This international Master’s programme combines business administration with a specialised focus on tourism, bringing together the two strands of “strategy” and “development” in a way tailored to tourism and management. The course is taught in English and designed to attract students from diverse backgrounds, emphasising an international learning environment and practical relevance.
Students build expertise across tourism, management and business administration, with training in analysing tourism markets and forecasting trends, designing new tourism products and regions, and developing sustainable destination-management approaches. The curriculum emphasises strategic thinking, creativity and innovation as competitive tools, communication and change management, plus hands-on experience through real-life projects and a strong expectation of self-directed learning.
The programme offers flexible degree paths — two-, three- and four-semester options — so that students with different undergraduate backgrounds can complete the Master’s in an appropriate timeframe. All students conclude their studies with a Master’s thesis and a colloquium (timing depends on the chosen path). Graduates are prepared for managerial and strategic roles in tourism planning, destination management organisations, tourism companies (product management, marketing), consulting, research and academia, as well as PR and event management; the strategic and general management focus also makes the skills transferable to other business sectors.
Entry and completion requirements (concise)
This master’s curriculum is designed around an international, practice-oriented approach to tourism and business management. Courses normally run four days a week and routinely feature visiting lecturers from abroad and mandatory academic study trips. Teaching uses modern, interactive formats — seminars, case studies, role play, labs and real-life projects — and includes guest lectures from industry leaders to ensure direct application of new skills. Typical excursion destinations have included Oman, Iceland, Sweden and Spain; students prepare these trips around a specific thematic brief.
The core semester grounds students in advanced business administration, values-based management and tourism-specific competencies, with a strong emphasis on sustainability in tourism and ethics. Modules such as Diversity Management, Innovation and Change, and Sustainability equip graduates to manage cultural differences, lead ethical transformation and design sustainable tourism solutions. Preparatory modules develop methodological and independent study skills, plus individual media and communication training to strengthen rhetorical competence and professional presentation. Before undertaking the thesis, a dedicated "Scientific Training" module prepares students for academic research and writing.
Students on extended (three- or four-semester) tracks can choose elective modules to deepen technical or topical expertise — examples include Managing Financial Performance, Development of Personal Skills, Supply Chain Management, Communication and Media, Destination Development and Political Economy of Tourism. Four-semester candidates also complete a compulsory internship in the third semester to build practical experience and professional networks. Across all formats, the programme aims to produce graduates who can translate theory into practice, manage stakeholder relationships internationally, and lead sustainable, ethically informed development in tourism.
Program requirements (concise)
This programme offers different entry tracks depending on the ECTS volume of your first university degree in business studies. Shorter programme lengths (two- or three-semester tracks) require practical experience in the form of an internship or relevant professional work, whereas the four-semester track is for applicants with a lower ECTS total. All tracks also require a secondary school leaving certificate / high school diploma and a signed commitment to pay administrative programme costs that cover study trips, company visits and social/intercultural activities. Any portion of these programme costs that is not used will be refunded.
Internships completed as part of your undergraduate degree are accepted and counted toward the practical experience requirement. The administrative programme costs are charged for the entire duration of your chosen study track and differ by track length — see the specific amounts below.
Admission requirements (by study-track)
Two‑semester track (entry with 240 ECTS)
Three‑semester track (entry with 210 ECTS)
Four‑semester track (entry with 180 ECTS)
Winter Semester (International)
Information on current application deadlines can be foundhere.Application procedurefor international students
Graduates are prepared for managerial and specialist roles across the tourism sector, including tourism planning, destination management organisations, tourism companies (product management, marketing), consulting, PR and event management, and positions in academia and research. Typical employers include destination management organisations, tourism boards, tour operators, consultancies and public-sector planning bodies.
The programme emphasises strategic thinking, trend analysis, sustainable destination development and product innovation, enabling graduates to develop operative and strategic tourism solutions. These transferable skills also allow alumni to move into broader business administration and management roles outside the tourism sector, increasing employability across related industries.
HWR Berlin (Berlin School of Economics and Law) — Berlin
Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts — Dortmund
Furtwangen University — Villingen-Schwenningen
Harz University of Applied Sciences — Wernigerode