Master Academic Studies in Cultural Tourism and Cultural Heritage Management (1 year, 60 ECTS)

Name and the Goals of the Study Programme

Academic Studies in Cultural Tourism and Cultural Heritage Management

Type of the Study and the Outcome of the Education Process

Master academic studies

Professional Title, Academic, or Scientific Title

Master in Tourism

Admission Conditions

• Completed Bachelor academic studies (duration: four years/8 semesters)
• Position in the ranking list within the approved enrollment quota for students

The Structure of the Study Programme

Master academic studies in Cultural tourism and cultural heritage management last one year (two semesters), and require the student to collect obligatory 60 ECTScredits. The study program consists of four compulsory subjects (Management of cultural heritage and cultural tourism –5 ECTS, Project management in cultural tourism –6 ECTS, Quantitative and qualitative research methods in cultural tourism – 6 ECTS, Practical work-3 ECTS and Final master thesis, 20 ECTS points) and elective subjects. The group of elective subjects consists of 6 subjects, whose availability per semester is clearly marked. In the first semester students choose two elective subjects, and in the second semester they choose one.

The Time Allotted for the Realization of Particular Study Forms

Master academic studies in Cultural tourism and cultural heritage management last one year (two semesters), and require the student to collect obligatory 60 ECTScredits.

Credit Values of Particular Courses

The total credit score of the study program is 60 ECTS. The credits for each subject are shown in the Table Subjects Schedule by Semester.

Diploma Work

The study program requires completion of the final master thesis.

Transferring from Another Study Programme

The conditions for transfer from other study programs within similar areas are defined on the basis of valid study programs at the Faculty of Sciences in Novi Sad.

Lectures are carried out using active teaching methods and include: lectures, exercises, practical work, field work, seminar papers, consultations.

The teaching hours for the obligatory subject Fieldwork/Practice is calculated as teaching hours for the teacher engaged in the preparation and the realization of practice, as he/she is engaged in finding appropriate institutions in the field of culture where the students can observe and learn about the specific phenomena, objects and problems in the field of cultural tourism and cultural heritage management.

Purpose of the study program of Master academic studies in Cultural Tourism and Cultural Heritage Management is to educate academic experts in the field of cultural heritage management and cultural tourism with the aim to train them in responsible planning, organization, including cultural contents in tourist offer, NGOs dealing with cultural tourism, tourism organizations); acquiring competences for organizing quality cultural events in many public and private companies; defining effects and importance of events for tourism development on the destination. Building upon the knowledge acquired on bachelor academic studies with more in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge, also introducing basics for individual qualitative and quantitative scientific work. In accordance with the fact that it is based on the geographical and economic aspect of studying cultural tourism and cultural heritage, this study program devotes special attention to the improvement of the tourist offer. Our experts will be trained to examine the assumption of creating a complex cultural tourism offer, which is quantitatively and qualitatively aligned with the complex tourist demand. At the same time, they need to successfully realize the simultaneous existence, synchronized and joint effect of numerous attractive, receptive, transportation and organizational factors, which are the basis for successful cultural heritage management.

Based on the knowledge that students gained during the bachelor academic studies, this program will provide more in-depth, focused, specialized knowledge for operational work and business in the field of cultural tourism, which is one of the most massive forms of tourism. It provides students with competences to work in enterprises that deal with cultural heritage and cultural tourism, as well as the ability to organize a rising number of cultural events as good as possible.

Master in Tourism need to understand the specificity of economic entities in tourism business. The purpose of the program is to offer specific knowledge that will enable future Master in Tourism to manage business in cultural tourism in conditions of transition and dramatic changes in the macroeconomic environment. The major goal of this program is to enable the Master in Tourismto create business ideas in the field of cultural tourism, project management, tourism market business, finance, intercultural communication, information technologies used in cultural tourism, marketing, event organization, establishment of a new company and its business management.

Master academic studies in Cultural Tourism and Cultural Heritage Managementenable further training in higher education institutions and mastering the methodology of scientific research. This is a precondition for enrollment in doctoral studies in the field of tourism, understanding the research methodologies and how to apply theory in tourism practice, not only on the level of practical skills, but also in solving practical and theoretical problems in tourism and complementary fields.

Based on all of the above, the МА in Cultural Tourism and Cultural Heritage Management follows European trends and initiatives and takes into account the needs of the companies for a certain profile of employees, which makes this master in line with the Strategy and Quality Assurance Policy of the Faculty of Science, University of Novi Sad.

