Master's Programme in Tourism and Sustainable Development 120 credits
About the programme
Worldwide, tourism is seen as an opportunity to create new jobs and economic growth. The development of successful and sustainable tourism requires extensive insights into complex socio-economic and political contexts that affect tourism, at local, regional, national and international level, as well as good insights into the complex relationship between economic, social and environmental preconditions and impacts of tourism.
While studying
The programme focuses on how tourism affects destinations and the consequences tourism have for societal development. Further, it addresses current challenges of sustainability that are connected to destination development issues. The spatiality of tourism is in focus for discussing the transition to a more sustainable society and the contribution of tourism to that development. You will learn to ask relevant and scientifically grounded questions about changes and trends in diverse geographical settings like rural areas and cities and how they are related to dimensions of sustainability. Insights into the application of different destination development ideals give further tools in performing such transition. These are competencies that will be in high demand for future tourism developers.
During the education you will also develop your skills in applying advanced spatial quantitative and qualitative methods to collects and analyse empirical materials that can help you understand current issues in tourism development. We have our own computer lab at the department where you can work with various assignments. The final thesis project provides opportunities to specialise or broaden your skills and can be conducted in cooperation with an authority or company.
Prosperous academic tourism environment
You will be studying at one of the most successful academic tourism milieus in the Nordic countries with extensive research and international collaborations. We provide a top of the line education right at the forefront of tourism research. Furthermore, we aim at giving you the tools to develop your generic competencies, being critical and to have a scientific approach, as well as giving you the skills you need in order to continue learning also after you have left the University. The study language is English.
Portrait former student at Master Tourism program
Teachers and researchers in Tourism
Dieter K Müller, professor
Carina Keskitalo, professor
Roger Marjavaara, docent
Linda Lundmark, docent
Doris Carson, assistant professor
Marco Eimermann, assistant professor
Cenk Demiroglu, associate professor
Research Projects at Department
Courses within the programme
Year 1
Tourism and Sustainable Development
Sustainability, Destinations and Regional Development
Magister Thesis in Human Geography
Population, Migration and Mobility
Year 2
Advanced Spatial Analysis and Modelling
Geographies of Tourism and Sustainable Development
Master Thesis in Human Geography
Future and career opportunities
The programme offers advanced insights into the field of tourism and provides you with the opportunity to develop your knowledge and interests within the field of tourism and sustainable development.
The programme offers broad perspectives on tourism by combining various scientific approaches.
The programme qualifies successful students for work in tourism within public and private sector.
Examples are:
Destination developer
Tourism strategy developer
Tourism planner
Non Governmental Agency officer
Doctoral studies (PhD)
The programme grants basic eligibility for doctoral studies.
Degree
Degree of Master of Science (60 credits). Main field of study: Human Geography. Specialisation: Tourism and
sustainable development.
Degree of Master of Science (120 credits). Main field o f study: Human Geography. Specialisation: Tourism and
sustainable development.
Apply
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Autumn 2025
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Master's Programme in Tourism and Sustainable Development
International admissions round
Autumn 2025 / Umeå / English / On site
Show more Show less
StartAutumn Term 2025
Number of credits120 credits
Type of studiesOn site
Study pace100%
Length2 years
Study locationUmeå
LanguageEnglish
Application codeUMU-M2016
Eligibility Basic requirements: A Bachelor's degree (equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, 180 ECTS) from an internationally recognised university. Special Requirements: at least 90 ECTS-credits in Tourism/ Geography/ Human Geography/ Regional Science/ Planning/ Hospitality/ Hotel and Restaurant Management/ Service Management/ Leisure/ Recreation/ Park Management or similar tourism-related subjects. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B/6.SelectionAcademic credits completed by the last application date (in the range of 30-285 credits equivalent to ECTS)
DegreeAfter completed study programme, a student who has applied for a degree certificate can obtain a Degree of Master of Science (60 credits) according to the local qualification descriptor established by the Vice-Chancellor, see Umeå University's web site. The Swedish translation of Degree of Master of Science (60 credits) is Filosofie magisterexamen. The degree is awarded in the main field of Human Geography (kulturgeografi) with the specialisation Tourism and Sustainable Development (turism och hållbar utveckling).
After completed study programme, a student who has applied for a degree certificate can obtain a Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) according to the local qualification descriptor established by the Vice-Chancellor, see Umeå University's web site. The Swedish translation of Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) is Filosofie masterexamen. The degree is awarded in the main field of Human Geography (kulturgeografi) with the specialisation Tourism and Sustainable Development (turism och hållbar utveckling).
The specialisation is proposed but not yet decided.ApplicationApplication deadline was 15 January 2025. The application period is closed.
Application and tuition feesAs a citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you are required to pay application and tuition fees for studies at Umeå University.
Application fee: SEK 900
Tuition fee, first instalment: SEK 48,300
Total fee: SEK 193,200
-
Master's Programme in Tourism and Sustainable Development
Second admissions round for EU/EEA citizens
Autumn 2025 / Umeå / English / On site
Show more Show less
StartAutumn Term 2025
Number of credits120 credits
Type of studiesOn site
Study pace100%
Length2 years
Study locationUmeå
LanguageEnglish
Application codeUMU-P2016
Eligibility Basic requirements: A Bachelor's degree (equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, 180 ECTS) from an internationally recognised university. Special Requirements: at least 90 ECTS-credits in Tourism/ Geography/ Human Geography/ Regional Science/ Planning/ Hospitality/ Hotel and Restaurant Management/ Service Management/ Leisure/ Recreation/ Park Management or similar tourism-related subjects. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B/6.SelectionAcademic credits completed by the last application date (in the range of 30-285 credits equivalent to ECTS)
DegreeAfter completed study programme, a student who has applied for a degree certificate can obtain a Degree of Master of Science (60 credits) according to the local qualification descriptor established by the Vice-Chancellor, see Umeå University's web site. The Swedish translation of Degree of Master of Science (60 credits) is Filosofie magisterexamen. The degree is awarded in the main field of Human Geography (kulturgeografi) with the specialisation Tourism and Sustainable Development (turism och hållbar utveckling).
