Institute of Graduate Studies and Research

Tourism Management (PhD)

Duration 5 Years

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About
Curriculum
Entry Requirements
Fees & Scholarships

About the Program

Tourism Management Ph.D. aims to provide advanced education, designed to mold visionary scholars who will shape the future of global tourism. Furthermore, it offers a dynamic and interdisciplinary approach that combines academic rigor with practical insights, preparing graduates to lead in an era of sustainable tourism. Moreover, it aims to raise scholars who are not only experts in their chosen areas but also pioneers capable of driving positive change within the tourism landscape. In a world where tourism is a powerful catalyst for economic development, cultural exchange, and environmental impact, this Ph.D. program provides a chance for those who wish to influence policy, contribute groundbreaking insights, and lead initiatives that foster sustainable tourism practices, making a lasting impact on the global stage. This program opens doors to top-tier academic positions, research institutions, governmental bodies, and international organizations, enabling graduates to pursue impactful careers in their chosen fields.

Education Opportunities

Students undertake a total of seven Ph.D. courses in order to graduate from the Tourism Management Doctorate program. When students enroll, they may register for up to four courses per semester in the thesis program. Two of the seven courses in the program are compulsory, while the rest of the courses are elective. Students register for the program with the assistance of their course advisors who also guide students throughout the program. The library and the Institute of Graduate Studies and Research provide online and offline access to databases for students. Program advisors appoint a thesis supervisor when students enroll in the thesis/project. Students utilize a variety of databases to complete their thesis or project. They are encouraged to produce high-quality work to contribute to the literature on tourism and hospitality. Graduates are expected to produce at least one publication indexed in SSCI. Cyprus International University, School of Tourism and Hotel Management is accredited by the German accreditation body of FIBAA.

Career Areas

Graduates with a Ph.D. in Tourism Management are equipped to excel in a variety of dynamic and influential career fields. They can take academic leadership roles in universities, contributing to the education and development of future professionals in the field. The graduates can also get a chance to engage in advanced research, contributing to the academic knowledge base and shaping tourism-related policies at local, national, or international levels. On the other hand, they may offer specialized consultancy services to tourism businesses, government bodies, and international organizations. This Ph.D. may also pave the way for graduates to assume leadership roles in top-tier hotels, resorts, and hospitality enterprises. Upon having completed this program, the graduates may start and manage tourism-related businesses as well as leading initiatives promoting responsible and sustainable tourism practices. Additionally, the graduates may lead and advise on destination management strategies, helping regions and cities optimize their tourism potential.

Contact

Institute of Graduate Studies and Research
Graduate Sciences and Education Center, GE106
Tel: +90 392 671 1111 Extension: 2776
Institute E-mail: ciu-institute@ciu.edu.tr

Compulsory Courses

First Semester

ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS

Course code

TMAN601

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

The purpose of this course is to introduce approaches to social sciences research where students acquire knowledge on research plans and proposals, research methods, questionnaire design, research practice and survey analysis. Students also utilize the theoretical knowledge via practical sessions in the lab. The lab sessions consist of data input, frequency and descriptive analyses, correlational, and regression analyses. This subject provides an advanced knowledge to research methods and will cover three broad topics: research design, data collection, and data analysis. By the end of the course, students should be able to: formulate good research questions and design appropriate research, collect data, analyses both qualitative and quantitative data, and critically evaluate their own research and that of others.

ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY

Course code

TMAN603

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course will provide an overview of central organization theories discussing their relevance both in scientific and practical terms. The field of organization studies is characterized by a plurality of different theories which offer different approaches to studying the life in and around organizations. This lecture shows that the critical assessment of organizational phenomena can benefit from going beyond merely economic approaches and acknowledging also the wide range of relevant sociological and socio-psychological paradigms. In this vein, this lecture will present and discuss the diversity of perspectives for studying organizations: The historical development of different paradigms will be reflected, the different theoretical approaches will be presented and their practical relevance will be discussed.

