The HTW Chur (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft HTW Chur) in Switzerland is already renowned for its superlative array of undergraduate and graduate academic programs - after launching the English BBA in Tourism & Hospitality a few years ago, the university is now offering a Bachelor of Science in Tourism degree. Here is a complete FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) / guide to the program offered by the HTW.

Featured course:Full-time, all-English Bachelor of Science in Tourism degree program.

Why the Bachelor of Science in Tourism?
• By the end of 2007, tourism will account for over 10% of the global GDP, totalling approximately US$ 4.4 trillion, and will have provided for over 234 million jobs worldwide.
• This vibrant growth is placing increasingly sophisticated demands on management at virtually every level of tourism-oriented businesses, calling for professional and academic qualifications which are viable in an increasingly competitive and truly global setting.
• The HTW Bachelor of Science in Tourism degree program provides a solid foundation for a successful career in tourism or international business at large.

Core facts
• Swiss federally approved and internationally recognized degree program, delivered in the heartland of European tourism, in Switzerland’s oldest (5,000- year-old) town.
• Fascinating location – at the threshold to some of the world’s most renowned winter sport destinations (St. Moritz, Davos, and Arosa), and only a few hours from Paris, Milan, Prague, Vienna, Madrid, Amsterdam, Rome, and London.
• Dynamic real-world networking through international class composition and faculty.
• Program starts: September 17, 2007.
• Application deadline: May 25, 2007.

Details regarding the BSc in Tourism degree program and the HTW Chur
• Full-time degree program of 3 years’ duration, comprising 6 semesters of study for a total of 180 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits, reflecting a total student workload of 5,400 hours (including Bachelor’s thesis).
• Admission to international Master’s programs in tourism or business administration on a case-by-case basis.
• During the first two semesters, general international business administration subjects and issues are dealt with, whereas semesters three through six are dedicated to specific, international tourism-related subjects, and the chosen area of tourism specialization (Sports Management, Leisure Industry, or Tourism Marketing Management).
• The University of Applied Sciences HTW Chur, founded in 1963, is part of the University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland, with a current total enrolment of 4,200 students, and campuses in four different cities (St. Gallen, Rapperswil, Buchs, and Chur).
• Among these sister schools, the HTW Chur is the only institution to offer interdisciplinary courses offering technology studies on the one hand, and economics and business administration on the other. Approximately 1,400 students may choose from five Bachelor programs, a flexible advanced studies program providing a variety of specializations at master's degree level, and higher
vocational training courses. Eight institutes serve as the hub of knowledge and the transfer of innovation potential into the business community.
• In addition to tourism studies at Bachelor level, the HTW Chur offers programs in Management/Entrepreneurship, Information Studies, Telecommunications and Electrical Engineering, and Construction and Civil Engineering (partially in English).
• Classes are of a manageable size, allowing students to contribute und interact actively and learn efficiently while benefiting from the unique real-world networking experience afforded by an international student body.
• The faculty and administration not only provide a world-class education, but are also sincerely concerned about the students’ personal well-being. Social competence as well as integrated and interdisciplinary thinking are strongly encouraged. The development of the complete individual is perceived as requisite to the generation of innovative approaches to problem-solving leading in turn to purposeful and decisive action.
• International students greatly appreciate the support offered through our International Office, ranging from visa formalities, academic advisement, and identification of appropriate housing in Chur (as is the case with nearly all European universities, students live off-campus, usually sharing an apartment with several fellow students), to intercultural counseling.

Entry requirements
• Swiss Matura, German Abitur, French Baccalauréat, British A-levels (3), Russian Certificate of Secondary Complete General Education, or equivalent, i.e., a diploma of secondary education fulfilling university admission requirements in the country where secondary education was completed.
• Very good spoken and written English; if applicant is not a native speaker, his or her English skills must be documented by a passing score in either the TOEFL (minimum 550), IELTS (5.5 in the individual core sections), or Cambridge Advanced (grade of C).
• Twelve months’ documented work experience, preferably, but not necessarily, in a tourism context.
• Note: All applications are assessed on their individual merit.

