Leisure, Tourism and Environment (MTO) / MSc

Profile

Leisure, Tourism and Environment focuses on the way how and the reason why certain places transform into leisure and tourism environments. The study pays special attention to concepts such as landscape, space, place, locality, authenticity and sustainability. Careful planning and management are needed to establish flexible balances in the variety of leisure and tourism environments. Therefore any intervention should be based on philosophical judgements - where do we wish the world to move to - and on scientific and practical experience, insights, knowledge and awareness. Moreover, in contrast to the more traditional scientific emphasis on leisure in terms of activities, this study programme has an experiential approach towards leisure and tourism. Much attention is paid to the analysis of significance and meaning of leisure choices, both in consumption and production processes. The MSc Leisure, Tourism and Environment is an academic Master programme involving theories from many different disciplines, it critically reflects on current tourism practices and opens debates about innovative ideas. The study is truly international and comparative, taking the Dutch, European and global context into consideration. This is done intentionally through teaching material, but it also happens organically as teachers and students come from all around the world and everyone brings in his/her own view point, experience and academic interpretation of reality.

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this MSc programme graduates are expected to be able to:
- understand and interpret advanced theories and practices of leisure and tourism and their influence on the social and physical environment;
- appraise the usefulness and relevance of concepts, theories and approaches of sociology, social psychology, human geography, anthropology, political economics and philosophy for a multidisciplinary analysis of leisure and tourism and to compose and reflect on a theoretical framework for research;
- assess social science research methods for data collection and analysis and construct an appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative design for advanced empirical research independently;
- independently define issues in leisure and tourism in order to develop and execute a complete research project and defend it;
- assess needs and opportunities for different (policy) interventions, translate own research outcomes into advice and suggest new and more effective and sustainable solutions in the field of leisure, tourism and environment independently;
- assess issues in leisure, tourism and environment from a comparative point of view and can work in an international and multicultural context;
- independently acquire new knowledge and skills in order to analyse complex issues and reflect on his/her academic and professional development;
- clearly, argumentatively and unambiguously communicate research results and the knowledge and rationale underpinning of these in a way that reflects the needs and interests of specific audiences;
- integrate ethical responsibility in his/her academic and professional practice at all times;
- demonstrate a scientific (research) attitude of life-long learning as well as an open mind and a critical and (self-) reflective working style.

Programme Director

Drs J.F.B. Philipsen
Phone: 0317-(4)82771
Email: jan.philipsen@wur.nl

Study Adviser(s)

A. Pellis, MSc
Phone: 0317-(4)84384
Email: mle.msc@wur.nl

Consultation hours: weekly based on reservation at http://appointments.owi.wur.nl/mle. For urgent questions, please send an email

Programme Committee

Chair: Drs J.F.B. Philipsen
Secretary: J. Welling

Internet

http://www.wageningenuniversity.nl/mle

Study Association

Licere
Gaia building, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen
Internet: http:/www.licere.nl