MA International Tourism and Hospitality Management

Overview & facilities

Hospitality and tourism are closely-related areas of an economic and social phenomenon that have developed a critical role in the world economy. The industry has become one of the major players in international commerce, and represents at the same time one of the main income sources for many developing countries with economic and employment benefits.

This course not only offers you the opportunity to develop the knowledge and management skills that hospitality and tourism professionals require but also to provide the context and the socio-political analysis that is increasingly needed in a fast-changing environment worldwide.

Once you have successfully completed this MA course you will be equipped to seek employment in one of a variety of hospitality and tourism fields from marketing and management, through to an involvement in the growing area of sustainable tourism.

Content & modules

The programme requires students to complete three 30 creditcompulsory modules and two 15 credit optional modules or a 30 credit work based learning project module concurrently. The core modules enable students to examine the theoretical and conceptual issues facing the industry and critically analyse and apply these concepts. The option modules focus on the relationship between scholarship and industry application. A 60 credit dissertation with research methods module is compulsory for those students aiming for an MA degree.

Modules

• Year 1

  Contemporary Issues in Hospitality and Tourism (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of key issues and problems in the contemporary development of hospitality and tourism. It will systematically analyse and develop critical issues which are manifest in hospitality and tourism, particularly micro and macro economic, industrial, political and socio-cultural contexts. It will encourage students to examine and critically evaluate current topical issues with appropriate theoretical and conceptual frameworks, thereby applying theoretical analyses to the practices of management in hospitality and tourism industries.

  Destination Management (15 Credits) - Optional

  This module aims to provide an opportunity for students to critically engage with issues in destination management, with a strong emphasis on academic and practice interface. It hopes to equip students with the critical analytic skills required to examine existing practices in destination management with the aim of critiquing taken-for-granted practices, while proposing ways to solve problems identified or anticipated in this area.

  Dissertation with Research Methods (60 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module aims to firstly expose students to the philosophical underpinnings of social inquiry, and how these influence the knowledge claims made in scholarly works and their implications for students individual research projects. Secondly, provide students with appropriate level of knowledge and skills on the competing explanations and interpretations of the field of Hospitality and Tourism Management as a necessary precursor to undertaking an individual investigation into their chosen topic. Thirdly, develop students critical and analytic skills that are frequently deployed in scholarly works within their field and encourage them to become independent learners who are able to demonstrate a competent use of a number of research strategies and methods to underpin academic and consultancy based research. Fourthly, it encourages students to situate their dissertation topics within the body of knowledge in their field through a critique of existing conceptual and theoretical frameworks, application of empirical knowledge to their own works and the choice of research strategies that demonstrate their understanding of the contested nature of their chosen topic. Lastly, it also enhances students critical appreciation of the significance of collecting data from a variety of primary and secondary sources, ways of evaluating the evidence from data to construct reasoned arguments within the context of their dissertation topics and the most effective ways of synthesizing and disseminating the findings of their own research.

  Festivals and Events Management (15 Credits) - Optional

  This module aims to provide a critical understanding of festivals and event management in relation to contemporary hospitality and tourism development. Focus will be placed on integrating social science based theoretical concepts and applied management techniques in the strategic planning and management of festivals and events. Current issues of managing festivals and events will be examined within an appropriate theoretical and conceptual framework. Students will be able to critically assess the effectiveness of key event management concepts and approaches as well as to comprehend the existence of differing festivals and events management challenges.

  Management Strategies in Hospitality and Tourism (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module aims to provide students with an understanding of the principal theories and models used in strategic management focussing on the Hospitality and Tourism business sector. Hospitality and Tourism Management can only be successful in the long term provided managements activities and processes are directed towards a shared goal and purpose with a clear understanding of all the business issues. The use of case study materials will allow both personal and group research into varied hospitality / tourism organisations. Students also develop an ability to apply strategic thinking and decision making theories to these operations whilst appreciating the difficulties and effects of making changes within an organisation. Develop an analytical and integrated approach to strategic issues found within hospitality and tourism Understand the balance between a creative approach to management and the rigours of effective control. Apply the theories of strategic management to the real world of organisational complexity, using experiences, cases and live situations

  Managing Urban Tourism (15 Credits) - Optional

  Urban tourism is a recent addition to the pattern of tourism. The aim of the module is to provide students with a description of the field, and to apply their knowledge of debates and controversies in tourism to it. Many of the issues that students will have encountered in their undergraduate degree or at work - sustainability, impacts, authenticity, mass tourism - can be applied to the urban field. Consideration of such issues opens the door to a critical interpretation of tourism that involves students developing their skills in argument and analysis.

