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MA in Tourism Policy and Planning

Program Overview

The Master's program in Tourism Policy and Planning provides a unique education in which you will be part of a graduate program that integrates the social, cultural, environmental, economic and political perspectives on tourism.

The University of Waterloo has several faculty with distinguished international reputations in tourism education and research and has offered courses on tourism at both undergraduate and graduate levels for many years. Waterloo graduates have taken up many leading positions in tourism in both business and academia.

University of Waterloo researchers take a broad view of tourism, examining the complex inter-relationships among economic, social, geographic, environmental, and institutional aspects of tourism. There is strong interest and experience in practical aspects of tourism planning and management in Ontario, elsewhere in Canada, and abroad. Faculty also track the performance of the industry and assess trends in tourism which is essential for effective tourism planning and policy analysis.

The overall objective of the Master’s program in Tourism Policy and Planning is to provide a range of adaptable and transferable skills, which will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. This general objective is supported by several specific objectives:

Degree Requirements

Students can register in either the Faculty of Environment for a Master of Applied Environmental Studies (MAES) or the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies for a Master of Arts (MA) degree.

Five (5) graduate level courses are required over the course of the two-year program. Courses are taken from both the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies and the Faculty of Environmental Studies. Students will be required to write a thesis and will have an option to undertake an internship/practicum for credit. Students will be required to complete at least one of the two research methods courses. Tour 601 and Tour 602 will provide the students with a foundation in conceptual, empirical, and methodological issues specific to tourism.

Students must successfully complete at least five (5) courses plus a thesis, as specified below.

Core courses:
Tour 601 Contemporary Perspectives on Tourism
Tour 602 Seminar on Tourism Research
Rec 699/Tour 699 Thesis (normally supervised by Core or Supporting Faculty)
Data Analysis Electives - one of the following:
Rec 672 Quantitative Research Data Analysis and Interpretation
Rec 673 Qualitative Research Data Analysis and Interpretation
Substantive Electives - two of the following:
Rec 615 Consumer Research and Marketing Leisure Services
Rec 630 Policy and Planning of Nature-based Recreation and Tourism
Rec 680 The Dynamics of Tourism
Rec 685 The Structure of Tourism
Tour 603 Consequences of Tourism
Tour 604 Social Planning for Tourism
Rec 609/Tour 609 Internship / Practicum
Rec 697/Tour 675 Selected Topics in Recreation and Leisure Reseources / Selected Topics in Tourism

 

Faculty Advisors/Supervisors

Normally a faculty member in their home Faculty will advise students. Although students will pursue one of the two Master's degrees, they will follow a similar course of study regardless of their home Faculty.

Residence Requirements

Students are normally required to spend a minimum of 2 terms of full-time registration on campus (or equivalent part-time registration - 4 terms). Whatever variation is permitted from this normal schedule, all degree requirements must be completed within 2 years of initial registration. Time extensions are not normally granted.