The goal of the Master academic program (Master in Tourism) is to, by employing multidisciplinary approach,educate human resourcesin the field of cultural tourism who should obtain skills, professional knowledge and vocation towork in this rapidly growing tourist activity sector.

Master study program is a more advanced academic or professional discipline. Students should demonstrate the originality in the application of knowledge. Also, students should understand how research creates new knowledge frontiers. They need to deal with complex issues in a systematic and creative manner, as well as to show originality in dealing with problems.

This is achieved through the education of experts who will have systematized set of knowledge from tourism and related branches. Moreover, they need to have skills in different groups and subgroups of activities that are necessary for research in one of the specific areas of tourism theory, practice and politics (for instance: spatial aspect of tourist attractions, material and organizational basis of cultural tourism, economic aspects of cultural tourism).

The general objectives of the mentioned master program education are the following:

• Developing of critical thinking and the ability to understand and solve the problems which occur in the relation between the tourism demand and supply;
• The previously said also includes raising awareness of the necessity of lifelongeducation, which is necessary in dynamic and changing environment; and
• Educational goal is to create experts who are qualified for team work and prepared to communicate the results of their work to the professional and general public (both in oral and written form).

One of the important goals of the study program is to educate experts, who, besides significant theoretical knowledge, havesufficient experience in applying specific research methods and techniques in concrete problems. Graduatestudent will be prepared for independent professional and research work in many institutions and companies dealing with various aspects of cultural tourism. This is especially important for the Republic of Serbia.

Students will be able to work independently on project applications and recognize the project calls adequate to realize their idea and the needs of the organization in which they will work. The students will be prepared for independent professional and research work in a large number of institutions and companies dealing with various aspects of cultural tourism. This is of particular importance for our country. Students will also acquire the necessary competencies for all four management functions: planning, organizing, managing and controlling in cultural tourism, cultural heritage and cultural events. In addition, they will acquire certain skills and competences for product development in cultural tourism, creating branding strategies, communication skills in the intercultural environment, budgeting for events and projects in cultural tourism, as well as applying information and communication technologies in various aspects of cultural tourism and cultural heritage.

General and Course-specific Competencies of Students

Master studies supplement the knowledge gained at the bachelor academic studies, but also enablestudents to connectand apply knowledge in solving problems in cultural tourism. It also qualifies students to integrate knowledge, to apply to different EU funding sourcesin order to realize their ideas and contribute to better and diversified offer in the field of cultural tourism, to solve complex problems and transfer knowledge to the professional and general public. Students gain competences needed for employment in environment which requires innovation, communication, personal responsibility and initiative, and which could also be complex and unpredictable.

By mastering this study program, student acquires the following general abilities:

• the ability to retrospect, monitor and anticipate the emergence of practical and theoretical aspect in business within cultural tourism;
• ability of critical thinking, analysis and conclusion in all forms of tourist business environment;
• the ability to solve complex theoretical and practical problems related to the field of cultural heritage and cultural tourism.

This study program educates professionals to obtainall the necessary specific competencies for modern business and research in these fields of science.

These professionalswill acquire the following competencies:

• to continue further academic professional and scientific training in the field of cultural tourism;
• to master qualitative and quantitative methods, techniques, procedures of the entire process of research in all segments of the tourism market, with an emphasis on the cultural tourism market;
• to run independent and responsible management of enterprises, parts of companies and other business entities inthe domain of culture and tourism, event management and in other complementary activities;
• to perform advanced communication in modern business environment.
• to work independently on project applications and to identify the calls adequate to realize their idea and the needs of the organization in which they will work;
• to perform all four management functions: planning, organizing, managing and controlling in cultural tourism, cultural heritage and cultural events;
• skills and competences for product development in cultural tourism;
• to create branding strategies;
• communication skills in the intercultural environment,
• budgeting for events and projects in cultural tourism;
• application of information and communication technologies in various aspects of cultural tourism and cultural heritage.

Students who complete this study program are competent for:

• creative and innovative work and management in cultural institutions, tourist organizations, tourist information centers;
• professional and creative planning and management on the level of tourist destination;
• planning, organizing and managing cultural events of importance for the development of tourism at the destination;
• application of modern methods in the research of the cultural tourism market;
• development of a cultural tourism product and its interpretation;
• writing project applications in the field of cultural tourism.