This module is designed to provide the students with the key concepts and issues of importance in assessing and managing the impacts of tourism and events. It aims to develop the student's capacities to assess the impacts on living destinations with the key concepts and philosophies of sustainable management as a tool to combat these impacts. It explains the foundations of sustainable development, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), and sustainable tourism internationally and in Ireland. It develops a critical awareness of economies, marketing, certification and management of sustainable tourism.

1. Critically evaluate the economic, environmental, and socio-cultural impacts of tourism and events
2. Appraise the different contexts of sustainable planning, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), European Tourism Indicator System (ETIS), and Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) sustainable tourism indicators for evidence-based sustainable management at the destination level
3. Examine a range of specialised impact assessment systems to measure, monitor, and manage the impacts of tourism and events
4. Exercise knowledge, skills, and understanding to sustainably manage the impacts of tourism and events

This module will develop a critical understanding of strategic policy development and planning approaches for tourism and event management organisations. It will advance capacities for strategic thinking and problem-solving within the industry including DMC's (Destination Management Companies), and the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sectors. Strategic policy development and planning for tourism and event management is critically explored, which is underpinned by environmental, economic, and socio-cultural sustainability values encompassing relevant stakeholder consensus.

1. Critically evaluate the strategic tourism and event planning and policy development process
2. Align the different contexts of tourism policy formation and the tourism planning process strategically, from an organisation’s perspective
3. Critically evaluate an organisation’s capacity for tourism planning and policy formation through the lens of sustainable development
4. Implement capacities of knowledge, skills, practices, and strategic thinking for planning and policy for tourism and events

This module aims to provide students with an understanding of the linkages between sustainability and experiential and engagement marketing. It explores how experiential and engagement marketing can be utilised to encourage more sustainable consumption and positively impact organisational performance. Students will assess contemporary marketing and sustainability theory, which will be applied in practical scenarios.

Throughout the module, students will critically review, discuss and reflect on experiential and engagement marketing from the perspective of sustainability. Traditional and digital marketing approaches will be considered, supporting students to complete an applied strategic marketing plan for a specific destination/organisation.

1. Critically evaluate sustainable experiential and engagement marketing and its significance in today’s marketing landscape.
2. Critically assess the key principles and considerations for incorporating sustainability into experiential and engagement marketing campaigns.
3. Design marketing strategies for different target audiences.
4. Develop a sustainable experiential and engagement marketing plan that aligns with brand values and achieves desired marketing objectives.
5. Evaluate the impact of sustainable experiential marketing on brand reputation, customer engagement, and business sustainability.

The aim of this module is to allow students understand the importance of a sustainability leadership strategy which embeds ESG in all aspects of the value chain from processes to operations and to create a tangible plan which addresses the impacts of climate change for destination/organisational transformation which will enhance brand and societal value.

1. Critically evaluate the key aspects of environment, social, and governance (ESG).
2. Critique the role of the destination/organisation and its relationship to the wider environment in which it operates.
3. Assess the key leadership attributes required for effective ESG implementation.
4. Develop a systems thinking approach for effective ESG Management using the six capitals – financial, manufactured, intellectual, human, social and relationship, and natural.

This module will develop a critical understanding of measuring and monitoring for sustainable tourism and events management. It will advance strategic understanding and capacity to develop and apply methodologies for sustainable tourism and event management metric calculation and evaluation. Through theoretical underpinning and practical implementation, monitoring and measurement systems will be applied within a destination development and management context.

1. Critically evaluate the application of key concepts, theories, principles, models and sustainable tourism indicators for measuring and monitoring tourism and events
2. Comprehend the relationship and apply the theory for measuring and monitoring sustainable indicators to ensure evidence-informed planning
3. Evaluate monitoring and measurement tools’ capability to accurately measure complex sustainable tourism and event metrics.
4. Formulate and evaluate a process of sustainable tourism and event measurement and monitoring

This module will provide the learner with the necessary research skills to undertake a level 9 research project. Learners will critically review literature, engage with their ontological and epistemological position; the paradigms and methodologies of the research study; methods of data collection and data analysis. The learner will gain the knowledge, skills and competencies to determine the appropriateness of individual methods in given research contexts. Issues of research ethics, validity and reliability of chosen paradigms and methods will also be discussed and debated. Learners will develop research project management skills that are applicable not only to conduct a significant research project but also to their future leadership activities.

A number of research methodologies and methods of data collection will be explored as part of this module allowing students to enhance their research and professional leadership capacity and capability simultaneously whilst also drawing on strands of leadership from taught modules.

1. Critically evaluate existing knowledge and its application to the student’s chosen research area.

2. Develop a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, generally informed by the forefront of research in their chosen area.

3. Analyse paradigms of research enquiry and explicate where chosen paradigms fit within their research area of interest.

4. Expertly discuss and propose a range of data collection and analysis tools and techniques relevant to their study.

5. Judge the importance of ethics to any research study and incorporate this within their research proposal.

6. Demonstrate a critical understanding of appropriate project management skills to ensure successful completion of level 9 research project.

In this module, the learner will undertake an individual research/capstone project in a core area of the programme. The objective of the research/capstone project is to provide an independent and critical appraisal of an issue, in which the learner is required to demonstrate their ability in advanced research, designing and executing methodological approaches, concept development and reporting. This will allow the learner to investigate a real-life professional issue/area of interest, using knowledge skills and competencies acquired at earlier stages of the programme.

Learners will select, modify and apply research skills, to critically analyse, research independently and formulate responses to unpredictable, complex problems, to develop new knowledge, ideas, processes, procedures. They will decide on a work plan, examine and define the issue(s), undertake a critical review of existing literature, decide the methodology and method appropriate to undertake the project, evaluate evidence-based conclusions and prepare and present their findings. The work will cumulate with the submission of a research dissertation/capstone project report, where the learner will be required to present their project and partake in a viva voce examination.

1. Develop a research methodology and project plan for a research/capstone project, including critically evaluating the effectiveness of any research approach identified.
2. Critically examine literature and draw inferences from this body of knowledge to further knowledge and understanding of an unfamiliar and/or ill-defined problem
3. Select and applya range of standard and specialised research or equivalent tools and techniques of enquiry to the research project.

4. Interpret, critique and synthesise data that is state of the art in a relevant area.
5. Carry out the research/capstone project in an ethical manner.
6. Produce a research/capstone dissertation in a format appropriate to a level 9 award that details and evaluates the work undertaken and justifies the conclusions reached.
7. Demonstrate the validity of the research process undertaken.