Study with Ulster
Award:
Master of Science
Faculty:
Ulster University Business School
School:
Department of Hospitality Tourism and Events Management
Campus:
Belfast campus
Start dates:
September 2025
January 2026
Times Higher Education Awards 2024
Are you looking to pivot your career or expand your expertise? This programme provides the perfect opportunity to transfer your skills to a different sector with no need to have a background in the subject area.
A world of opportunity in an industry sector that is continuously evolving. we nurture leaders in Hospitality and Tourism
Do you want to work in the 21st century’s fastest growing industry? Are you looking for a diverse career with global opportunities? Our MSc International Tourism & Hospitality Management is your ticket to a world of opportunities.
Ulster University is ranked 1st in the UK for Hospitality, Event Management and Tourism (The Guardian University Guide 2025). Accredited by the Institute of Hospitality, this qualification is recognised worldwide for international employment.
As the global tourism and hospitality industry evolves and the local industry transforms, innovative, creative and professional people are needed to drive it forward - this could be you. Working in partnership with industry experts we have created a relevant and practical course meaning you will graduate industry ready with the skills employers are looking for. Our modules encourage collaboration and forward thinking with the opportunity to share ideas and experience with a diverse network of international students.
From a manager of a boundary pushing hotel, or a customer experience manager at a world famous attraction to a marketer in a national tourism office or creator of the next digital tourism operator there are endless career opportunities for those who complete this course. Whatever you dream of becoming in this diverse and exciting sector, this course will lead you one step closer to making it a reality.
With all assessment coursework based, you will cover topics such as, key industry principles, strategic marketing, managing and leading people, business sustainability and innovation as well as exploring contemporary issues facing the sector.
By choosing the Advanced Practice option you will complete either an internship or an applied consulting project, working with an industry sector partner. This will enable you to apply your knowledge and skills in a real life organisational setting providing you with invaluable work experience. It will enhance your employability and career prospects by building your confidence in a business environment, providing you with tangible experience and allowing you to network and showcase your skills to potential employers.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
In this section
For part-time students you can take up to 90 credits in an academic year. Your course director will be more than happy to work with you to find a schedule of modules that is suitable and works for you. Typically students complete the degree within two and a half years.
Semester 1
Tourism & Hospitality Principles
The module provides students with an understanding of key principles of tourism and hospitality, the structures for both, and how they have been operationalised. It also assesses the impacts of both on destinations and the relevance for both sectors in the future.
Strategic Marketing
The module examines and applies the principles, concepts and theories of strategic marketing management including managing the marketing mix, strategy formulation, strategic decision making and evaluation of marketing performance. Moreover, the module provides students with an understanding and knowledge of a range of analytical models and tools which can be applied to marketing planning, implementation and control.
Managing & Leading People
The significance of leadership in achieving results is well established in research with findings highlighting that leadership behaviour is often responsible for the difference between success and failure in organisations. Management is essentially concerned with getting things done through people by exercising sound leadership. This module examines the key concepts of management and leadership with specific reference to the role of the Line Manager and the need for effective Leadership. Furthermore, it examines the critical role of the HR Function and Line Management when managing people within the international service industries.
Semester 2
Contemporary Issues in Tourism & Hospitality
The module explores a range of current issues that are relevant for tourism and hospitality today, either in terms of shaping new scholarly thinking or have clear applied value to both sectors.
Business Sustainability & Innovation
The module examines a range of theoretical and practical issues surrounding business sustainability and innovation. The use of case studies to apply business models develops an understanding of key business concepts including entrepreneurship, innovation, creativity, value creation and value capture. The development of business model use by student teams will immerse students in key methods of innovation and value propositions, which are relevant for contemporary managers as well as aspiring entrepreneurs.
Research Methods
This module will develop, enhance and assess the student's ability to design appropriate research, propose suitable methodologies and evaluate research philosophy, researcher positionality and research ethics. The module is designed to equip students with the technical skills to collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data, using ICT packages. The module serves as a precursor to the MSc research dissertation.
Semester 3
Dissertation
The module element will enable students to undertake a Dissertation at postgraduate level, building on knowledge and skills gained through the course, including in particular the Research Methods module.
The course starts with an induction period of three days duration. As a part-time student you complete a maximum of two modules per semester and it will take six semesters 2 to 2½ years.
A key strength of the MSc is that it is modular in structure and delivered in blended learning mode, with all modules being taught in 3-day intensive blocks.
Our novel delivery is designed to fit around your home and work life. We recognise that being able to schedule study around your life-needs is of vital importance for academic success. Accordingly we have designed our master’s programmes to be delivered in compact and intensive three day immersive learning experiences.
