Hospitality & Tourism

Master of Science in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management

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.

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.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 200,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

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 favour

Programme addresses sustainable tourism, a growing sector in Kenya's economy.
Programme confirmed in CUE repository, ensuring academic standards.
Programme combines theoretical knowledge with practical case studies and field visits.
Graduates are eligible for UN Tourism and WTTC international professional membership.

Against it

DeKUT fee data is estimated, not confirmed from an official fee structure document.
KU fee data is estimated from similar programmes, not confirmed for this specific programme.
No private university confirmed offering this exact programme.
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.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
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.

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

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.

Accredited by

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.

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

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.

Industry links

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.