Northern Tourism 

The master’s degree programme in Northern Tourism comprises 120 ECTS credits, which equals two years of full-time study. The studies include major subject studies in tourism research, UArctic-endorsed core courses in Arctic tourism, research methodology courses, as well as elective studies that you can choose based on your own interests and career goals. The master’s thesis will develop your ability to conduct independent research and engage in scientific dialogue. 

During your studies, you will strengthen your skills as a researcher, delve into multidisciplinary tourism research and explore questions related to sustainable tourism, especially in the Arctic context. You will enhance your expertise in responsible planning and in producing and comparing knowledge from multiple perspectives. You will also participate in hands-on activities, such as a field course, where we address practical challenges related to northern tourism. 

We work closely with businesses, non-profit organisations, local communities and both national and international research networks.  

Students of northern tourism are admitted directly into the major of tourism research to pursue a master’s degree in social sciences. In the master’s degree programme, you will deepen your understanding of multidisciplinary approaches to sustainability and tourism, especially in the context of the Arctic. 

The graduates will be the experts who steer the development of the Arctic towards a more sustainable direction and hold the contemporary know-how of the present-day challenges facing economic growth in the North. You will have the opportunity to create networks with scholars and stakeholders across the Arctic region during your studies.   

Career opportunities in the field of tourism can include working in various roles as a tourism expert. These roles may be found in private companies or as a consultant providing specialised advice to different stakeholders. You could also work in destination management organisations, or as a planner involved in tourism development. There are also opportunities to pursue an academic career and to engage in research as a doctoral candidate. The Master of Social Sciences degree qualifies you also to apply for public positions and offices that require a higher university degree. 

Go international at University of Lapland

As a student at the University of Lapland, you have the possibility to gain international experience for example by going on an exchange or doing an internship abroad, participating on a short mobility, becoming a My Global Diary Ambassador or an international tutor! In addition to language and cultural knowledge, international experience gives you many acquirements for your future career.

Students of Northern Tourism are especially encouraged to utilise the opportunities for a short exchange in one of the Nordic network partners.

Our goal is that each student earns a degree that gives them acquirements for internationality and strengths in international labour markets. The goals of international competencies will be discussed with your teacher tutor and will be planned as a part of your personal study plan. Student exchange is always planned carefully in such a way that all credits completed abroad can be transferred to your degree. You can complete a minor subject abroad, individual courses that are a part of your degree, an internship or specialisation studies that are not offered at the University of Lapland.

Get to know the international possibilities and find the right choice for you to gain international experience!

The Master of Social Sciences degree provides eligibility for doctoral studies.

Our programme, with a focus on sustainable development, represents the so-called Nordic School of Tourism Studies. It emphasises a responsible, creative and critical approach to tourism research, planning and development. The programme is built on research collaboration within the Thematic Network on Northern Tourism of the University of the Arctic. The main goal of the network is to address gaps in knowledge about northern tourism through comparative, circumpolar research and education. 

We collaborate with our core partners on various research projects. Most recently, we have explored topics such as mobilities in peripheral areas, tourism in the era of environmental crisis, employment, animal agency, ethics, diverse economies, slow tourism and proximity tourism, as well as storytelling.

Arctic research collaboration

Our master’s degree programme is based on research collaboration of the thematic network on Northern Tourism within the University of the Arctic. We collaborate with our core partners in the programme in various research projects. Some of our recent projects include: 

• Tourism Employment in the Arctic: Towards Decent Work (subprojects led by University of Iceland, Umeå University and University of Lapland, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, 2025–2027) 

• The Contested Nature of Allemannsretten. Renegotiating local customs together with small scale farmers in periphery landscapes (led by UiT the Arctic University of Norway, funded by The Research Council of Norway, 2021–2025) 

• Arctic Five Chair in Tourism. Rethinking tourism in climate emergency (led by University of Lapland, 2022–2023) 

• Mobilities on the margins – creative processes of place making (led by University of Iceland, funded by the Icelandic Research Fund, 2020–2023) 

• Envisioning proximity tourism with new materialism (led by University of Lapland, funded by the Academy of Finland, 2019–2023) 

• Partnership for Sustainability: Arctic Tourism in Times of Change (subprojects led by University of Lapland, Umeå University and University of Iceland, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, 2018–2021)