Tourism in Practice

Using the world as a real-time lab for understanding tourism in all its facets, that is what this module is aiming on. Based upon a preparation course in class, providing necessary background information and tourism specifics for the designated destination, the related international field-trip focuses on evaluating and critically reflecting business and their specifics in the country of choice. Expert-meeting as well as site visits enrich the theoretic fundamentals and contribute to a better and deeper understanding of tourism processes in the everyday world.

• Applied Tourism Management
• International Field Trip

2 SWS / 5 ECTS

Individual and Organizational Development

Innovation involves taking new knowledge and turning it into new products, processes, services or business models. How successful an organization is in doing so depends on its ability to recognize important opportunities and change while maintaining and exploiting the existing business simultaneously.

Hence, to innovate is to change and becoming an effective manager of change is the focus of this course. We will explore the challenges that are driving change, discuss the variety of innovation types, explore the process of diffusing innovation and elucidate the most important strategic factor an organization needs to deal with: People – be it its own staff or customers. As the “people`s factor” is of utmost importance, we include special sessions on integrative diversity management.

• Diversity Management
• Innovation & Change Management

4 SWS / 5 ECTS

Sustainability in Tourism

4 sws / 5 ECTS

Research and Case Project

We strive to give our students experience of working with real companies. This provides them with vital work experience and gives all participating businesses access to the latest thinking in enterprise research. By using real issues from the featured companies, the cases/projects bring to life the complexities of business and help students engage and learn by giving them relevant context.

Case/projects are consultancy-like projects designed as a real-life learning experience to train analytical and problem-solving skills and to apply research methods. But also to get to know potential employers and re-define their professional goals.

• Applied Research
• Case Project

8 SWS / 10 ECTS 

Managing Tourism Markets

“Tourism is about selling colourful pictures and dreams to people who need to get out of their dull everyday life”. You often hear such cynical viewpoints when it comes to tourism as a product. You will take a closer and differentiated look into the manifold offerings of the tourism industry in this module. It provides an overview of business models and illuminates systematic approaches to product development and sales in travel and tourism contexts. Principles of market research, entrepreneurship and customer relations are incorporated. As a highlight, you will put many of the theoretical insights into practice and produce a sales video.

• Tourism Product Development
• Sales

4 SWS / 5 ECTS
Compulsory Elective

Global Business Development

Students will learn to critically assess companies and markets from a strategic point of view. They will thus be able to understand the business strategy process as well as the process of managing risks. The application of selected financial instruments and other state of the art concepts and methods for international business and risk management are also part of this module.

We want our students to familiarize with the economic meaning of entering new markets, development and distribution. Students will also critically comment on policy, planning and strategic development processes and risks in in the service and particularly the tourism industry.

• International Tourism Business Strategies
• International Risk Management

5 SWS / 5 ECTS
Compulsory Elective

Digitalization and Tourism

Digital communication channels, products and services, changed business processes: The tourism of the future is digital.

In this module, our participants will understand why and how digital tourism has revolutionized the way tourists research, plan and experience their holidays as well as how to master e.g. big data, reputation management and micro-location to remain relevant in the tourism industry. Also, the role of digitalization for destination management is going to be evaluated. 
How digitalization is transforming offers and demand in tourism and how digital innovations and innovation processes are being driven forward in tourism will be elaborated. The course also includes a design sprint so that students not only learn about the process, starting with problem identification and ending with problem solving, but also apply it themselves.  

• Digitalization in Tourism
• Designing Digital Innovations

4 SWS / 5 ECTS
Compulsory Elective

Scientific Training

The module supports students in the preparation of their master thesis, by providing an overview in the research techniques and methods. The gained knowledge will assist students to conduct an exemplary review of the literature and to develop adequate research question(s), which will lead to a founded theoretical framework and the selection of the most appropriated research methodologies. The training also introduces students to some tools for writing the proposals. In a workshop-style-atmosphere, students are encouraged to work in a collaborative way in order to contribute to a critical process towards the creation of individual master-thesis-proposals.

2 sws / 5 ECTS

Master's Thesis and Colloquium

The master’s degree examination forms a professional qualification as the conclusion to the master’s degree course. Students show evidence that – on the basis of theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and competences achieved during their studies – they are able to independently design research. They demonstrate the ability to work scientifically and methodological appropriate to postgraduate levels in tourism, business and management. They solve complex problems for the transition into professional practice. Also, their work contributes holistically to their personal set of values.   

The master’s degree examination comprises the master's thesis with a regular working period of 18 weeks and its associated colloquium. The master's thesis is in principle to be written in English.