  Policies in Ethical and Sustainable Development (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  The aim of this module is to use a wide range of contemporary examples to explore the management and policy issues relating to ethics and sustainability in the context of tourism.

  Revenue Management (15 Credits) - Optional

  This module combines the study of revenue management also known as Yield Management with strategic marketing management practices that are designed to optimise long-term revenue and ultimately a company s profit. Almost all hotel, travel and tourism operations share most of the following characteristics - relatively fixed capacity, perishable inventory, services that are sold in advance, fluctuating demand from a variety of markets, relatively low marginal sales costs and high fixed costs. In these circumstances similar methods for optimising revenue and ultimately profits have been developed. This module aims to provide students with an advanced understanding in the theory and practice of revenue management and the impact revenue management has had on hospitality and tourism businesses and their customers. It seeks to provide the students with knowledge and skills to enable them to critically analyse and evaluate market condition, pricing strategies, inventory control tactics and customer value assessment in order to make appropriate management decisions that enable the organisation to achieve sustainable financial success.

  Work Based Learning Project (30 Credits) - Optional

  The rationale, aims and objectives of this module are drawn up by students in the learning agreement. It follows that each WBS 4831/2/3 module will be unique in terms of its aims. Students will be required, however, to demonstrate that the project leads to a product which has useful outcomes for specific work-based activity. All students will be required to maintain a personal learning log for reflection on practice.

Three days a week campus-based learning are normally required. Each module generally entails two to three hours weekly contact through lecture/seminar or workshop activities/tutorials and occasional fieldtrips and guest speakers.

Entry & applying

We welcome applications from graduates with a second class honours degree or above, or an overseas equivalent qualification, in an appropriate subject. We also consider candidates with other relevant qualifications and individuals with a minimum of three years' relevant work experience. In exeptional cases, applicants without a first degree might be considered based on professional qualifications or work
experience.
International applicants whose first language is not English must prove competence to study at postgraduate level in English. Normally this will involve certification of competence (IELTS minimum 6.5 or equivalent).

Qualifications accepted

For a comprehensive list of qualifications accepted by Middlesex, see further information under entry requirements

English language requirements

You must have competence in English language and we normally require Grade C GCSE or an equivalent qualification. The most common English Language requirements for international students are IELTS 6.5 (with minimum 6.0 in all four components) or TOEFL paper based 575 (no less than 4.5 in test of written English) or TOEFL internet based 90 (with no less than 19 in each component) Middlesex also offers an Intensive Academic English course (Pre-Sessional) that ranges from 5-17 weeks, depending on your level of English. Successful completion of this course would meet English language entry requirements. For more information on applying for the pre-sessional please email english@mdx.ac.uk. For details of other equivalent English language requirements that Middlesex accepts see international entry requirements.

Applying

Applications for postgraduate study should be made directly to the university. You will need to fill in an application form and return it to the appropriate admissions office. UK and EU students should apply directly to the London office. Non-EU international students can apply to our international admissions office in London, or use our network of regional offices across the world to assist you with your application. Apply now

Fees & funding

The tuition fee for MA International Tourism and Hospitality Management for the academic year 2012/13 is as follows:

UK/EU Students

Full-time students: £6,000
Part-time students: £50 per taught credit

Find out about our flexible payment plans for UK/EU students, and how they can help you spread the cost of your course.

International Students

Full-time students: £10,600
Part-time students:£93 per taught credit

Careers & placements

Career pathways for this programme can be broadly divided into three hospitality, tourism-related commercial organisations and public sector organisations such as destination management organisations. It is expected that half of the graduates will return to their home country where their overseas education and work experience will be appreciated. The University has links with a number of international organisations in the hospitality and tourism sectors, which potentially provide internship and employment opportunities.