A selection of the core subjects in the degree program
• General Business Management
• Organisational Psychology
• Tourism Marketing Management
• Destination Management and Marketing
• International Tourism Policy
• Innovation Management
• Intercultural Management
• Information Management in the Tourism Industry
• Cross Cultural Management
• Key Topics of Sociology: Cultures, Credos, Crises
• Globalism: Blessing or Curse

Typical clientele
• Academically successful and promising high school graduates from around the world, as well as young people with previous training and education in other fields who are interested in a dynamic career in international tourism.
• The HTW Chur Bachelor of Science in Tourism degree program is designed to appeal to individuals from around the world who are interested in pursuing a comprehensive qualification in tourism which dynamically combines theory with practice, in a country associated with excellence in education, a profound depth of historicity in tourism, and a uniquely attractive environment. Very good English skills, both spoken and written, are of course a must.
• In an overall sense, the HTW Chur BSc in Tourism degree program is intended to attract young people with management potential to the tourism and leisure industry, and to educate them comprehensively, thoroughly, and efficiently.
• More specifically, emphasis is laid on an integrated approach to tourism and leisure management, on a careful balance of exploration and investigation of management models, organization, events, services, and products.
• The students become thoroughly versed tourism experts, able to make a dynamic contribution to a variety of sectors of the international tourism industry.

Key benefits of studying in the Bachelor of Science program at the HTW Chur
• Studying at the HTW Chur in the Bachelor of Science in Tourism degree program provides our students, who come from all over the world, with a profound educational experience through highly qualified and internationally experienced faculty and a real-world blend of theory and practice on the one hand, and through the opportunity to establish long-lasting friendships with fellow students from around the globe on the other, and all this in a fascinatingly multilayered external cultural environment.
• Studying in the HTW Chur Bachelor of Science in Tourism program represents an excellent foundation for meaningful, challenging, and rewarding employment in the tourism and leisure industry.
• Synthesis of cutting-edge theory and real-world practice.
• Internationality of student body and faculty.
• Practical application of studies in a demanding international work environment.
• Small classes, excellent faculty – student ratio.
• Personalized on-site support through International Office, Career Office, and Student Counseling facilities.

Employment opportunities available to BSc in Tourism graduates
Our graduates find employment in such areas as (among others):
• Event and meeting management
• Sport management
• Destination management
• Eco-tourism
• Tourism marketing
• Tour operating
• Hotel management
• Restaurant management
• Care-facilities management (senior citizens’ homes, rehabilitation clinics, etc.)
• Tourism ministries and bureaus
• National Tourism Organizations
• Many other forms of international business at large

Tuition:

CHF 10,000 (approx. US$ 8,000) per semester, i.e., CHF 20,000 per year (approx. US$ 16,000), for tuition and study materials.
• Application fee: CHF 300 (approx. US$ 240, non-refundable).
• Mandatory security deposit: CHF 2,700 (approx. US$ 2,160) as one-time, partially refundable deposit for books, field trips, and security deposit required by Swiss immigration authorities for student visa/residence permit.
• Mandatory Swiss health and accident insurance: approx. CHF 1,800 per year (approx. US$ 1,440).
• Living costs (rent [shared apartment], utilities, food, public transport): approx. CHF 1,200 (approx. US$ 960) per month.

Please note that scholarships are not available through the HTW Chur, as the public University of Applied Sciences system throughout Switzerland does not receive subsidies from either the Swiss federal government or the individual “cantons” (counties).

Overall program schedule
The BSc in Tourism degree program starts on September 17, 2007 at the HTW Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (University of Applied Sciences) in Chur, Switzerland, and concludes in September 2010, with breaks for the winter holidays and the summer. Each semester comprises fourteen weeks of class, and one week of examinations.

Application to the Bachelor of Science in Tourism program
The Bachelor of Science in Tourism Program Brochure and Application Form may be downloaded from the website www.fh-htwchur.com, and specific instructions for completing the Application Form and package are given on the Application Form itself.

Application packages must be sent (hard copy) to:
University of Applied Sciences HTW Chur
Attn.: Ms. Nicole Massueger
BSc in Tourism Admissions Specialist
Comercialstrasse 22
CH-7000 Chur
Switzerland

Further information
Ms. Nicole Massueger
BSc in Tourism Admissions Specialist
Tel. +41 (0)81 286 39 34
Fax +41 (0)81 286 39 51
nicole.massueger (at) fh-htwchur.ch
www.fh-htwchur.com

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