• Master's Thesis
• Master's Thesis Colloquium

25 ECTS

Tourism in Practice

Using the world as a real-time lab for understanding tourism in all its facets, that is what this module is aiming on. Based upon a preparation course in class, providing necessary background information and tourism specifics for the designated destination, the related international field-trip focuses on evaluating and critically reflecting business and their specifics in the country of choice. Expert-meeting as well as site visits enrich the theoretic fundamentals and contribute to a better and deeper understanding of tourism processes in the everyday world.

• Applied Tourism Management
• International Field Trip

2 SWS / 5 ECTS

Individual and Organizational Development

Innovation involves taking new knowledge and turning it into new products, processes, services or business models. How successful an organization is in doing so depends on its ability to recognize important opportunities and change while maintaining and exploiting the existing business simultaneously.

Hence, to innovate is to change and becoming an effective manager of change is the focus of this course. We will explore the challenges that are driving change, discuss the variety of innovation types, explore the process of diffusing innovation and elucidate the most important strategic factor an organization needs to deal with: People – be it its own staff or customers. As the “people`s factor” is of utmost importance, we include special sessions on integrative diversity management.

• Diversity Management
• Innovation & Change Management

4 SWS / 5 ECTS

Sustainability in Tourism

4 sws / 5 ECTS

Research and Case Project

We strive to give our students experience of working with real companies. This provides them with vital work experience and gives all participating businesses access to the latest thinking in enterprise research. By using real issues from the featured companies, the cases/projects bring to life the complexities of business and help students engage and learn by giving them relevant context.

Case/projects are consultancy-like projects designed as a real-life learning experience to train analytical and problem-solving skills and to apply research methods. But also to get to know potential employers and re-define their professional goals.

• Applied Research
• Case Project

8 SWS / 10 ECTS 

Managing Tourism Markets

“Tourism is about selling colourful pictures and dreams to people who need to get out of their dull everyday life”. You often hear such cynical viewpoints when it comes to tourism as a product. You will take a closer and differentiated look into the manifold offerings of the tourism industry in this module. It provides an overview of business models and illuminates systematic approaches to product development and sales in travel and tourism contexts. Principles of market research, entrepreneurship and customer relations are incorporated. As a highlight, you will put many of the theoretical insights into practice and produce a sales video.

• Tourism Product Development
• Sales

4 SWS / 5 ECTS
Compulsory elective

Global Business Development

Students will learn to critically assess companies and markets from a strategic point of view. They will thus be able to understand the business strategy process as well as the process of managing risks. The application of selected financial instruments and other state of the art concepts and methods for international business and risk management are also part of this module.

We want our students to familiarize with the economic meaning of entering new markets, development and distribution. Students will also critically comment on policy, planning and strategic development processes and risks in in the service and particularly the tourism industry.

• International Tourism Business Strategies
• International Risk Management

5 SWS / 5 ECTS
Compulsory elective

Digitalization and Tourism

Digital communication channels, products and services, changed business processes: The tourism of the future is digital.

In this module, our participants will understand why and how digital tourism has revolutionized the way tourists research, plan and experience their holidays as well as how to master e.g. big data, reputation management and micro-location to remain relevant in the tourism industry. Also, the role of digitalization for destination management is going to be evaluated. 
How digitalization is transforming offers and demand in tourism and how digital innovations and innovation processes are being driven forward in tourism will be elaborated. The course also includes a design sprint so that students not only learn about the process, starting with problem identification and ending with problem solving, but also apply it themselves.  

• Digitalization in Tourism
• Designing Digital Innovations

4 SWS / 5 ECTS
Compulsory elective

Managing Financial Performance

Why can seemingly profitable businesses fail? How do balance sheets disclose business strategies e.g. of airlines or hotel chains? How profitable is a certain product really? You may not strive to become an accountant or Wall Street guru, but you need the ability to diagnose organizations with the help of financial analysis tools to succeed in management. This module explores the fascinating world of financial data from the decision maker’s perspective. You learn to decipher both published financial statements and internal cost and revenue data to reach meaningful business decisions in areas like pricing, investment or outsourcing.

• Financial Analysis
• Cost Accounting and Revenue Management

4 SWS / 5 ECTS

Destination

Tourism industry is booming, new destinations make their way into the spotlight of tourists interest, established destination have to further develop their products in order to stay competitive. In order to deal with upcoming challenges for new as well as established destinations, this module offers students to better understand the role of various stakeholders within a tourism destination as well as modern governance process by using a state of the art computer simulation tool. Furthermore theoretic and conceptual input on principals as well as implementation of tourism planning concepts is provided.

