Brief: Sustainable Tourism program approved

ECU’s Center for Sustainable Tourism recently received approval to begin their new Master’s of Science in Sustainable Tourism degree. The graduate program received approval from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors on Jan. 8.

According to Dr. Patrick Long, the director of the Center of Sustainable Tourism, “It’s an interdisciplinary program that integrates both science and business so that graduates will be prepared to enter the tourism profession or go on to other graduate work.”

Long explained that the new master’s program is essential for finding jobs in the future tourism industry. As existing tourism jobs turn over, employers will be seeking employees with a new set of skills, preferably skills that are focused on sustainability efforts. ECU’s Sustainable Tourism program hopes to provide these skills to their students.

Students who graduate from the Sustainable Tourism program will be able to work for the state and federal governments, specifically in jobs with the national parks, and the Fish and Wildlife organization.

One of the more interesting aspects of the program is that it is one of a kind. “We’re the only center in the country of this nature, the only one that focuses on research, academics and community outreach,” said Dr. Long, who also believes that the implementation of ECU’s graduate program will inspire other universities to adopt a similar program. Dr. Long also stated that ECU’s program would always be the first of its kind and that other programs will only model ECU’s program.

The interdisciplinary aspect of the program is also intriguing. The program utilizes seven departments within the university, including Hospitality Management, Geography and Economics. Dr. Long cites the hard work and initiatives of scholars within each of these seven departments as the reason for the existence of the program. “That grassroots initiative is where it really came together to be an interdisciplinary program,” explained Long.

Long, who was formerly the director for a Sustainable Tourism Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder, explained that during the review process, the degree program was well received at every level, even by the UNC Board of Governors, who had recently passed a sustainability program for the entire UNC system.

The MS in Sustainable Tourism program is also dedicated to providing its students with work experience while enrolled in the program. According to Long, all graduate students are working out of the center and are involved in various research projects.

Shannon Arnold, who graduated from ECU in 2008 with a degree in communication and hospitality management, is currently enrolled in the graduate program. After graduation, Arnold worked in the State Tourism office in Raleigh, where she met Dr. Patrick Long, who introduced her to the idea of a potential Sustainable Tourism program being brought to ECU.

“I realized that the industry was moving toward a sustainable approach and I had a knowledge of tourism but now of sustainable tourism,” Arnold said as her reason for joining the program. She also explained the benefits of working with such a novel program. “The best advantage is that we have a little bit of say-so in how the program is shaped. We can say if a class is applicable or not,” she explained.

Arnold also said that she was allowed input into how her personal class schedule is arranged. For example, she stated that she picks classes that are geared more toward the business aspect of tourism while other students may choose to focus on research.

There are currently only five students enrolled in the Master’s of Science of Sustainable Tourism, but Dr. Long stated that the program is currently accepting applications and hopes to add eight to 10 students for the upcoming fall semester.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.