Planning and Management of Tourism Systems - master at University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy

To reach high level competence that allows graduate students to work in the tourism and hospitality industries and services, as well as in the promotion and development of tourism and of cultural events.
To offer skills, as well as digital and cartographic tools, for planning and co-ordination of cultural and environmental tourism projects within the public administration.
To give graduate students the ability to analyse tourism in terms of multiscale territorial processes and in the context of contemporary mobility.
To understand the methodology of research for planning regional and touristic development and value major theoretical concepts relevant to business.
To offer the ability of defining the anthropo-geographical features and cultural venues of touristic sites, in order to promote sustainability through the principles of participation and social empowerment.
To teach the basic skills for the development, management and promotion of cultural products relevant to travel and tourism representations (cinema, theatre, concerts, video-clips, TV scripts and so on).

For each course we indicate and if necessary we explain the following features:
Disciplinary Scientific Sector (according to the Italian classification);
Denomination of the course
Main objectives of the course.Each course (30 teaching hours) counts for 5 credits.
1^st ACADEMIC YEAR (2011-2012)

Reference sector: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY (M-GGR/02)
Course name: Geography of Environment and Tourism Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course shows the relationship between environment and tourism in a geographical context. Taking up the concept of sustainability, the course deals with the three aspects of environmental and tourism policies: a) the role of the territory in tourism; b) environment as a resource in identity construction; c) social empowerment on global and local scales.
Reference sector: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY (M-GGR/01)
Course name: Intercultural Geography Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course explores the issue of the encounter/clash of cultures in a geographical context. Territory is studied by the means of its primary representations, that is landscape and cartography, that allow to evaluate its cultural value. The main objective is to give some methodological tools useful to promote cultural dialogue. Reference sector: ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SECS-P/08)
Course name: Marketing Management Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course focuses on the relationship between companies and market in strategic and tactical perspectives within the context of the tourism system. Reference sector: GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF TOURISM INDUSTRY (SECS-P/08)
Course name: Tourism Marketing Management Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course focuses on the tourism marketing process, with particular regard to the strategies of tourism industry, including marketing mix strategies. Reference sector: CINEMA, PHOTOGRAPHY AND TELEVISION (L-ART/06)
Course name: Filmology Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course offers an understanding of methodological, aesthetic and psychological questions involved in the viewing and the producing of film or media products, related to the representation of tourism and the promotion of the territory. Reference sector: MUSEOLOGY AND CRITICS OF ART AND RESTORATION (L-ART/04)Course name: History and Culture of Museums Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course presents the historical and social specificities of museums in Europe and North America; their role in shaping cultural identity (national, collective, minor groups...), and their importance in tourist practices.
Reference sector: ENGLISH LITERATURE (L-LIN/10)
Course name: Cultural Studies in Tourism Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course explores the historical and critical issues necessary to approach travel and tourism as cultural practices; comprehension of the "sense of place" as a semiotic activity related to narration and to "the tourist gaze", explaining tourism in terms of cultural demand and cultural mediation.
Reference sector: ENGLISH LITERATURE (L-LIN/10) Credits: 5
Course name: Heritage Studies
Course objectives: The course offers the historical and critical tools necessary to understand the concept of heritage, in terms of conservation and interpretation of places, in the context of National and sovra-national politics related to natural, art and material/immaterial cultural belongings.
Reference sector: COMMERCIAL LAW (IUS/04)
Course name: European Tourism Law Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course aims to analyse the legal aspects of the tourist industry in the context of the developments and principles of legal regulations, legal experiences and contractual cases related to tourism governance and services. Reference sector: APPLIED ECONOMICS (SECS-P/06)
Course name: Economics of Culture and Cultural Heritage Credits: 5
Course objectives: The aim of the course is to provide students with the basic instruments to understand the institutional, economic and managerial problems linked with artistic and cultural resources and institutions (such as museums, foundations, trusts, etc.)
Reference sector: ANTROPOLOGY (M-DEA/01)
Course name: Local Communities and Eco-museums Credits: 5
Course objectives: The aim of the course is to give critical and methodological tools to analyse local communities and eco-museum realities. It highlights the importance of ethnographic research and the strategic role of local communities, teaching how to give value to traditional cultures and local life.
Reference sector: EUROPEAN UNION LAW (IUS/14)
Course name: Cultural, Legal and Linguistic Aspects of the European Union Credits: 5Course objectives: The course provides the students with tools to study and make enquires into the legal, cultural and linguistic aspects of European Union Law.
During the first year students are also required to attend the following courses:
Reference sector: English Language LANGUAGE and Translation (L-LIN/10)
Course name: English for Tourism Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course aims to provide students with critical knowledge about the role of English in tourism communication, exploring the different registers in use in the tourism fields (equivalent to B2 plus level ability of the Common European Framework).Reference sector: Information Technology (INF/01)
Course name: IT for Tourismmanagers Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course provides students with the basis of advanced IT and computer science for tourism: hardware, software, nets, Internet services, web-design.