AREA ELECTIVE

Course code

TMANXX1

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Second Semester

Philosophy of Science

Course code

PHIL601

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course will follow three main paths: Firstly it will introduce philosophy to doctoral students. The meaning of philosophy, its scope, its sub-branches and its different schools will be the subject topic of the first weeks. Then the course will focus on the relation of philosophy with the sources of knowledge and different sciences. Here, Rationalism, Empiricism and Intuitionism will be covered during the following weeks. In the remaining weeks the course will concentrate on philosophy of science and scientific ethics. Logical positivism, paradigm changes, falsificationism, the questions of “what is science”, “what is pseudo-science?”, “what is the relation between theory and reality?” are amongst topics that will be covered. Finally, the course will concentrate on ethical theories and will particularly cover scientific ethics.

DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

Course code

TMAN602

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course provides a summary of resort management and operations. The scope of these industries will be discussed along with the philosophies of successful marketing, management, and development of a resort. This course will introduce students to the operations of modern day resorts, including ski, golf, and gaming resorts. This will include a review of the history of resorts worldwide, and their operations and characteristics. Students will advance acquaintance to the wide range and high level of services and activities expected by resort guests and offered by today’s resorts. It trains students with skills to handle tourists/visitors, host communities, private sector and public sector at various destinations – to enable a destination achieve sustainability and enhance tourist visitor satisfaction.

AREA ELECTIVE

Course code

TMANXX2

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

AREA ELECTIVE

Course code

TMANXX3

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Third Semester

SEMINAR

Course code

TMAN690

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Seminar course should be successfully completed before Ph.D. dissertation. Students are introduced about the guidelines on how to decide about a research topic, how to carry out a research and how to correctly report and present their findings. Presentations and group discussions on selected topics related to the Tourism and Hospitality Management discipline are conducted during class hours. Students are able to improve their presentation skills while practicing in front of the audience. At the completion of the course, students will be equipped with the enough knowledge to write their Ph.D. dissertation proposals. For final exam all students has to submit their proposal.

Fourth Semester

QUALIFYING EXAM

Course code

TMAN650

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

The qualifying exam is to determine whether the student who has completed his / her courses and seminar has a depth of scientific research related to the basic subjects and concepts in the field and doctoral study. A student takes the qualifying exam at most two times. The students take the qualifying exam after the seminar and the required credit courses. The qualifying exam consists of two parts, written and oral. These exams are held on the days and hours announced by the monitoring committee, in the calendar set by the Administrative Board of the Institute. The Doctoral Qualifying Examination Jury evaluates the student's success in the written and oral exams and decides whether or not the student will be a doctoral candidate.

Fifth Semester

DISSERTATION

Course code

TMAN600

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

160

It is the process for Tourism and Hospitality Management Ph.D. Program students to prepare their Doctoral dissertation with the supervision of their academic dissertation supervisors. Supervisor (a faculty member) and student designate a research topic in collaboration and students submit the chosen topic. It must provide contributions to the tourism and hospitality management knowledge field and approved by the Administrative Board of the Institute. Dissertation is evaluated by a jury of five members which involves members from other universities. Ph.D. dissertation should involve the introduction, literature review, methodology, findings and discussion parts and should be written according to the formatting guidelines prepared by the Institute.

Elective Courses

CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM INDUSTRY

Course code

TMAN614

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course aims to investigate the complex and dynamic issues faced by tourism and hospitality industry. It is intended to provide students with a base knowledge of a wide range of contemporary topics via a widespread reading of peer-reviewed research in tourism and hospitality research. Topics may emerge from destination management and marketing, policy planning, competitiveness, services management and marketing, financial analyses and forecasting, human resource management, organizational behavior, and strategic management. Current research designs and methodologies related to hospitality and tourism will be examined and proposal development upon examining the methodologies is required. By the end of the course students will be able to express qualified opinions on many contemporary issues and consider future implications for the sector.