The block delivered modules are supported with online discussion groups and three half day learning sets (tutorial learning support) per module. These days are set to meet with your tutors and student groups to develop your assessed work.
Semester three includes the three day learning block on research methods followed by a series of support meetings with your dissertation or business project supervisor between June and September.
The calendar of scheduled teaching blocks and learning sets is available to you prior to commencement on the programme.
Teaching & Learning:
A range of teaching methods will be employed, including traditional lectures, case studies, business simulation gaming and one-to-one tutor session videos. We also arrange a number of field trips to hospitality and tourism venues and invite guest speakers from industry.
Assessment:
Assessment includes written essays, short synopsis, personal reflections and peer reviews, case studies, objective tests, business reports, computer modelling, individual and group presentations.
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study.
In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
You will be taught by academics who are highly qualified and experts in their fields.
All of the teaching colleagues in the department have achieved Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy and seven of these team members have Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
High quality apartment living in Belfast city centre adjacent to the university campus.
Find out more - information about accommodation (Opens in a new window)
At Student Wellbeing we provide many services to help students through their time at Ulster University.
Find out more - information about student wellbeing (Opens in a new window)
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
Applicants must normally have gained:
A second class honours degree or better from a recognised university of the UK, Republic of Ireland, from the Council for National Academic Awards, the National Council for Educational Awards, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or
An equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma or an approved professional qualification or other qualification; and
Provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English to GCSE grade C or equivalent. Non-English speakers must demonstrate that English ability is appropriate for studying at this level and provide evidence of English competence to IELTs 6.0.
Applicants do not have to hold their primary degree in a cognate area, but prior knowledge of studying tourism at an undergraduate level or relevant work experience may be beneficial.
In exceptional circumstances, where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subject-specific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route. Evidence used to demonstrate graduate qualities may not be used for exemption against modules within the programme.
An interview may form part of the selection process.
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
Do you have another qualification awarded by Ulster University or by another university or other educational institution, or have evidence of accreditation of prior learning?
These may be considered for exemption from part of the programme, provided that you register as a student at Ulster University for modules amounting to at least the final third of the credit value of the award at the highest level.
What exemptions can I get?
The Programme Director can advise candidates as to the eligibility of their accredited course.
How do I apply for exemptions?
When accepted on the Programme you are asked to complete an exemptions form, which is reviewed by the Director and exemptions are then agreed during the Induction process.
Exemption is not permitted from the dissertation or business project.
US students may apply for Federal and Private US loans. In addition to applying to study at Ulster, you must start you loans application with FAFSA or Private Loans. Once you have submitted you loans application, please email usloans@ulster.ac.uk
Learn more about Federal and Private US loans
All international students are eligible to a £2,000 tuition fee scholarship.
John J Sweeney Scholarship
The John J Sweeney Scholarship has a value of $20,000 and that is used towards the Scholar’s tuition fees for postgraduate study at Ulster University.
English Language
In this section
This internationally recognised course will provide you with the diverse knowledge and skills needed to operate across the industry composed of a diverse range of sectors and employers including hotels, national tourist organisations, airlines, visitor attractions, tour operators, event venues, ferry/cruise companies, airport operations and hospitality management.
Whether you are currently working in the industry and want to progress your career to management level or are a recent graduate who wants to enter the sector for the first time the knowledge and skills learned will equip you for working in a diverse range of job roles. From hotel management to tourism planning and development, to creating and marketing tourist packages or working in operations for hotels and restaurants this course covers the competencies and qualities needed for employment and career growth.
Accreditations reflect the excellence of our teaching, research, and knowledge exchange and ensure our programmes realise the highest expectations. By studying at Ulster University you’ll gain insight and be at the forefront of current industry practices, while our many accredited degree programmes open doors to the world’s top professional organisations, making you more attractive to future employers and giving you a competitive edge in the job market.
Accredited by the Institute of Hospitality that academic, vocational and professional standards achieved are appropriate and programme content and delivery meet international Institute of Hospitality benchmark standards.
Are you a graduate of Ulster University? Did you know you could be eligible for a 10% fees discount.
Students domiciled in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and UK students can apply to Student Finance NI for a Tuition Fee loan of up to £6,500 (subject to eligibility).
See our tuition fees page for fees for 25/26 entry.
For individual course fees queries please contact fees@ulster.ac.uk.
Ulster University has two main intakes for Academic Year 25/26 – 1. September 2025 and 2. January 2026.
