Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies

1-year academic master’s programme | English-taught

Master
1 year
Full-time
English
Start 1 September 2025

People have more and more leisure pursuits to choose from. As our leisure time is becoming increasingly complex, we need graduates who understand what is going on in the leisure and tourism industry. Do you want to explore what is happening in the sector? 

In this academic master's programme, you will learn to look at leisure and tourism from different scientific disciplines. It focuses on the research themes of Experience & Storytelling and Placemaking & Events. Do you have a (academic) bachelor's degree or a pre-master's degree? Then the Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies might be the perfect programme for you! 

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    What will you learn in this programme?

    Why choose this master's degree at BUas?

    • Recognised by WLO as a World Leisure Centre of Excellence
    • The only academic master’s programme in Leisure and Tourism in the Netherlands
    • Multidisciplinary approach; strongly related to topics in the international leisure and tourism industry

    Zoom in on the Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies

    Study overview

    Our leisure time is a vital resource that can be used for creative and physical activity, building relationships, forging identities and developing skills. The experiences that fill our leisure time are provided by an industry which accounts for 6% of the workforce in the Netherlands. The phenomena of Leisure and Tourism are increasing in complexity and require an integrated and multidisciplinary approach. Courses of this academic master’s programme build on knowledge and expertise from various fields such as sociology, psychology, economics, (leisure) management, and geography.

    Research themes
    You will work on two important research themes: Experiences & Storytelling and Placemaking & Events. The programme is divided into two phases. In the first phase you will take courses like Understanding Leisure and Tourism Attractions and Events, Leisure, Creativity and Space, and Experience Marketing in Leisure and Tourism. In the second phase you will work on your graduation. You will prepare for this in seminars together with other students, after which you will write your individual master's thesis.

    Programme content
    The programme consists of two phases. The aim of the first phase is to provide context in the form of master’s courses. In the second phase you will work on providing your own content to the field in the form of your master’s thesis. A complete overview of the curriculum, course content and learning objectives can be found in the study guide.

    The programme covers 12 months and is made up of two main phases:

    Phase 1 - Master's courses on leisure in a network society

    All five master’s courses in this first phase will have a dynamic set-up in the sense that they are positioned within the context of leisure in a network society. The master’s courses centre on the two main current research programmes in leisure and tourism: Experiences & Storytelling and Placemaking & Events.

    Leisure, Creativity and Space
    This master’s course discusses recent insights into the processes of globalisation, mediafication and commercialisation and their impact on the changing role of leisure in the design of public and private places and spaces.

    Understanding Leisure and Tourism Attractions and Events
    Recent insights and research in the field of change management, innovation, networks, co-creation, attractions, theme parks, and ‘eventful cities’ are the key ingredients of this master’s course.

    Organizing Strategy and Entrepreneurship (at Tilburg University, with reservations)Central in this course is the idea that our world is evolving in a rapid pace and that we are in direct need of a ‘transformative change’ of our society and the role of organizations. In this course the focus is on organisation strategies by taking a ‘systematic approach’ and ‘serious gaming’ as strategic instrument.

    Experience Marketing in Leisure and Tourism
    As marketing is a key instrument in the leisure and tourism industry, the master’s course in Experience Marketing will immerse you into the field of marketing and market research, zeroing in on the leisure and tourism industry and the experience economy. The pros and cons of various research techniques is one of the topics addressed in this course.

    Analysing Leisure Interactions
    You are introduced to the field of practice theories and core concepts of leisure and tourism studies. You will work in groups to study issues related to authenticity, new media or happiness.

    Phase 2 - Master's thesis

    To ensure a smooth progression from the course and content phase (phase 1) to the thesis phase (phase 2) you will first attend the Seminar Leisure Studies to select and elaborate a thesis topic. A structured process leads to the finalisation of your individual thesis proposal. This proposal culminates in a research thesis on a theme which has academic and societal relevance.


    To video presentation

    The Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies is a one-year, full-time programme. The total study load is 60 ECTS credits, including the final project. To give you an idea: 1 ECTS credit = approximately 28 hours of study a week.

    The master's programme consists of two semesters. In the first semester, you will spend a lot of time at BUas. In the second semester, you will work independently on your research proposal and thesis. This can also be done from abroad, in consultation with your graduation supervisor and the coordinator of the programme. 

    Semester 1

    In the first semester, you will spend about three to four days on the BUas campus and until the autumn break you will also attend lectures at Tilburg University.  

