MSc in Tourism Policy Studies

Course Overview

The MSc in Tourism Policy Studies is a 12 to 18-month executive-level Master's programme delivered by LSTITM in London for senior practitioners and career-progression candidates preparing to lead policy work inside boards, national partnerships and consultancies at director and board level. Aligned with Tourism Society, Chartered Management Institute (CMI), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) senior practice, the MSc combines research-informed teaching with an applied dissertation so that graduates hold a defensible executive credential when moving into policy director, consultancy partner and executive director roles.

By graduation, you will be able to lead an executive-tier policy programme, coordinate a board-facing evidence base and produce senior artefacts including strategic policy reviews, board-facing policy memos and a full dissertation. Modules blend research-informed teaching with executive workshops, applied policy casework and structured supervision so that dissertation submissions consistently reach a defensible executive-tier standard for interview at consultancy partner and policy director roles across UK boards and national partnerships.

Key Features

• Aligned with Tourism Society, CMI, WTTC and CIM senior practice for executive-tier tourism policy
• Applied executive assignments using real UK and international destination policy briefs
• Supervised research-informed dissertation covering an executive policy question
• Tutor briefings from former destination policy directors and consultancy partners
• Portfolio-quality outputs including strategic policy reviews, board memos and dissertation
• Careers coaching for executive tourism-policy roles across London and beyond
• Rolling intakes across on-campus, online and distance-learning routes for executive learners
• Structured executive careers coaching for consultancy partner and board-level appointments

What You Will Learn

• How to lead an executive-tier tourism policy programme with clean evidence discipline
• Designing a research-informed dissertation question with executive rationale
• Producing structured strategic policy reviews with clean evidence and clear takeaways
• Writing board-facing policy memos with executive-tier rationale and one clear ask
• Aligning executive programmes with UK, WTTC-referenced and multilateral benchmarks
• Coordinating consultation, evidence base and stakeholder discipline at scale
• Managing cross-team stakeholder expectations at director and board tier
• Presenting a full executive dissertation defence to a tutor and industry panel

Who This Course Is For

• Bachelor-holders progressing directly into executive tourism policy study
• Senior tourism policy practitioners preparing for consultancy partner and board-level roles
• International applicants targeting UK executive policy appointments
• Career-changing senior policy leaders entering tourism at executive tier
• Higher Diploma holders with 5+ years of senior tourism policy experience

Career Pathways

• Tourism Policy Director inside a UK destination board or partnership
• Chief Tourism Officer inside a UK destination organisation
• Tourism Consultancy Partner inside a UK or international consultancy
• Head of Policy and Strategy (Tourism) inside a UK travel brand
• Executive Director (Tourism Board) on an incoming appointment path
• Tourism Corporate Development Director on a sub-board policy track

The LSTITM careers service supports MSc learners with executive-level CV drafting, structured interview coaching and warm introductions to London and international consultancy partner, DMO and destination-brand executive teams. Learners also receive coaching on how to present executive-tier artefacts and dissertation defences during director- and board-level interview rounds, plus advice on how to speak credibly to boards about policy discipline, consultation quality and evidence base management.

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 senior tourism experience
• IELTS 6.5 overall (no band under 6.0) or equivalent English proficiency
• A 500-word research statement on the applicant's chosen area of tourism specialisation
• Two academic or professional references and a short interview

Why Study at LSTITM

LSTITM is the London School of Tourism and International Travel Management, a specialist division of Harold International College of London focused on the destination, business, systems and strategic disciplines that shape modern global tourism. Every LSTITM programme is aligned with UK bodies including the Tourism Society, Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT), ABTA, CIM, CMI, WTTC and UKHospitality, giving graduates credible executive study behind them and a clean articulation route into consultancy partner and board-level tourism roles.

Our curriculum is written by former destination executives, consultancy partners and travel-industry board members, and delivered across on-campus, online and distance-learning routes so senior working professionals and international students can join. Dedicated executive careers services support every LSTITM learner with CV, LinkedIn, interview coaching and warm introductions to consultancy partners, DMOs and travel-brand executive teams.

Apply for MSc in Tourism Policy Studies

Applications open on a rolling basis, and the LSTITM admissions team will guide you through documents, English requirements, references, the admissions interview, research statement and cohort dates for on-campus, online and distance-learning routes so you can pick the pace that suits your executive schedule. MSc graduates typically progress into executive tourism-policy roles including consultancy partner, policy director and chief tourism officer appointments across UK boards, national partnerships and consultancies. The admissions team confirms tuition, instalments and required documents at enquiry so you have full clarity on cost, dissertation supervision windows and cohort dates. Advance into executive tourism leadership with LSTITM. Enrol Now