The programme aims to provide students with the theoretical and practical knowledge that will ensure their excellent training for a professional career in the tourism labour market.
The aim of the programme is to provide knowledge and skills through the methodology of distance learning in “Tourism Management”, preparing young scientists who will be able to successfully manage positions in the tourism sector. The programme concerns an interdisciplinary field and promotes innovation and entrepreneurship in tourism, which is the largest sector of the Greek economy, contributing almost 20% of the domestic GDP.
The strategic aim of the School of Social Sciences of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) is to make the programme “Tourism Management” a reference point and a pole of development of distance tourism education. The objectives of the programme are to become a reference point and a centre of excellence in the field of tourism management.
- The promotion of the field of study of Tourism and its applications.
- The creation and development of tourism executives with theoretical and practical knowledge.
- To meet the needs of the labour market of the tourism sector. To cultivate and promote research in the field of tourism.
The main reasons that justify the need for the creation of a distance learning undergraduate programme in Tourism Management are identified as follows:
- The demand in Greece for undergraduate studies in Tourism is particularly high.
- Studies with similar content and thematic focus are not offered through distance education by the country’s Universities and TEI, thus excluding access to knowledge for those already working in the tourism sector who are unable to have a daily physical presence during their studies.
- The development of a modern and innovative curriculum in Tourism Management contributes to the competitiveness of the HOU, because it completes the offer of knowledge and skills from the undergraduate level to the postgraduate programme “Tourism Business Management”.
Quality Policy – pdf
Upon successful completion of the “Tourism Management” programme, its graduates are expected to:
- Have acquired a strong scientific background in a range of subjects related to Tourism Management and Tourism Enterprises/Organizations.
- Have developed the necessary scientific knowledge and skills in the field of Tourism Management and Tourism Enterprises/Organisations, which will enable them to pursue a career in both the private sector and the wider public sector.
- To understand the influences and interactions between economic conditions, funding opportunities, government policy, business environment and the tourism industry, both nationally and internationally.
- Have developed an extensive knowledge of the interdisciplinary elements of the tourism phenomenon that explain its nature and development at microeconomic and macroeconomic levels.
- Analyse the complexity of the economic dimension of tourism and its interconnection with tourism development and the implementation of tourism policy at national, regional or local level.
- As executives of their businesses and organisations, they are able to contribute to the design and implementation of business strategies and policies for tourism development, based on the analysis of market factors and the wider political, economic, social and technological environment.
- Critically evaluate and select appropriate economic and statistical methods and management techniques to solve problems arising in the context of their work in tourism enterprises and organisations.
- They can take initiatives to integrate in their business and organisation both new technologies and organisational changes appropriate to the evolving tourism environment.
- They have developed the necessary competences and lifelong learning skills required to ensure their continuing professional development and which will enable them to meet the requirements of relevant postgraduate studies, if they so wish.
Minimum Duration of Studies: 4 academic years
ECTS Credits of the Programme of Studies: 240
Classification according to the Unesco ISCED-2013 code:
- based on the field of education: 1015 – Travel, Tourism and Leisure
- based on the level of study: 6
Graduates of High Schools or holders of corresponding or similar secondary education degrees earned either abroad or in Greece.
Knowledge of a foreign language as well as familiarity with the use of computers, e-mail, and the Internet will significantly facilitate participation in the program.
The Programme of Studies lasts four (4) years divided into eight (8) semesters. The first seven (7) semesters comprise three (3) Thematic Units of ten (10) credit units (ECTS) each. The eighth semester comprises seven (7) Themes of ten (10) ECTS credits each, of which students are invited to choose three (3).
The structure of the Programme by year and semester is as follows:
First Year of Studies
1st Semester
2nd Semester
Second Year of Studies
3rd Semester
4th Semester
Third Year of Studies
5th Semester
Semester 6
Fourth Year of Studies
7th Semester
8th Semester
C: Compulsory
E: Elective
Selection Guidelines of Thematic Units:
Students may choose from one (1) to three (3) thematic units per semester. When selecting a unit for the first semester, it is recommended that students choose units DIT10 and DIT11, because these topics are useful in other units of the program. If they do not have sufficient time to study the above two subjects, it is recommended that they choose DIT10. If they have enough time to choose a third unit in addition to the two units, they may choose DIT12 in addition to DIT10 and DIT11.
In the process of registering for a unit, the thematic units of the previous semesters must be passed first and then the units of the next semester must be declared. For example, if a student has successfully completed one (1) unit from the first semester and in the second semester he/she wishes to select three (3) units, must necessarily register the remaining two (2) units from the first semester and one (1) from the second semester, and so on. In the eighth semester, students must select three (3) units from DIT41, DIT81, DIT82, DIT83, DIT84, DIT85 and DIT86.
The minimum duration of the programme is four (4) years. In order for students to complete the programme in four academic years, they must select 3 units in each semester of study.
In order to obtain the degree, the student must successfully complete 24 units of the programme.
Academic Supervision Committee
Georgios Ayomyrgianakis
Professor of HOU (President)
Gerasimos Zacharatos
Professor Emeritus, University of Patras
Andreas Papatheodorou
Professor of the University of the Aegean
Paris Tsartas
Professor of Harokopeion University
Dimitrios Stergios
Assistant Professor of HOU
Panagiota Dionysopoulou
Member of AES of the HOU
Evangelos Christou
Professor, International University of Thessaloniki
DIRECTOR of the PROGRAMME of STUDIES
George Agiomyrgianakis, Professor
e-mail: gmagios@eap.gr
Brief CV
THEMATIC UNIT COORDINATORS
The cost of each Thematic Unit is calculated in relation to the Credit Units, where one (1) Credit Unit (ECTS) amounts to 25€. According to the above, each Thematic Unit of the programme (10 ECTS) is priced at 250€ and the total tuition fees of the Undergraduate Programme of Studies amount to 6.000€.
For information about the programme contact:
Department of Student Registry
Contact number: 2610367305, 2610367302
Ε-mail: dit@eap.gr
