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Hospitality & Tourism

Master of Science in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management

<p>The Master of Science in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in sustainable tourism, hospitality management, and destination management. The programme provides specialised training in tourism planning, hospitality operations, sustainable development, destination marketing, and tourism policy.

Duration
2 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 200,000
Ksh 400,000 total
Job market
Moderate
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 200,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 400,000 for the whole course.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of N/A (Postgraduate) or above. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 2 years, full-time, part-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 2 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Early Childhood Strategist, at 10 out of 100.The detail

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Overview

Core areas include sustainable tourism, hospitality management, destination management, tourism planning and policy, tourism economics, hospitality operations, sustainable development, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, case studies, and research.

The programme is offered by Dedan Kimathi University of Technology as a public institution through the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management. Kenyatta University offers a closely related MSc in Hospitality and Tourism Management. The programme is available in full-time and part-time modes over two years, combining coursework with research.

Students develop competencies in sustainable tourism, hospitality management, destination management, tourism planning, and research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, case studies, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for tourism and hospitality management roles.

DeKUT charges approximately KES 200,000 per year while KU charges approximately KES 130,000 per year. No private university confirmed offering this exact programme. Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Tourism, Hospitality, Business, or a related field from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as tourism managers, hospitality managers, destination managers, tourism consultants, sustainability officers, and lecturers across hotels, resorts, tourism boards, government agencies, NGOs, and universities.

Skills Required

  • Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development
  • Hospitality Operations Management
  • Destination Management and Marketing
  • Tourism Policy and Governance
  • Tourism Economics and Analysis
  • Sustainability Strategy Development
  • Product Development and Innovation in Tourism
  • Quality Service Management in Hospitality
  • Research Methods in Tourism and Hospitality
  • Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

  • Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management
  • Destination Management and Marketing
  • Tourism Planning and Policy
  • Hospitality Operations Management
  • Tourism Economics and Analysis
  • Sustainability Strategy in Tourism
  • Product Development and Innovation in Tourism
  • Quality Service Management in Hospitality
  • Research Methods in Tourism and Hospitality
  • Thesis Research

Certifications

  • UN Tourism Professional Membership
  • WTTC Professional Membership

Specializations

Sustainable Tourism Development

Focuses on sustainable tourism, covering sustainable, tourism, development, environment, and managing sustainable tourism development and practices.

Hospitality Management

Examines hospitality management, covering hospitality, management, operations, hotels, and managing hospitality operations and management.

Destination Management

Covers destination management, covering destination, management, marketing, tourism, and managing destination management and marketing.

Tourism Planning and Policy

Focuses on tourism planning, covering planning, tourism, policy, development, and managing tourism planning and policy.

Tourism Economics

Examines tourism economics, covering economics, tourism, analysis, markets, and managing tourism economics and analysis.

Events and Conferences Management

Covers events management, covering events, conferences, management, tourism, and managing events and conferences management.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management
  • Destination Management and Marketing
  • Tourism Planning and Policy
  • Hospitality Operations Management
  • Tourism Economics and Analysis
  • Sustainability Strategy in Tourism
  • Product Development and Innovation in Tourism
  • Quality Service Management in Hospitality
  • Research Methods in Tourism and Hospitality
  • Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

  • Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines sustainable tourism, covering sustainable, tourism, hospitality, management, and managing sustainable tourism and hospitality management.

  • Destination Management and Marketing

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers destination management, covering destination, management, marketing, tourism, and managing destination management and marketing.

  • Tourism Planning and Policy

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines tourism planning, covering planning, tourism, policy, development, and managing tourism planning and policy.

  • Hospitality Operations Management

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers hospitality operations, covering hospitality, operations, management, hotels, and managing hospitality operations and management.

  • Tourism Economics and Analysis

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines tourism economics, covering economics, tourism, analysis, markets, and managing tourism economics and analysis.

  • Sustainability Strategy in Tourism and Hospitality

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Covers sustainability strategy, covering sustainability, strategy, tourism, hospitality, and managing sustainability strategies in tourism and hospitality.

