How do I get an MBA in Tourism?

Earning a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in tourism may help you lay the groundwork for a career in the tourism industry. With this advanced degree in hand, you may have more job opportunities and may even find it easier to land a position at the management level. To earn an MBA in tourism, you’ll typically have to start out by securing a high school diploma and then go on to college to earn a bachelor's degree. Most MBA programs require applicants to hold bachelor’s degrees, have reasonably good grade point averages, and obtain letters of recommendation. Some may request resumes as well.

To prepare to earn an MBA in tourism, you’ll typically have to graduate from high school or earn an equivalent credential. Most colleges require applicants to have this basic credential as a condition of admission. Earning a good grade point average is one way to ensure admission to the college of your choice, but many colleges consider other factors as well, such as extracurricular activities, recommendations, volunteer work, standardized test scores, and essays.

Once you are enrolled in college, you will typically need about four years to earn a bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite for entering a master’s degree program. Some schools that offer MBAs with a concentration in tourism may accept students who have pursued a variety of majors. You may be well prepared for a master’s level program in tourism if you major in a business- or tourism-related field, however. As with gaining entry to college, your grade point average is likely to be an important factor in acceptance to the master's degree program of your choice. As such, you may do well to study hard and work to excel in all of your classes, including those that are not directly related to your major.

In order to gain admission to an MBA in tourism program, you’ll typically need to provide official transcripts, scores from standardized tests, letters of recommendation, and a resume that lists any work experience you've gained. You may also have to write an essay and participate in an admissions interview process. Once accepted, you will typically complete a range of courses as you work toward this credential. Among the courses you may take are those that cover such topics as finance; business law; ethics; tourism policy, management, and economics; hospitality marketing; risk management; and leadership. You may also have a research project or thesis to complete as part of earning an MBA in tourism, and some programs include internship opportunities for students.