• Spatial Tourism Planning
• Strategic Destination Development

5 SWS / 5 ECTS

Personal Skill Development - Values based Management

The module has a humanitarian/human-centered approach to develop students’ personal potential of skills, competencies and idiosyncratic abilities. The journey navigates you to develop personally your Emotional Intelligence; more explicitly your overarching emotional and social abilities to assist reflection processes. The holistic personal development incorporates the continuous development of values – essential within business and management, and your private life – to enable the internalization of a distinguished Value-based Management.

• Business Ethics and Corporate Governance
• Self Management

4 SWS / 5 ECTS

Strategic Human Resource Management

The module built on the foundations of the traditional Human Resource Management (HRM) in academia and management to develop further understanding and insights with a future-based and strategic perspective. Strategic HRM may therefore proclaim prosperous potential for strategic corporate development – sustaining holistically the human resources to optimize their application processes. Consequently, strategic HRM may increase corporate’s effectiveness and profitability.

• International Human Resource Management and Employer Branding
• Negotiation Strategies

4 SWS / 5 ECTS

Communication and Media Management

Media professionals and media firms are united in their need to acquire the commercial, strategic and managerial skills to prosper in an industry undergoing constant fundamental change. This course addresses these needs, developing entrepreneurial leaders equipped to deal with the complex challenges presented by new technologies, changing consumer behaviour, and evolving business models.

There is a close connection between modern marketing and ongoing developments in media. New media technologies continuously result in extensive product development and thus new offers, new distribution channels, more opportunities for marketing communications and increased customer involvement. To be a winner in future markets, one has to understand this ongoing development as well as the new market conditions that arise.

• Brand Communication and Media
• Media Management

5 SWS / 5 ECTS

Political Economy of Tourism

Karl Marx reloaded? The beautiful façade of capitalism as unparalleled success story of humankind is crumbling. Recent ideologically charged debates reflect growing discomfort with globalization, unleashed financial markets and the rise of inequality. This module sheds light on these notions. It provides an overview of theoretical concepts with a focus on the interconnectedness of the political and the economic. You will then explore how tourism impacts and is impacted by global investors, labour relations, regulation etc. Using international tourism examples you will discover who benefits and who suffers and consider potential alternatives.

4 SWS / 5 ECTS

Supply Chain in Tourism

Supply Chain Strategies are an integral part of management concepts and are a main driver of value generation within a company. Matching supply and demand in an efficient while sustainable way might be one of the main challenges of today’s management. Increasingly fragmented supply chains make the quest for a more sustainable economy rather challenging, as the responsibility gets subdivided all along the supply chain, leading to a decreasing responsibility of each involved player. Increasing competition leading to increased pressure on suppliers often resulting in subcontracting practices are therefore a growing challenge. While addressing supply chain management theories and concepts, the course also sets a designated focus on tourism business and their specific challenges in the field.

• Supply Chain Management
• Supply Chain in Tourism

4 sws / 5 ECTS
Compulsory Elective

Cultural Heritage Management in Tourism

Cultural heritage was a major attractor in tourism ever since, but recent years showed an constant increase in the amount and variety of cultural heritage, related tourism products and new forms of presentation.
Therefore the module addresses theoretic concepts such as cocreation or narratives, but also provides various case studies from all over Europe, taking you for example to the UNESCO-world-heritage mine of Dalarna, the wine region along the Mosel, the rural hinterland of Porto and the Neolithic sites of Denmark.

4 sws / 5 ECTS
Compulsory Elective

Scientific Training

The module supports students in the preparation of their master thesis, by providing an overview in the research techniques and methods. The gained knowledge will assist students to conduct an exemplary review of the literature and to develop adequate research question(s), which will lead to a founded theoretical framework and the selection of the most appropriated research methodologies. The training also introduces students to some tools for writing the proposals. In a workshop-style-atmosphere, students are encouraged to work in a collaborative way in order to contribute to a critical process towards the creation of individual master-thesis-proposals.

2 sws / 5 ECTS

Master's Thesis and Colloquium

The master’s degree examination forms a professional qualification as the conclusion to the master’s degree course. Students show evidence that – on the basis of theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and competences achieved during their studies – they are able to independently design research. They demonstrate the ability to work scientifically and methodological appropriate to postgraduate levels in tourism, business and management. They solve complex problems for the transition into professional practice. Also, their work contributes holistically to their personal set of values.   

The master’s degree examination comprises the master's thesis with a regular working period of 18 weeks and its associated colloquium. The master's thesis is in principle to be written in English.

• Master's Thesis
• Master's Thesis Colloquium

25 ECTS