Faculty of Tourism & Hotels

Department of Travel & Tourism

MA in Tourism Study Plan

Thesis Track

I: For the applicant to be accepted in the programme, he/she should:

• Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited university recognised by Yarmouk University.
• Pass the foreign language requirement according to the instructions set by Yarmouk University.

II: The Master’s degree in Tourism/ Thesis Track is granted after fulfilling the following requirements:

1. Fulfilling the requirements stipulated in the instructions of the master’s Programme in Yarmouk University.
2. Studying of remedial courses decided by the Graduate Studies Committee in the department.
3. Studying of at least (24) credit hours of level (600) and successfully pass them allocated as follows:
4. Compulsory requirements (15 credits):

1. Elective requirements to be chosen from the following list (9 credits):

1. Thesis (TOUR 699) assigned 9 credits as follows:

Course description:

TOUR 601 Research methods in tourism (3 credits):

The aim of this course is to provide students with research skills that enable them to collect and analyse data to conduct their research projects.This course includes research and scientific inquiry methods in travel and tourism issues in both quantitative and qualitative aspects.

The course also focuses on preparing students to apply the methods of scientific research and ethics in various areas of tourism and travel. Students are expected to apply the principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in their research projects. Projects are selected and discussedin consultation with faculty members within their respective fields of specialisation and research interests with emphasis on the Jordanian environment.

After studying this course, the student is expected to:

1. Apply the methods of scientific research (quantitative and qualitative) in theoretical and empirical studies in tourism studiers.
2. Learn critical thinking skills in research.
3. Analyse published research in tourism methodically.

TOUR 603Current issues in tourism (3 credits):

This course aims to identify the most important current issues and crisesfacing the tourism sector now and, in the future, both human and natural. The course also seeks to enable students to analyse these crises and issues and propose appropriate solutions. The course also includes recent trends and topics in the travel and tourism sector. The course tutor candeal with any current topics that appear in the tourism sectors and affect them. After studying this course, the student is expected to:

1. Recognises the most important current issues in the tourism sector locally and globally.
2. Analyse the dimensions of current issues and their impact on the tourism sector positively and negatively.
3. Suggest appropriate solutions to build on the critical thinking of the construction of tourism crises that appear in the tourism sector
4. the future.

TOUR 611Management of tourism sites (3 credits):

This course aims to provide students with the skills necessary to develop plans to manage existing and potential tourist sites after determining and evaluating tourist sites in terms of the resources and values ​​available in them. The course includes an assessment of the current management status of any tourist site and the development of plans and policies related to the management and protection of the site and visitor management as well as the ways of interpretation and presentation. This course requires field visits to some tourist and heritage sites in Jordan. After completing this course, the student is expected to:

1. Determine the values ​​and tourist resources available on the site
2. Evaluate the administrative situation including organisational and structural framework and site management policies
3. Develops and implements plans in the management, protection and interpretation of the site in addition to visitor management.

TOUR 612Travel agency operations (3 credits):

This course aims to identify the concepts of travel agencies and their role in the tourism industry and to learn about the most important processes that are carried out such as designing, planning costing and pricing of tours, holidays and itineraries. The course also aims to provide students with the latest trends in the management of these agencies such as vertical, horizontal and geographical integration. And to identify the role of tourism and travel agencies in building a network of relationships with various tourism services to complete the tourist trips and the nature of these relations. As will beIdentify the most important international organizations interested in the field of tourism and travel agencies. After completing this course, the student is expected to:

1. Maintain the skills of management of travel and tourism offices.
2. Design, cost and price tours, holidays and itineraries.
3. Manage travel agencies in traditional and modern ways.
4. Analyses the relations established by travel agents with various tourism agencies and organisations internationally or locally.

TOUR 613Managing nature reserves and ecotourism (3 credits):

This course aims to enable students to learn about the development of nature reserves and their role in preserving the natural environment. It includes knowledge of the general principles of the International Society for Environmental Protection (ISEP) in classifying nature reserves as well as planning and setting strategies used in establishing and managing these reserves. The course also provides students with the special principles of establishing eco-tourism services in nature reserves, planning, managing and evaluating them, and how to use them in achieving the protection goals for which nature reserves have been established. After studying this course, the student is expected to:

1. Plans to establish a nature reserve and the bases of its management and strategies for development.
2. Evaluate the role of nature reserves in protectingand exploiting tourist resources.
3. Manage the activities of ecotourism in nature reserves and assess their success in achieving the protection goals.

TOUR 621Information technology in tourism (3 credits):

This course aims to provide students with the latest information on information technology in the travel and tourism sector. The course includes several topics including the digital world and its tourist environment, which includes tourism service providers, intermediaries and tourists. The course also provides students with information about the most important applications used in the tourism sector such as geographic information systems, global distribution systems and any technologies that emerge over time as well as the use of social media in the development of the travel and tourism sector. After studying this course, the student is expected to:

1. Know the most important modern applications in information technology.
2. Apply the skills of modern technology in travel and tourism services.
3. Evaluate the impact of using modern technologies in travel and tourism.

