Postgraduate Tourism Qualifications

If you’re interested in pursuing a career within the tourism and travel sector, then studying on a postgraduate course may be the most viable option for you. There are a number of courses available to study at different levels that will equip you with the skills and knowledge required to understand the UK tourism and travel sector.

The Tourism and Travel sector is also a phenomenally large industry, so studying at postgraduate level will allow you to focus your skills on one specific subject area.

Taught Courses: Masters/ Postgraduate Diploma/ Postgraduate Certificate

In general, a postgraduate course will have a more specific focus than a degree at undergraduate level - this is particularly the case for taught courses. Many students opt to study Postgraduate Diplomas (PgDip) or taught Masters degrees due to their vocational focus on specific aspects of the tourism sector, and the positive impact such specialist knowledge has upon employment.

The postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate are very similar to the standard Masters Degree with one exception; the dissertation. While PgDips and PgCerts tend to take 9 months (if studied on a full-time basis) to complete, a Masters degree will last for a year, and students will be expected to hand in a dissertation (approximately 8.000 – 12,000 words depending upon the University) or a portfolio of work in order to receive their qualification.

> Search for Postgraduate Tourism Courses on Postgraduate Search

Research Courses: MRes/ Mphil/ PhD

If you’re more interested in the research aspect of the tourism sector, then you may want to consider studying for an MRes/ MPhil/PhD qualification where students are encouraged to undertake their own personal research project under the supervision of a senior lecturer or a mentor within the university. Unlike Masters and PgDip programmes, the majority of learning will not take place within a classroom environment, but students will responsible for their own learning and discusses their research within small groups or at one-to-one sessions with their assigned lecturer.

Research courses will often culminate in a dissertation or in-depth project, occasionally combined with a presentation, that outlines the student’s research into a specific topic, and the conclusions the student has drawn from their research

Entry requirements

The majority of postgraduate programmes stipulate that they require students to have a minimum of a 2:1 degree in a related area as well as some previous relevant work experience. However, many universities are flexible with their entry criteria and will consider applicants who may not meet the academic requirement but are capable of demonstrating a passion for the subject and relevant experience.