The leisure, sports and tourism industry is one of the most important service sectors of the future. Changes in ecological, economic and socio-cultural systems are leading to new framework conditions for the organization of leisure, sport and tourism. Successful management requires knowledge of the special features of these sectors and anticipation of possible developments.
The classic tasks of a manager are planning, organizing, leading and controlling all activities of an institution or one of its functional areas. Applied to leisure, sports and tourism management, this means: designing, organizing and realizing all kinds of offers for leisure, sports and tourism, including the management of institutions in these areas. This also includes assessing the content of offers in the leisure, sports and tourism segment and evaluating their market value. Key aspects here are both the scientifically sound and practice-oriented handling of developments in leisure, sport and tourism.
The most important task is to establish meaningful regional offers in a global context. For this reason, professional activities in leisure, sports and tourism management are extremely complex and multi-faceted. Possible fields of activity include management positions (product design, marketing, PR, administration, controlling, etc.) in public or private institutions (e.g. government offices, ministries, associations, clubs), but also in commercial companies in the leisure, sports or tourism industry (e.g. from the fields of events, festivals, leisure/theme parks, sporting events, local recreation, tourism, etc.).
Responsible leaders are needed - as designers, decision-makers and entrepreneurs - who, as coordinators, know how to repeatedly inspire cooperation partners for networks and thus achieve new financing modalities.
The Master's degree course in Leisure, Sports and Tourism Management is aimed at students who have already completed a first degree in a leisure, sports or tourism-related degree course (Diplom or Bachelor's degree). For sports scientists in particular, it offers very good opportunities to expand their knowledge of the sports industry with economic knowledge and management skills.
It may also be of interest to students with a first professional qualification (e.g. Bachelor's, Diplom) in a geosciences, arts, cultural studies, social sciences or economics degree course. They can expand their skills in the field of leisure, sports and tourism management.
It builds on a broad range of basic knowledge and offers a targeted advanced qualification with a view to a challenging management role in a leisure, sport and tourism-oriented environment. In order to meet this requirement, "Leisure, Sports and Tourism Management" is examined from very different perspectives. The study program includes business aspects (e.g. marketing, non-profit and financial management), the teaching of leisure, sports and tourism science skills (e.g. cultural and leisure geography, sustainable leisure, sports and tourism economics) as well as the consolidation of methodological and social skills (e.g. business management, project management) for successful economic activity in the leisure, sports and tourism sector. The interdisciplinary course harmonizes and deepens methodological, social and intercultural skills and develops a broad understanding of current concepts in leisure, sports and tourism management. In the further course of the degree program, the focus is on deepening and continuing leisure science, sports science, tourism science and economics skills. In the final semester, the focus is on writing the Master's thesis. This equips students with excellent technical, methodological and social knowledge and skills. They will be able to work independently in the various fields of activity in the leisure, sports and tourism industry and successfully manage companies in these future-oriented sectors.
Bachelor's degree or diploma in a leisure, sports, tourism, geo, art, cultural, social or economic sciences degree program (at least 180 ECTS; overall grade 2.9 or better).
At least 15 ECTS in the field of leisure, sports or tourism sciences must be proven.
This proof is usually provided via the diploma supplement, the module descriptions, the title of the final thesis and/or the internship certificate. (We recommend that you write your thesis with a corresponding FSTM reference.)
Part-time work / internships during/after the Bachelor's degree can also be recognized. A total of 15 ECTS credits is required. These can be from one of the three areas or spread across the three areas. (At Saarland University of Applied Sciences, 15 ECTS are usually recognized for 12 weeks).
If you have any further questions about the course, please contact the Director of Studies, Prof. Dr. Kerstin Heuwinkel, kerstin.heuwinkel@htwsaar.de