Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies
Do you want to learn about the value of leisure and tourism in a changing society and look at this from different perspectives? Then choose the Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies!
Why choose this master at BUas?
- Recognised by WLO as a World Leisure Centre of Excellence
- 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
BUas Quiz
Within five minutes you will find out if our small-scale study environment is the right fit for you!
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, management and marketing.
Research themes
You will work on two important research themes: Experiences & Storytelling and Place-making & Events. The programme is divided into two phases. In the first phase you will take courses like Understanding Leisure and Tourism Attractions and Events, Imagineering as Strategic Design in Leisure Organisations, 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.
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.Imagineering as Strategic Design in Leisure Organisations
Central themes of this master’s course include strategic management, value creation, and strategic design. You are introduced to the theoretical foundations of imagineering and their application in the creative industries.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.
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.
We offer you a small-scale study environment as the number of students involved in this master's programme are limited. For questions on the content of the programme, lecturers can be easily reached. In addition, the programme 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.
Admission
Students who have successfully completed one of academic bachelor's programmes or pre-master's programmes of BUas are admittable to the programme. If you have successfully completed an academic bachelor’s degree in any of the social sciences your access will be evaluated.
Please check out the full admission requirements.
Application
If you meet the admission requirements, you are invited to apply for this programme. Please check out the application procedure.
Virtual campus tour
Longing to take a look around our campus? Well then, why wait – just take a virtual tour of our campus!
Chat with a student
Do you still have some questions about this programme or BUas? Who better to answer these than a current student?
Live webinars
Get to know more about this master's programme by attending a webinar.
Your career
Completion of the Master of Science Leisure and Tourism Studies will offer you a range of career opportunities in leisure management, leisure policy, leisure research and leisure education.
After your graduation you are entitled to the degree of Master of Science.
Like to learn more? After your master's programme.