular degree student tutoring compensation of 250 € + an additional 250 € support
- The alumni work content can be negotiated with the degree programme or other service units
How do you apply for the Finland Scholarship and the International Talent ULapland scholarship?
You must apply for the Finland Scholarship and for the International Talent ULapland scholarship in your Studyinfo application form. Both of the scholarships must be applied for together at the same time. Finland Scholarships and International Talent ULapland scholarships at the University of Lapland are awarded to the most merited applicants in each Master's programme based on their success in the admission process. The decision of both scholarships will be made together and at the same time. It is not possible to apply for these scholarships separately. Scholarships are always personal, and ULapland will notify applicants about the decision regarding the scholarship at the same time as the admission results. You cannot appeal against the decisions on scholarships.
You apply for both the Finland Scholarship & International Talent ULapland scholarship and the University of Lapland's own tuition waiver at the same time in your Studyinfo application form. If you are not awarded the Finland Scholarship & International Talent ULapland scholarship, ULapland will grant the tuition waiver according to our scholarship policy. You can not apply for the Finland Scholarship & International Talent ULapland scholarship nor the tuition waiver after the application deadline.
Curriculum
UArctic Masters Focus on Northern Tourism 30 ECTS
- Graduate Field Course: Northern Tourism in Practice 10 ECTS
- Sustainable Tourism Development in Northern Environments 10 ECTS
- Northern Tourists, Northern Hosts: Performances and Experiences 10 ECTS
Advanced Studies in Tourism Research 65 ECTS
- Ethical Epistemologies of Tourism 5 ECTS
- Designing Tourism Futures 5 ECTS
- Qualitative Analysis 5 ECTS
- Quantitative Method 5 ECTS
- Thesis Seminar 10 ECTS
- Master's Thesis 40 ECTS
Elective studies 25 ECTS
Electives: either courses at the University of Lapland (as agreed in the personal study plan) or exchange studies from the programs of network partner institutions. The degree structure enables students to complete the required 25 – 30 credits /semester. The final year is dedicated mainly to thesis work.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
The students attending a joint higher education in tourism will become professionals in their field of study, specializing in northern tourism and various aspects closely related to the sustainable development of the Arctic region.
The graduates will, in the future, be the consulted experts,
- who steer the development of the Arctic towards a more sustainable direction;
- who hold the contemporary know-how of the present-day challenges facing the economic growth in the North; and
- who thanks to their education, have increased employment possibilities in the field of tourism in the northern and Arctic contexts.