2nd ACADEMIC YEAR (2012-2013)

Reference sector: SOCIOLOGY OF ENVIRONMENT AND TERRITORY (SPS/10)
Course name: Sociology of Tourism Credits: 5
Course objectives: The aim of this course is to understand tourism from the perspective of multiscale mobility and its role in the relations between communities, individuals, places and space.
Reference sector: SOCIOLOGY OF ENVIRONMENT AND TERRITORY (SPS/10)
Course name: Sociology of Tourism in Local Development Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course aims to combine theories and methodology in policy, planning and politics related to tourism and leisure activities applied to regional development. Tourism and the local environment are analysed according to the scale of complexity, of ambivalence and of conflict.
Reference sector: APPLIED ECONOMICS (SECS-P/06)
Course name: Tourism Economics (Basic) Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course explores the tourism market and the competition processes related to the tourism industry. This course is introductory to Advanced Tourism Economics.
Reference sector: APPLIED ECONOMICS (SECS-P/06)
Course name: Tourism Economics (Advanced) Credits: 5
Course objectives: The course focuses on some segments of the tourism market, devising specific features and problems of tourism destination management.

During the second year students are also required to attend the following activities: One course (5 Credits) on a foreign language, at choice among English, French, German and Spanish according to ones own individual linguistic competence. Two free choice courses (10 Credits), providing they meet the entry criteria for the courses concerned.- One workshop (5 Credits). One Internship (5-10 Credits) at a national or international institution or enterprise.

Requirements

Requirements: Students holding a foreign Bachelor Degree (first level) can apply to the Master Course after recognition of their certifications according to Ministry and University criteria. If necessary, certifications will be evaluated during individual interviews.

A good knowledge of the English language is required (B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

English Language Requirements

TOEFL computer-based test score:	90
TOEFL internet-based test score:	90

Funding

For your reference the fees for the academic year 2011/2012 are set as follows:

For Extra UE students the fee range is from Euro 500,00 to Euro 1.000,00 according to the fiscal position to the student's family.

For UE students the fee range is from Euro 500,00 to Euro 2.000,00 according to the fiscal position to the student's family.

Fee reductions can be assessed upon request by the students, according to Italian laws.

Accreditation

The Masters degree course in Planning and Management of Tourism Systems is accredited with the Italian Ministry of University and Scientific Research as a "Laurea Magistrale", the official masters degree designation in the Sorbonne-Bologna scheme.

Non-EU citizens (resident abroad) should submit their pre-enrolment application to the competent local Italian Diplomatic Representations. The terms for the application are annually fixed by the Italian Ministry.EU citizens and non-European Union Citizens of equivalent status should submit the application directly to the University.For further information please check the website www.study-in-italy.it.The competent Faculty Board at the University of Bergamo evaluates the documents attached to the pre-enrolment application in order to asses if the degree qualification and the curricular requisites owned by the applicant can qualify for the enrolment.Applicants are also recommended to complete the pre-enrolment form available on the web page http://elearning.unibg.it/registra2011.nsf/2011-student-form-b?openform in order to get a first response which will determine if the candidate can proceed with application.