Many of our programmes which start in January will continue into Academic Year 26/27 and consequently any modules undertaken in Academic Year 26/27 will be charged at our 26/27 prices.
If your study continues into future academic years your fees are subject to an annual increase. Please take this into consideration when you estimate your total fees for a degree.
For those who are starting a programme in January which continues into Academic Year 26/27, 26/27 fees are currently not available. To help with budget planning please refer to the 25/26 fees. These are subject to increase.
Additional mandatory costs are highlighted where they are known in advance. There are other costs associated with university study.
Fees are subject to annual increase. Correct at the time of publishing. Terms and conditions apply.
An opportunity is available for the highest performing student in the module, 'Managing and Leading People' to receive the Titanic Hotel Award 'Talent for Success'.
In addition, a monetary prize is available for the highest performer in the Dissertation or Business Project from Mr Vincent Hurl, Managing Director, of the Cross Keys Inn (Belfast, Northern Ireland).
It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
The full Student Terms and Conditions 24/25 is now available.
Rachel Cooke
Sales Consultant at The Travel Corporation Canada
Well I studied for 4 years at Ulster, Coleraine and did my Bachelors in International Travel & Tourism Management with my placement year in Belfast International Airport. I then moved to Belfast to do my Masters in International Tourism Development. Those were definitely the best 5 years of my life without a doubt. I fell in love with all the new friends I made who are still in my life and had some of the best lecturers anyone could want. Professor Stephen Boyd was a fantastic role model for me and I learnt a lot from him!
I decided to move to Canada after I completed my master's in Belfast so see if there would be more job prospects there. I worked in a job outside my field for the first 8 months until I was able to land a job with The Travel Corporation. The Travel Corporation is a highly successful international travel group with 24 award-winning brands. More specifically I work for one of these brands Insight Vacations:
For over 35 years Insight Vacations has been designing the world’s finest escorted touring itineraries. We are experts in touring Europe where we visit 43 European countries, the most of any operator. We are the leading escorted tour operator in the Eastern Mediterranean and offer the same legendary high standards and perfectly planned touring itineraries to guests travelling to North America, India and Nepal.
I love coming to work everyday and being given the opportunity to work in my field with a lot of opportunity to grow. I have been the top seller for 2 years in a row, received Employee of the Month and several different acknowledgements for high customer service - I guess people love the accent. I also love being able to promote Ireland - Belfast in particular. I am looking forward to see how I can grow from here and I am excited to see where this company takes me. None of this would have been possible without my 5 year journey with Ulster!
Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.
At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.
We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our work in this area is already being recognised globally. Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5th Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Ulster University Business School (UUBS) aims to be a thought-leader for sustainable business futures.
Our mission is to embolden staff, students and all our stakeholders to become sustainable business futures leaders. We aim to support and showcase sustainability research and education across Ulster University Business School.
We do so by embedding the sustainable futures agenda into five remits: sustainability performance, research and knowledge exchange, learning and teaching, student experience and communications and engagement. We are a member of PRME – the Principles for Responsible Management Education concordat.
Contact: uubssustainability@ulster.ac.uk
We support and develop ‘Education for Sustainable Development’ within the Faculty’s Learning & teaching portfolio. We do so by providing bespoke staff training on ESD and curating an ESD Resources Hub.
All UUBS undergraduate and post-graduate course are mapped against the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and students are actively involved in learning for sustainable development.
We seek to enhance the student experience by encouraging our students to become actively involved in sustainability initiatives, such as Carbon Literacy Training, the Big Spring Clean and collaborating with the Northern Ireland Resource Network.
We develop, support and disseminate sustainability-themed research within the Faculty and beyond. Our annual sustainability research networking event creates new research strands within the Faculty’s research portfolio.
We actively support out PhD community to embed sustainability in their research and provide training on methods and critical thinking on sustainability.
We partner with other institutions, such as Queen’s University Belfast and Atlantic Technological University to broaden our sustainability research and create interdisciplinary research links.
UUBS has a dedicated Sustainability Committee, tasked with developing dedicated internal and external communications and engagement activities promoting the sustainability work of the Faculty.
We host an annual Sustainability Business Breakfast, attend and speak at notable sustainability events, such as the SustainExchange Summit, the Belfast Re[Act] Festival and the NI Science Festival.
Our sustainability work is monitored on our bespoke UUBS SDG Dashboard on our dedicated UUBS sustainability webpages. Our sustainability performance team oversees the Faculty’s Academy Restaurant’s Green Academy programme and associated eco-certifications Green Key and Green Tourism Gold Award.
