| Students will gain a foundation of basic knowledge and skills for working in the general field of tourism, as well as developing more specialized knowledge and skills relevant to event and festival planning and management. In the first year of the program, they will gain an overview of the industry; demonstrate understanding of issues fundamental in tourism planning, marketing, and service provision; and gain an awareness of central issues related to tourism’s engagement with culture and the natural environment, as well as exploring the experiential dimensions of this phenomenon. In the second, specialized year, they will master research skills; gain competencies relevant for creating, designing, operating, and evaluating events and festivals; and develop an understanding of the place of festivals and events within the larger tourism field and within contemporary culture. |