QUALITATIVE METHODS IN TOURISM RESEARCH

Course code

TMAN613

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course provides an education on broader qualitative approaches/methodologies that students who want to do qualitative research in the field of tourism can be used with the necessary methods they will need. The course aims to introduce students to qualitative research methods and discuss the suitability of these methods for different research areas and research questions. The course will encourage students to try using the primary methods for qualitative data collection and analysis. Students will also be able to collect and analyze and report on qualitative research data. Moreover, students will discuss the challenges and opportunities of publishing qualitative research. At the end of this course, students will be able to select and use the main approaches to characterize qualitative research in different situations accurately.

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN TOURISM INSTITUTIONS

Course code

TMAN611

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

All tourism sector enterprises should use strategic management theories in a systematic way to understand competitors in their environment and evaluate them for the purpose of developing competitive advantage. The aim of this course is to provide the students with the necessary training to gain strategic management and systematic thinking process. Students will evaluate methods of identifying relevant industry trends and integrating these with innovative strategy development and implementation. The subject will also further enhance your ability to critically analyses strategic management issues and effectively present result of this analysis in an engaging and information fashion. Students during the semester they learn how to evaluate the strategic management process and the relationship between strategy formulation, implementation and control.

Development of Sustainable Tourism Policies and Planning

Course code

TRHM506

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course informs students about the basic concepts and practices related to sustainable tourism policies and planning. Tourism requires effective planning for the development of sustainable and non-harmful, beneficial to the environment and economic development. This course will address the issues related to tourism planning today, process and future tourism planning. The course also aims to highlight the importance of local governments' decisions and practices in ensuring the sustainable development of tourism, and to develop new recommendations for decision makers in this regard. The aim of this lesson is to learn about planning studies in tourism and what needs to be done for the development of tourism during the adaptation of tourism concept of sustainability aiming to provide resources for future generations by protecting resources.

Marketing Strategies for Hospitality Operations

Course code

TRHM532

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course helps managers determine, select and implement strategies that will make their organizations more competitive on the market. The aim of this course is to present the concepts, methods and procedures that will enhance strategic (marketing management) decision-making to decision makers. Advanced marketing strategies will be transferred within this course. With this course, it is aimed to transfer the mentioned elements to the students through simulations for real marketing campaign developments for business in tourism and hospitality sector. This course also indoctrinates students the steps to be taken to achieve profit with effective advertising, sales and public relations management by developing market analytics, competition and product, (b) financial budget planning, and (c) short-term and comprehensive strategies will be examined.

Management and Organization for Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises

Course code

TRHM513

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course is structured to provide detailed information about the contemporary management practices to Master of Tourism Management students. This basic approach deals with information societies and organizations, information technologies, globalization and organizations, Total Quality Management approaches, basic competence, outsourcing, hybrid organizations, downsizing, lean organizations and cluster organizations. The main topics of management and organization are: development of management theory, organization theory and approaches of organization-environment relations, management process (planning, organizing, execution, coordination and control), organizational structures and new ideas and applications for organizational structure (strengthening, core competencies, organizational citizenship, intellectual capital, etc.) and general organizational culture will be covered.

LUXURY TOURISM

Course code

TMAN615

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

The aim of this course is to familiarize the students with luxury codes (specificities) and communication, and to emphasize that luxury marketing is different from the “classic” marketing used for the mass market .This course explains how the luxury business is built on strong branding, targeting a niche market, and assuring the long-term success of these unique goods. Students will understand how luxury travel implies improved product and service quality—for example, visitors choose to stay in luxury hotels because they offer larger rooms, pleasant physical settings, and higher service quality .Students study into the history of luxury to uncover its core and distinguish it from other industries. This course provides an insight into the different luxury markets around the world through focusing on their consumers.

ADVANCED CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

Course code

BUSN612

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

CASES IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Course code

BUSN620

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

The objective of this course is to equip students with appropriate theoretical and practical skills needed to analyze the situations given in cases about human resource management. The course contains the cases related to the human resource management functions such as recruitment process, career development, interview process, human resource management planning, training and orientation programme, performance management, equal employability, discrimination, sexual harassment, and etc. The students are responsible for reading the text and prepare the reports for every week based on the “case assessment guideline” which addresses the crucial topic from the human resource management theoretical perspective.

