MSc in Resort Development and Strategy
Course Overview
The MSc in Resort Development and Strategy is a 12 to 18 months full postgraduate route LSHRM route at Master (MSc / MA) standard that leads students in resort development and strategy for hotel and resort work. Written in London and aligned with UK expectations set by the HOSPA, People 1st International and Master Innholders, the programme treats the hotel or resort as a live commercial environment where front office, reception, reservations, concierge and rooms-division operations must work together to deliver a consistent guest outcome. Students on the MSc in Resort Development and Strategy work through structured modules that reflect the daily rhythm of a modern hotel property, and complete short applied tasks that link classroom learning to the working shape of a hospitality business in London and beyond.
By graduation you will be ready to lead at corporate, executive or board-adjacent level across international hotel groups, investment firms and hospitality consultancies. You will study through a dissertation or capstone project with research-informed executive practice, and produce evidence of study that can be shown to UK employers across central London hotels, boutique properties, cluster hotels and international resort operators. The MSc in Resort Development and Strategy also builds the soft-skill scaffolding that employers ask for, including structured written communication, guest-facing conduct, and a professional understanding of property management systems, channel managers and reservation platforms as they are used across the sector. LSHRM cohorts on the MSc in Resort Development and Strategy typically include a mix of UK-based applicants, international students and working practitioners moving between roles, and the programme is planned so that classroom discussion, applied assessments and career preparation all reflect that broader industry context throughout the 12 to 18 months full postgraduate route.
Key Features
- Aligned with UK sector expectations set by the HOSPA and Chartered Management Institute
- Delivered across on-campus, online and distance-learning routes to suit London-based and international applicants
- Structured over a 12 to 18 months full postgraduate route study window at Master (MSc / MA) standard
- Written by former hoteliers, front office leaders and hospitality practitioners
- Applied assessments drawn from central London hotels, boutique properties, cluster hotels and international resort operators
- A dissertation or capstone project with research-informed executive practice that reflect real hotel and resort work
What You Will Learn
- Postgraduate-level resort development frameworks
- Strategic feasibility, financial modelling and investment cases
- Master planning, sustainability and community integration
- Owner-operator strategy and management-contract design
- Portfolio-level resort strategy and repositioning
- Risk, crisis and reputation strategy for resorts
- Research methods in hospitality and tourism
- A dissertation focused on resort development or strategy
Who This Course Is For
- Applicants seeking a UK-referenced qualification in resort development and strategy
- International students strengthening their UK-referenced hospitality profile
- Senior practitioners moving into executive, corporate or consultancy roles
- Senior practitioners targeting corporate, executive or consultancy roles
- Career changers with senior transferable experience entering hospitality leadership
Career Pathways
- Hospitality Consultant
- Corporate Development Manager
- Strategy Manager
- Head of Hospitality Analytics
- Executive Director
- Regional Director
- General Manager
The LSHRM careers service supports MSc in Resort Development and Strategy students with CV, LinkedIn and interview coaching, structured mock interviews and introductions to London hotel groups, boutique properties, luxury operators, cluster hotels and the wider hospitality supply chain relevant to the Hotel Operations & Front Office department. Graduates of the MSc in Resort Development and Strategy also receive practical coaching on how to present LSHRM study on their CV, how to describe project evidence to hiring managers, and how to structure applications for both UK-based and international roles across central London hotels, boutique properties, cluster hotels and international resort operators.
Entry Requirements
- A UK 2:2 (Lower Second Class) honours degree or overseas equivalent in any discipline
- Applicants without a first degree may be considered with 5+ years of senior hospitality experience
- IELTS 6.5 overall (no band under 6.0) or equivalent English proficiency
- A 500-word research statement covering the applicant's chosen area of hospitality specialisation
- Two academic or professional references and a short interview
Why Study at LSHRM
Every LSHRM programme is aligned with recognised UK professional bodies including the Institute of Hospitality, UKHospitality, HOSPA and the British Institute of Innkeeping, so graduates step into the sector with credible, industry-referenced study behind them.
Students on every LSHRM route are supported by dedicated career services covering CV, LinkedIn, interview coaching and introductions to London hotel groups, luxury resort operators, boutique brands and the wider hospitality supply chain.
For students on the MSc in Resort Development and Strategy, LSHRM provides subject-specific tutor support in hotel operations & front office, clear articulation into further LSHRM study, and a dedicated point of contact inside the department to guide study choices, assessment planning and career direction across the 12 to 18 months full postgraduate route of the programme.
Apply for MSc in Resort Development and Strategy
The MSc in Resort Development and Strategy gives you a London-referenced, industry-aligned route into hotel operations & front office careers with a clean articulation into further LSHRM study. Applications for the MSc in Resort Development and Strategy are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the LSHRM admissions team can guide you through document checks, English-language requirements and mode selection between online, on-campus and distance learning. Advance into executive hospitality leadership with LSHRM. Enrol Now
