Become an expert in strategic management of competitive tourism business!
Are you a tourism professional looking for taking the next step in your career? The international Master’s DegreeProgramme in Managing Tourism Competitiveness educates highly competent and innovative tourism business specialists for demanding management and expert positions in tourism industry.
The industry-driven programme strengthens the competences needed in strategic management of competitive tourism business. It provides future-oriented knowhow and tools necessary to cope with the structural and transformational changes facing the tourism industry and for boosting the development of the tourism industry. The students acquire advanced professional competencies and strong international perspectives, especially focusing on the Nordic-Baltic tourism business environment.
The studies incorporate advanced theories related to profitable and productive businesses and of being competitive in business – both from micro to macro level - with modern knowledge of personal career development. The emphasis is also on personal development and leadership abilities significant for building careers in tourism.
Study Arrangements
The studies are carried out online, as a blended learning approach, which enables studying also alongside working, and even from overseas. The programme also includes intensive weeks once in a semester in Finland or Latvia. Travelling to the intensive weeks abroad is not compulsory, but recommendable. The language of instruction in all the courses is English.
The degree programme takes a unique approach and offers a possibility to study in a truly international environment. The double degree programme offers students an expanded and innovative arena for learning and an opportunity to make use of the expertise of the European universities. The students study simultaneously in two universities and get two separate diplomas, one from each university.
The pedagogy used in the programme is defined as a student-centred participatory pedagogy. Collaborative ways of working, group and team-based approaches and distributed expertise, as well as integrating the studies with working life, are the central means of study.
Programme Structure
The extent of the programme is 90 ECTS credits and it consists of:
- Advanced Professional Studies (40 ECTS credits),
- Research Studies (15 ECTS credits) and
- Master’s Thesis (30 ECTS).
- In addition, the students will choose 5 ECTS credits of elective studies.
The degree can be completed in approximately 1.5–2.0 years.
Strong Work-Life Integration
Studying is strongly connected with working life. The students learn by accomplishing assignments related to their own organizations or other business cases. As the expertise of the student grows and evolves, it gives the company a stronger competitive position and a chance to renew itself.
Application
To apply for the Master’s Degree Programme, the applicant needs an applicable Bachelor's degree or some other suitable higher education qualification and at least two years of work experience within the specific field of study after graduation.
What is unique in this programme?
- It is a double degree programme: students study simultaneously in two universities (Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Finland, and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Latvia) and get two separate diplomas.
- Flexible online learning is used with modern digital solutions and learning environments developed for the online courses.
- Students gain tools to take their careers forward, develop their professional profile and the organization they are affiliated to. Industry is strongly involved in the studies, and assignments are mainly related to the student’s own organizations.
- Students get expertise from the Nordic-Baltic tourism business environment and Finland’s world-leading higher education system. Finnish degrees and qualifications are highly regarded all around the world.
- Students study in an international student group with international teachers. All students have a personal tutor teacher appointed by the faculty. Intensive weeks are organized in Finland and in Latvia and a study-tour in the Baltic Sea area.
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Further Information
Student Admissions Office
admissions@samk.fi
(02) 623 4801
Principal Lecturer
Mrs. Sanna-Mari Renfors (PhD)
Researching Principal Lecturer
sanna-mari.renfors(a)samk.fi