STATISTICAL COMPUTER APPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES

Course code

STAT602

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Entering the data collected to the computer, organizing and getting data ready for statistical analyses; normal distribution and sampling distribution of the mean; establishing confidence intervals; writing research questions, research hypotheses, null hypotheses; hypothesis testing. Descriptive statistics: Measures of central tendency and position measurements (arithmetic mean, median, peak, percentile and quartile); measures of variability (distribution width, variance, standard deviation); display of data. Inferential statistics: t-test applications (single-sample t-test, independent samples t-test, dependent samples t-test), analysis of variance applications (one-way ANOVA, two-way ANOVA, MANOVA, ANCOVA); correlations (Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients), partial correlation; multiple linear regression; exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses; reliability; non-parametric tests (Wilcoxon signed rank test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Chi-Square tests); interpreting and writing results of analyses.

STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT IN MARKETING SCIENCE

Course code

BUSN604

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course examines the classic and current topics and debates in marketing strategy field. The fundamental objective of this course is trying to expose each student to some of the thinking in marketing and in related disciplines like production and operational management, management and organization, finance and accounting from the business perspective. The course aims to enable students to understand the development of marketing thinking as well as discussing the basic theories used to explain marketing phenomena and their application areas. One of the most important contribution of this course to the students is to integrate strategic management theories with marketing theories. The course also address the development of students' ability and skills to critically discuss and evaluate recent published research.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP WISDOM

Course code

BUSN635

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course aims to furnish the students with the tools to analyze, evaluate and improve thinking skills. The most significant variable in determining success or failure is the quality of thinking and it is an indispensable trait for any advance academic study. Based on this perspective students will be encouraged to examine their thinking patterns and put it to some stern tests. After covering standards of thinking and advance thinking techniques, attention will be focused on managerial judgment and leadership wisdom. Managerial judgment and decision making based on wise leadership gained paramount importance in the ever changing and extremely complex environment of our times.

MANAGERIAL DECISION MAKING AND GAME THEORY

Course code

BUSN629

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

DATA ANALYSIS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN BUSINESS

Course code

BUSN631

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course covers a description of the research process in general and each of the steps involved in more detail. The course focuses on alternative ways of carrying out each step and guidelines for selecting among these alternatives according to the needs of a specific research problem. The course also describes using software packages like SPSS and interpretation of the results of data analysis. Course is designed to enable student to apply commonly used statistical techniques to different datasets. For this purpose, the course will focus on descriptive analysis, correlation, t-test, ANOVA, regression and mediation and moderation analysis. The students will use SPSS software to work on the datasets.

Philosophy of Science

Course code

PHIL601

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

TRNC
International

Students who are interested in pursuing advanced graduate studies leading to a master’s, doctoral degree or professional doctorate degree for the Fall and Spring semesters every year. Applicants can directly apply online to our graduate programs using the application portal.

TRNC Applicants- Required documents:

Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Diploma
Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree transcripts for each completed academic term/year.
Documents to prove English proficiency for English language departments,
Scanned copy of passport or identity card.

Click for detailed admission requirements information.

Students who are interested in pursuing advanced graduate studies leading to a master’s, doctoral degree, or professional doctorate degree for the Fall and Spring semesters every year. Applicants can directly apply online to our graduate programs using the application portal.

International Applicants- Required documents:

A valid Bachelor’s Degree and transcripts for each completed academic term/year.
A valid Master’s Degree and transcripts for each completed academic term/year.
Evidence of English Language competence: TOEFL (65 IBT) or IELTS (5.5). Students without these documents will take the CIU English proficiency exam on campus following arrival.
Scanned copy of international passport/birth certificate
CV
Ph.D. research proposal
Fully completed and signed CIU Rules and Regulations document (which can be downloaded during the online application)

Click for detailed admission requirements information.

Scholarships
Fees

Cyprus International University provides academic scholarships for its students as an incentive for success, with most students benefiting from 50%, 75% or 100% scholarships or discounted tuition fees. Click for more information.

Tuition Fees are determined at the beginning of each academic year. Candidate students who are entitled to enroll in CIU can learn their fees in line with the Tuition Fee Calculation system.