  • Product Development and Innovation in Tourism

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Examines product development, covering products, development, innovation, tourism, and managing tourism product development and innovation.

  • Research Methods in Tourism and Hospitality

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Covers research, methods, tourism, hospitality, and conducting research in tourism and hospitality, preparing students for their thesis.

  • Quality Service Management in Hospitality

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Examines quality service, covering quality, service, management, hospitality, and managing quality service in hospitality.

  • Strategic Management for Global Hospitality

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers strategic management, covering strategic, management, global, hospitality, and managing strategic management for global hospitality.

  • Events and Conferences Management

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines events management, covering events, conferences, management, tourism, and managing events and conferences management.

  • Research Thesis

    Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore

    Original supervised research thesis on a sustainable tourism or hospitality topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and tourism knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

  • Sustainable Tourism Development

    Focuses on sustainable tourism, covering sustainable, tourism, development, environment, and managing sustainable tourism development and practices.

  • Hospitality Management

    Examines hospitality management, covering hospitality, management, operations, hotels, and managing hospitality operations and management.

  • Destination Management

    Covers destination management, covering destination, management, marketing, tourism, and managing destination management and marketing.

  • Tourism Planning and Policy

    Focuses on tourism planning, covering planning, tourism, policy, development, and managing tourism planning and policy.

  • Tourism Economics

    Examines tourism economics, covering economics, tourism, analysis, markets, and managing tourism economics and analysis.

  • Events and Conferences Management

    Covers events management, covering events, conferences, management, tourism, and managing events and conferences management.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management programme combines lectures, case studies, seminars, field visits, and independent study. Sessions cover sustainable tourism, hospitality management, destination management, tourism planning, and tourism economics. Sustainable tourism sessions examine sustainable, tourism, development, environment, and managing sustainable tourism development. Hospitality management sessions cover hospitality, management, operations, hotels, and managing hospitality operations. Destination management sessions cover destination, management, marketing, tourism, and managing destination management and marketing. Tourism planning sessions cover planning, tourism, policy, development, and managing tourism planning and policy. Tourism economics sessions cover economics, tourism, analysis, markets, and managing tourism economics. Sustainability strategy sessions cover sustainability, strategy, tourism, hospitality, and managing sustainability strategies. Product development sessions cover products, development, innovation, tourism, and managing tourism product development. Quality service sessions cover quality, service, management, hospitality, and managing quality service in hospitality. Case studies provide practical experience in analysing real-world tourism and hospitality scenarios. Field visits to tourism destinations and hospitality establishments provide real-world exposure. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a sustainable tourism or hospitality topic.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Programme addresses sustainable tourism, a growing sector in Kenya's economy.DeKUT fee data is estimated, not confirmed from an official fee structure document.
Programme confirmed in CUE repository, ensuring academic standards.KU fee data is estimated from similar programmes, not confirmed for this specific programme.
Programme combines theoretical knowledge with practical case studies and field visits.No private university confirmed offering this exact programme.
Graduates are eligible for UN Tourism and WTTC international professional membership.Tourism sector is vulnerable to economic downturns and security concerns, affecting job stability.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 91 hospitality & tourism courses
Public130k to 200k
130k at Kenyatta University200k at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

Unverified. DeKUT & KU fees not found online for this specific programme.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Universities may offer scholarships for eligible students. UN Tourism and WTTC may offer fellowships for sustainable tourism research and education.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • University Scholarship

  • UN Tourism Fellowship

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.

  • University Scholarship

    ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Universities may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate tourism and hospitality students.

  • UN Tourism Fellowship

    ScholarshipKsh 300,000

    UN Tourism and international tourism organisations may offer fellowships for sustainable tourism research and education.

Scholarships you could apply for

2 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade
N/A (Postgraduate)minimum entry
Alternative entry

DeKUT requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management or a relevant field. Lower Second Class may be considered with at least two years of relevant experience or a postgraduate diploma. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

When it next starts

Taught at 2 institutions
January 20272 institutions

Including Kenyatta University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.