After completed study programme, a student who has applied for a degree certificate can obtain a Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) according to the local qualification descriptor established by the Vice-Chancellor, see Umeå University's web site. The Swedish translation of Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) is Filosofie masterexamen. The degree is awarded in the main field of Human Geography (kulturgeografi) with the specialisation Tourism and Sustainable Development (turism och hållbar utveckling).
The specialisation is proposed but not yet decided.ApplicationApplication deadline was 15 April 2025. The application period is closed. Please note: This second application round is intended only for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens.
Application and tuition feesAs a citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you are required to pay application and tuition fees for studies at Umeå University.
Application fee: SEK 900
Tuition fee, first instalment: SEK 48,300
Total fee: SEK 193,200
-
-
Autumn 2026
-
Master's Programme in Tourism and Sustainable Development
International admissions round
Autumn 2026 / Umeå / English / On site
Application opens 16 October 2025Show more Show less
StartAutumn Term 2026
Number of credits120 credits
Type of studiesOn site
Study pace100%
Length2 years
Study locationUmeå
LanguageEnglish
Application codeUMU-M2016
Eligibility Basic requirements: A Bachelor's degree (equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, 180 ECTS) from an internationally recognised university. Special Requirements: Minimum 30 ECTS-credits in social science-oriented subjects. In addition, at least 7.5 ECTS in scientific methods (quantitative or qualitative) is required. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B/6.SelectionAcademic credits completed by the last application date (in the range of 30-285 credits equivalent to ECTS)
DegreeAfter completed study programme, a student who has applied for a degree certificate can obtain a Degree of Master of Science (60 credits) according to the local qualification descriptor established by the Vice-Chancellor, see Umeå University's web site. The Swedish translation of Degree of Master of Science (60 credits) is Filosofie magisterexamen. The degree is awarded in the main field of Human Geography (kulturgeografi) with the specialisation Tourism and Sustainable Development (turism och hållbar utveckling).
After completed study programme, a student who has applied for a degree certificate can obtain a Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) according to the local qualification descriptor established by the Vice-Chancellor, see Umeå University's web site. The Swedish translation of Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) is Filosofie masterexamen. The degree is awarded in the main field of Human Geography (kulturgeografi) with the specialisation Tourism and Sustainable Development (turism och hållbar utveckling).
The specialisation is proposed but not yet decided.ApplicationThe online application opens 16 October 2025 at 13:00 CET. Application deadline is 15 January 2026.
Application and tuition feesAs a citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you are required to pay application and tuition fees for studies at Umeå University.
Application fee: SEK 900
Tuition fee, first instalment: SEK 48,300
Total fee: SEK 193,200
-
Master's Programme in Tourism and Sustainable Development
Second admissions round for EU/EEA citizens
Autumn 2026 / Umeå / English / On site
Application opens 16 March 2026Show more Show less
StartAutumn Term 2026
Number of credits120 credits
Type of studiesOn site
Study pace100%
Length2 years
Study locationUmeå
LanguageEnglish
Application codeUMU-P2016
Eligibility Basic requirements: A Bachelor's degree (equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, 180 ECTS) from an internationally recognised university. Special Requirements: Minimum 30 ECTS-credits in social science-oriented subjects. In addition, at least 7.5 ECTS in scientific methods (quantitative or qualitative) is required. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B/6.SelectionAcademic credits completed by the last application date (in the range of 30-285 credits equivalent to ECTS)
DegreeAfter completed study programme, a student who has applied for a degree certificate can obtain a Degree of Master of Science (60 credits) according to the local qualification descriptor established by the Vice-Chancellor, see Umeå University's web site. The Swedish translation of Degree of Master of Science (60 credits) is Filosofie magisterexamen. The degree is awarded in the main field of Human Geography (kulturgeografi) with the specialisation Tourism and Sustainable Development (turism och hållbar utveckling).
After completed study programme, a student who has applied for a degree certificate can obtain a Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) according to the local qualification descriptor established by the Vice-Chancellor, see Umeå University's web site. The Swedish translation of Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) is Filosofie masterexamen. The degree is awarded in the main field of Human Geography (kulturgeografi) with the specialisation Tourism and Sustainable Development (turism och hållbar utveckling).
The specialisation is proposed but not yet decided.ApplicationThe online application opens 16 March 2026 at 09:00 CET. Application deadline is 15 April 2026. Please note: This second application round is intended only for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens.
Application and tuition feesAs a citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you are required to pay application and tuition fees for studies at Umeå University.
Application fee: SEK 900
Tuition fee, first instalment: SEK 48,300
Total fee: SEK 193,200
-
How to apply
Apply online via universityadmissions.se
You apply to our programmes and courses via universityadmissions.se – the official website for higher education applications in Sweden. There, you can track your application, check that your documents have been registered, and log in to find our your admission results.
Late applications
Admissions to most programmes and courses typically close after the final application deadline. However, some programmes and courses may still accept late applications if seats are available. These are marked “Open for late application” on universityadmissions.se. Please note that late applications are not guaranteed to be reviewed.
More about application and admission
Film about the programme
Jonatan and Aniqa talking about the program.
Research excellence at Umeå University
Be a part of a world-class environment for teaching and research – where the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 geneediting began, and where innovation continues to shape the future.
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Innovative with international impact
Research for society, nature and the future. Read about our research research environments and infrastructure.
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Open climate for groundbreaking research
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