TOUR 622Marketing tourism destinations (3 credits):

This course aims to provide students with the concepts and knowledge related to the marketing of the tourism destinations. The course also reviews several topics,most important include the marketing concept, consumer orientation strategy, and marketing planning of the tourist destinations. The course enables students to analyse the tourism market, the marketing mix elements, and market segmentation. The course also aims to identify the role of public and private sector organisations in marketing tourism destination and developing marketing strategies, focusing on brand and destination image, tourist experience and future behaviour. After studying this course, the student is expected to:

1. Tourism marketing strategies are defined as the customer orientation strategy (strategy orientation).
2. Plan the tourist destination marketing.
3. Analyse the tourist market.
4. Evaluate the impact of marketing campaigns on the development of the tourist destinations.

TOUR 623Marketing communications in tourism (3 credits):

This course aims to provide students with the concepts and characteristics of tourism marketing communications. The course covers a number of topics such as marketing communication models and theories and the role of the consumer and advertising strategies in the travel and tourism sector. The course also focuses on marketing communication mix elements such as sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing, personal selling, sponsorship, events and trade shows. The course also includes interactive and electronic marketing communications used in the promotion of tourist destinations. After studying this course, the student is expected to:

1. Understand the elements and theories of marketing communication in tourism.
2. Analyse the role of the consumer in marketing communications in tourism.
3. Apply the interactive and electronic marketing communications in the travel and tourism sector.
4. Evaluate the impact of promotional campaigns on the performance of a tourist destinations.

TOUR 624Tourism entrepreneurship (3 credits):

This course aims to introduce students to theories and models related to leadership in the tourism industry and its role in tourism development. The course also includestopics related to leadership styles, their role in innovations, awareness of risks, starting new business and transforming these innovations into products. The course also includes topics such as: theories of leadership and their patterns, and the role of tourism and travel organisations in the field of tourism entrepreneurship. Students will be able to learn about cases on best services in the travel and tourism sector. After studying this course, the student is expected to:

1. Acknowledge concepts, patterns and theories of leadership and their role in tourism development.
2. Analyse the internal and external environment of the tourism organisation.
3. Propose a typical approach to providing tourism services in entrepreneurial manner.

TOUR 631Sustainable tourism development (3 credits):

The aim of this course is to provide students with theories and policies related to sustainable tourism development. The course covers several topics such as sustainable tourism theories and policies, their role in dealing with natural and cultural resources as tourist attractions, planning and managing sustainable tourism, the motives and behaviour of tourists, the principles and standards of tourism sustainability in studying climate change and the ecosystem to achieve a tourism environment that serves the interests of present and future generations in its economic,sociocultural and environmental approaches. After studying this course, the student is expected to:

1. Differentiate the most important theories and policies related to sustainable tourism development.
2. Analyse key pillars of tourism sustainability.
3. Critically analyse the application of sustainable tourism standards in various tourism sites and services.

TOUR 632Tourism product and services (3 credits):

This course aims to provide students with the elements of tourism product and its characteristics and how to convert the tourism source into a product that can be utilised. The course includes the main tourism products and their characteristics. The course also aims to identify basic services that are necessary for the development of tourism product such as transportation, accommodation, tour guiding and tourism security. After completing this course, the student is expected to:

1. Know the characteristics of various tourist products.
2. Plan and develop tourism products and services in various tourist destinations.
3. Evaluates tourism products and services used in the development of tourist destinations.

TOUR 633Tourism and the local community (3 credits):

The aim of this course is to define the role of the local community in tourism and how they influence each other. The course includes a number of topics such as the theories of involving local communities in the process of developing and managing tourism projects, identifying the active ones of the local community and determining their abilities and what are the mechanisms for their participation in tourism development based on the assessment of local and international cases. The course also includes models and plans for involving the local community in tourism planning and development. After completing this course, the student is expected to:

1. Identify appropriate strategies and policies for community integration in the tourism process.
2. Assess the capacity of the local community and tourism potentials available in their environment.
3. Analyse the extent and impact of community participation in tourism development.

TOUR 634Tourism legislations and ethics (3 credits):

This course aims to provide students with the most important legislation and ethics of tourism and its applications in the tourism business and development. This course includes a number of topics such as: freedom of movement, borders and security, human rights, tourism and people with special needs, tourism and local communities, and employment in the tourism sector. The course also focuses on the inclusion of the ten principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism at work and tourism practices. After completing this course, the student is expected to:

1. Apply the principles and ethics of tourism in the practical environment.
2. Analyse the impact of applying the principles of the Global Code of Tourism Ethics to tourism development.
3. Assess the extent to which stakeholders in tourism businesses and sites comply with the principles of the global code of conduct in the tourism sector.

TOUR 699Thesis (9 credits):

After completing and passing successfully all the compulsory and elective courses (Thesis Track), the student prepares a master thesis nder academic supervisio, according to the instructions and insertions of the Deanship of Scientific Research at Yarmouk University. The student prepares, discusses and defends his/her thesis and passes the VIVA VOCE in order to graduate.