    Example of what a week may look like (the schedule may vary from week to week):  

    Monday 

    • 13.00 – 15.00 hrs Lecture: Organizing Strategy and Entrepreneurship (Tilburg University) 

    Tuesday 

    • 09.00 – 11.00 hrs Lecture: Experience Marketing in Leisure and Tourism (BUas)
    • 13.00 – 15.00 hrs Lecture: Understanding Leisure and Tourism Attractions & Events (BUas) 

    Wednesday 

    • 10.00 – 12.00 hrs Group project: Organizing Strategy and Entrepreneurship (Tilburg University)
    • 14.00 – 16.00 hrs Lecture: Leisure, Creativity and Space (Buas)  

    Thursday 

    • 09.00 – 11.00 hrs Seminar on the individual assignment for Understanding Leisure and Tourism Attractions & Events (BUas)
    • 12.00 – 17.00 hrs Independent study 

    Friday 

    • 10.00 – 12.00 hrs Presentation on graduation topics (BUas)
    • 13.00 – 15.00 hrs Group project: Experience Marketing in Leisure and Tourism (BUas)  

    Semester 2

    In the second semester, you will work on your research proposal and thesis. To this end, you will take part in several meetings of the Placemaking & Events or the Experiences & Storytelling research group. During these meetings, you will discuss the progress of your research proposal and thesis with your graduation supervisor and other lecturers/researchers. In addition, you will receive individual supervision.  


    We offer you a small-scale study environment as the number of students involved in this master's programme are limited. For questions about course content, lecturers can be easily reached. In addition, the master's coordinator is available to help with day-to-day issues. If you wish to discuss personal problems that may be affecting your life as a student, you can turn to the student counsellor.

    Student well-being
    BUas encourages and helps you to make the most of yourself, whatever your circumstances. Maybe you have a chronic illness, are a family carer, a competitive athlete, or juggle your studies with running your own business? Our study coaches, student counsellors and student psychologists are here to help. Do you need extra support or advice? Or extra facilities? Then take a look at the options here.

    In the Master of Science Leisure & Tourism Studies, you will attend lectures on experiences, placemaking, events, destinations, leisure behaviour and many other interesting topics. You will also work on individual assignments in the form of papers or presentations focusing on a specific theme. Group projects involve conducting research for real clients.  

    There are some written, oral and open-book examinations. You will graduate individually by writing a research proposal and developing it into a scientific thesis. The programme is small-scale, with plenty of room for personal attention.  

    During the master's programme, you will attend several guest lectures. You will also visit a city or other location related to the Leisure, Creativity and Space course. Think, for example, of the Spoorzone in Tilburg or the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam. The location is different every year.  

    In addition, you can join the field trip, which is organised every year by the Leisure Studies study society.  

    At BUas, you develop your entrepreneurial skills in all programmes. You can also join BUas Startup Support (BUSS), where you attend networking meetings and receive guidance from a startup coach. 

    Would you like to graduate with your own company? You can do that at any academy, although a selection procedure may apply. Whether you are already generating revenue or just have an initial idea, BUas Startup Support will help you. 

    Read more about starting your own business. 

    What makes this study programme unique?

    Admission & application

    What are the admission requirements? 

    Students who have successfully completed one of the academic bachelor's programmes or pre-master's programmes of BUas have direct access to the programme. If you have successfully completed an academic bachelor’s degree in any of the social sciences your access will be evaluated.

    Information about admission requirements


    What does this study programme cost?

    In the academic year 2025-2026 the tuition fee for master's programmes is €2,601.In addition, you should take extra costs for software, excursions, etc. into account.

    Information about study costs

     

    How can I apply? 

    If you meet the admission requirements, you can apply for this study programme. You can apply until 15 August, but you are encouraged to apply before 1 July because of the summer holidays.    

    More information about applying

    Find out if this study programme suits you

    Seeking a master’s programme in tourism, leisure, or imagineering? Take this short quiz to discover the best match for you.


    Take the quiz

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    What others say about Leisure & Tourism Studies

    A unique insight into visitor experience

    I have completed both the pre-master and the master Leisure and Tourism Studies. The first one is a very intensive year, in which your knowledge and skills are raised to a higher level.& nbsp; In my master I learned a lot about the meaning of leisure to the individual person, businesses and society as a whole. It offers you many opportunities to pursue your passions and to take control of your own development. I, for instance, had the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art technology to give a museum a unique insight into its visitor experience.

    Colin

    Graduate | Consultant at PW Consulting

    My knowledge and experience are very diverse

    After having studied Leisure & Events Management and following the pre-master, I completed the Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies. I learned about the different meanings of leisure in a changing society, and about the relationship between leisure and policy making.  Thanks to BUas, my knowledge and experience are very diverse and broad. This really helps me in my professional career at the municipality of Eindhoven. I found out that municipalities in particular have a need for graduates with a multidisciplinary background.   

    Sumintra

    Graduate | Account manager at the municipality of Eindhoven

    Portretfoto van Bertine Bargeman

    Making students enthusiastic

    The best thing about teaching is that I can make students enthusiastic about topics such as leisure behaviours and holiday choices. One of the subjects I teach is Analysing Leisure Interactions. It is a fairly theoretical module, and I think it's great to see how students get to work with the theory and use it to better understand interesting and funny leisure or tourism activities.

    Bertine Bargeman

    Lecturer Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies

    What can you do after your studies?

    Completion of the Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies will offer you a range of career opportunities in leisure and tourism management, policy, research and education.

    After your graduation you are entitled to the degree of Master of Science.

    More  information about options after your studies