Bachelor's Programme in Tourism Management and Experience Economy

Study programme code BACREIS

ECTS credits 180

Admission requirements Successful completion of upper secondary school.

Recommended previous knowledge Good English skills.

General description and profile of the programme

The study programme is based on the actual experience or product development within the tourism and experience-based economy. The study´s objective is to impart students with the knowledge and competency sufficient to understand how experiences are created, developed and communicated as a market-oriented product to tourists.

The study programme contains two major approaches. The first focuses on the tourist/person who travels in order to experience something new - in relation to both the vacation and leisure market as well as the conference-oriented one. The second focus is on developing and arranging the actual product - the experience, attraction or destination. This division is reflected both in the academic focus and progression in the Bachelor's Programme.

In the first section we focus on who the tourist is, how he/she behaves, the motivation for this behaviour and how we can arrange the conditions so that communication between the person making the offer and the person being offered a product will "consume" the experience.

This will be imparted through the following areas of study:

• Tourism and experience tourism´s historical development
• Marketing and tourism
• Mass communication
• Tourism and consumer behaviour

In the second section focus is placed on the product - the attraction, experience or destination. What is the product, how is it created and developed, and how is the product commercialised in a market?

Turning an experience into a tourism-oriented product is realized through two dimensions: On the one hand the type of experiences sought by the tourist, in which - based on the most common tourist types - we attempt to explain and understand the origin, structure and motivation for these variations, such as location-based tourism, cultural heritage tourism, art and culture tourism, theme park/pleasure tourism, festival tourism/festivals, outdoor tourism/nature tourism/sports tourism, charter tourism/mass tourism, etc.

In addition, we regard it as important to impart knowledge which will make students capable of contributing to the planning of new experiences as well as developing existing experiences and attractions within various areas of tourism in which skills are honed regarding how the experience is to be created, planned, formed, directed, dramatised, visualised, etc.; in other words, how we create, organise and commercialise a cultural arrangement, exhibit, festival, performance, etc.

The above topics will be studied during the following courses contained in the study programme:

• Location-Based Tourism - the location as product
• Activity and Experience Tourism - how to develop experiences
• Introduction to Entrepreneurship (for students in the humanities/arts and for entrepreneurs)
• Experience Economy - Commercialisation of Experiences

In addition to these major approaches, students will be given an introduction to courses that impart basic knowledge as to how one is to deal with situations revolving around organisational and legal questions, principles of financial management as well as an introduction to social scientific methods and statistics. These are courses run jointly with other study programs, and students will therefore collaborate with students from several different study programs at UiA. In order to assure an academic connection between these courses and experience-based tourism, attempts are made to adjust the thematic scope in assignments, group work, etc. to topics found within travel/tourism.

The Bachelor thesis may be regarded as a continuation of the courses in Tourism and Consumer Behavior and/or Experience Economy - Experience Commercialisation, in which students will likely collaborate with businesses in the regional tourist industry and complete and document a practice-based assignment in the development of a product within tourism.

Specific arrangements for recognition of prior learning (formal, non-formal and informal) Arrangements for the recognition of prior learning are described in the information on the institution under "General arrangements for the recognition of prior learning (formal, informal and non-formal)".

Examination regulations and grading For a description of the examination regulations, see the Examination Regulations of the University of Agder.

For information about the Norwegian grading system, see ECTS credits and grades. Specific information on grading for each course is found in the individual course descriptions.

Graduation requirements The Examination Regulations of the University of Agder regulate the graduation requirements for each programme of study.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the study, students will both understand how experiences are created and be able to explain and interpret how experiences are developed, communicated and used as a product and as a market-oriented experience for tourists.

The study program will award students with knowledge and understanding of how both the arts and outdoors may be transformed and developed into experiences for guests in various market segments in the tourism industry. A great deal of focus will also be placed on a consumer aspect, as it is important to have knowledge about tourist preferences and behavior in order to be able to arrange experiences based on these preferences. Through focusing on experiences, students will also acquire knowledge and skills regarding how a travel package offer may be facilitated as a complete product to various customer groups.

Working forms: All modes of working and instruction will be utilized, including lectures, group work, company visits, field work, seminars and project work. Traditional instructional forms will in certain courses be combined with using the Internet and development-oriented projects.

Assessment methods Several different assessment forms will be utilized. Final examinations may be given in either written or oral form. Written work may be a guided project, an individual at-home examination or a combination of several assessment forms. Norwegian will be the language of instruction in the majority of courses.

Student exchange Students may choose to go on exchange as an elective during their third academic year. Formal cooperative agreements are being formed with other institutions of higher learning in Europe, at which our students may complete up to one year of study within relevant tourism courses. Please contact the academic advisor.

Occupational profiles of graduates and access to further studies

The study program qualifies graduates for working in companies that develop and maintain tourist attractions, organizations that contribute to coordinating and marketing tourist packages as well as within public planning and implementation of business development in the area of tourism. The study program is also meant to be a competency-based starting point for graduates wishing to establish their own company within the tourist industry.

The study program can qualify for admission to the Master´s Degree Programme in Public Policy and Management (including determination rights in cultural management and regional change) should students choose a concentration in Policy, Planning and Communication their third year, or the Master's Degree Programme in Business Administration if specific courses are taken the third year. Please see student advisor for more information.

The programme also qualifies for Master's studies in Tourism Management at other institutions.

Qualification awarded Successful completion of the three-year study program awards graduates with a Bachelor´s Degree in Experience-Based Tourism.

Contact person Programme coordinator Stine Rye Bårdsen