MBA with a major in Tourism Management

MODUL University's Advanced Tourism Programs

As MODUL University Vienna is one of the top locations for research and teaching in tourism studies, it provides two tailor-made advanced study programs in tourism. Apart from the MBA with a major in Tourism Management, the university offers a graduate MSc in International Tourism Management [1] program.

MBA with a major in Tourism Management

The MBA with a major in Tourism Management offers a unique experience for students who want to combine traditional business subjects with understanding and training in contemporary practices in tourism and hospitality planning, marketing and management. This specialization is suitable for students who are aspiring to a leadership role in tourism or who want to start up their own business in this fascinating industry.. The program requires a minimum of three years of professional experience. All courses are taught in English.

The program

This is an internationally focused two-year program with a strong focus on strategic planning, marketing and management of tourism businesses and organizations. Graduates can expect to succeed in planning, securing financing, marketing, negotiating with government authorities, developing policies, improving tax regimes, and sustaining an environment conducive to tourism development. Past experience has shown that while many of our graduates continue contributing to the effectiveness of existing organizations, many others are becoming entrepreneurs. The principle educational goal is to enable all graduates to contribute to efforts aimed at im-proving the social, economic and cultural benefits that the leisure, tourism, and hospitality sectors can bring local population. The study program conveys information about topics including the main theories and practices of tourism. It introduces participants to the complexity of tourism planning, provides perspectives on tourism, global trends and issues, the tourism value chain, development theory (Including land use, transportation, infrastructure, site selection, site design), and impact analysis. The study of tourist consumer behavior, including trends in market segments and source markets, is another important part of the studies. Practical training in forecasting and survey design and its analysis is provided by world-class faculty in tourism research. Economics and the finance of tourism planning include topics like real estate development, state and local finance, role of incentives, taxes, etc. The pros and cons of modern technologies for tourism planning and development are discussed within the context of e-tourism. The study program conveys theoretical knowledge about economic, social, and political behavior with practical skills in management, leadership, innovation, and analysis. An inter-national faculty that combines years of research within their respective areas of expertise with professional experience in management or consulting provides students with understanding not only of current best-practice but also insights into emerging practice. Graduates will leave the program with a firm foundation for lifelong professional learning in order to continue to advance their careers.

Core courses

The business core focuses on fundamental business knowledge, management techniques and leadership strategies.
Core business courses include accounting, financial management, leadership, managing organizations, managing people, and innovation and entrepreneurship. Tourism focused enrichment courses include Consumer Behavior and Psychology in Tourism and Leisure, Tourism Information Systems, Strategic Marketing for Desti-nation Marketing Organizations, and Tourism Services Production.

Enrichment courses

Examples of enrichment courses in the tourism specialization are Cross Sectional Knowledge in the Meetings Industry, Real Estate Planning and Valuation, Strategic City Marketing, and Sustainable Destination Development, among others.

Program structure

The MBA program offers courses on a monthly basis throughout the entire academic year starting in October thru September. Each course involves 2-3 days of interactive seminars led by internationally recognized scholars who convey their expertise and encourage participation through a variety of innovative teaching methods. The schedule is convenient for working professionals with blocked courses taking place on 4-5 consecutive weekdays and weekend-days. MBA students who finish all required courses in the first 12 months of the program can complete their degree in 18 months, with 4 months dedicated entirely to writing the master’s thesis. An extended format also gives participants the option to increase their study time to 24 months, allowing even more scheduling flexibility and additional time to work on an independent, applied research project that becomes the master’s thesis.