May 20272 institutions

Including Kenyatta University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.

September 20272 institutions

Including Kenyatta University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.

How you are assessed

4 components

  • Coursework and Continuous Assessment

    Coursework30% of the mark

    Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, case study analyses, seminar presentations, and class participation.

  • Written Examinations

    Examination70% of the mark

    Written examinations covering sustainable tourism, hospitality management, destination management, tourism planning, and tourism economics.

  • Case Study Project

    Project40% of the mark

    Practical assessment through case study projects, demonstrating tourism and hospitality analysis, planning, and implementation skills.

  • Research Thesis

    Research100% of the mark

    Original supervised research thesis on a sustainable tourism or hospitality topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and tourism knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

  • Commission for University Education (CUE)

    Academic accreditationRequired

    Programme accredited by CUE. Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (public) offers MSc in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management, confirmed in the CUE repository. Kenyatta University (public) offers MSc in Hospitality and Tourism Management. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in tourism and hospitality. Graduates may interact with KTB for tourism industry standards and UN Tourism and WTTC for international tourism standards. The programme aligns with UN Tourism and WTTC global sustainable tourism frameworks.

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (public) offers MSc in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management, confirmed in the CUE repository. Kenyatta University (public) offers MSc in Hospitality and Tourism Management. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in tourism and hospitality. Graduates may interact with KTB for tourism industry standards and UN Tourism and WTTC for international tourism standards. The programme aligns with UN Tourism and WTTC global sustainable tourism frameworks.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

  • Tourism Manager

    Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000

    Manages tourism operations, covering tourism, management, operations, destinations, and managing tourism operations and management.

  • Hospitality Manager

    Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 380,000

    Manages hospitality operations, covering hospitality, management, operations, hotels, and managing hospitality operations and management.

  • Destination Manager

    Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Manages destinations, covering destination, management, marketing, tourism, and managing destination management and marketing.

  • Tourism Consultant

    Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Provides tourism consulting, covering consulting, tourism, advisory, analysis, and managing tourism consulting and advisory.

  • Sustainability Officer

    Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000

    Manages sustainability programmes, covering sustainability, tourism, hospitality, programmes, and managing sustainability in tourism and hospitality.

  • Tourism Lecturer

    Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Teaches tourism and hospitality at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as tourism managers, hospitality managers, destination managers, tourism consultants, sustainability officers, and lecturers across hotels, resorts, tourism boards, government agencies, NGOs, and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

  • Hospitality Management Information Systems

    SoftwarePrimary

    HMIS for hospitality operations management, covering hospitality, management, information, systems, and managing hospitality operations and systems.

  • SPSS

    Software

    SPSS for tourism research data analysis, covering statistics, data, analysis, tourism, and managing research data analysis.

  • Destination Management Software

    Software

    Destination management tools for tourism planning and marketing, covering destination, management, tourism, marketing, and managing destination management.

  • Microsoft Excel

    Software

    Excel for tourism data analysis and reporting, covering data, analysis, reporting, tourism, and managing tourism data and analysis.

Common misconceptions

  • Tourism management is just about running hotels.

    Sustainable tourism covers destination management, policy, economics, sustainability, and planning beyond just hotel operations.

  • This programme is only for hospitality graduates.

    Sustainable tourism is for professionals from business, environmental science, economics, and social sciences backgrounds, not just hospitality graduates.

  • Tourism management has limited career prospects in Kenya.

    Tourism is a key sector in Kenya's economy, creating demand for graduates in hotels, tourism boards, government, and NGOs.

  • This programme is the same as an MBA in hospitality.

    Sustainable tourism focuses on sustainability, destination management, and tourism policy, distinct from a general MBA.

  • Sustainable tourism is only about eco-tourism.

    Sustainable tourism covers economic, social, and environmental sustainability across all tourism types, not just eco-tourism.

  • You need hospitality experience to study this programme.

    While experience is beneficial, the programme is accessible to graduates from various fields seeking tourism and hospitality skills.

Further reading

Read next