Year 2

In year 2, you choose the broad Leisure & Events Management programme or join one of six specialisations. Whichever direction you choose, you will learn a lot about the theory and practice of the leisure industry. You will work on real-life assignments for the industry, attend guest lectures and visit companies on a regular basis.  

It is also possible in the second year to switch to the three-year academic bachelor’s programme called Bachelor of Science Leisure Studies.

Year 3

During the third year, as in the second year, you will still attend a specialisation or study the broad Leisure & Events Management programme. Depending on the specialisation you have chosen, you will do a placement or gain sufficient work experience in another way in the second or third year. You will regularly return to school so that you can work on assignments and exchange experiences with fellow students.

Year 4

In the first half of the fourth year, students work on one large-scale project or a variety of smaller projects commissioned by the leisure industry within the scope of their minor track. You may, for instance, organise a festival, write policy plans or investigate the marketing activities of a sports club. The second half of the fourth year is reserved for your individual graduation assignment. At the request of an organisation from the industry, you will conduct research in your specialist area, give advice and make an implementation plan for this. 

Placement

In the second or third year, you will do a placement or gain work experience in another way. This depends on whether you have chosen a specialisation or the broad programme. If you undertake a placement, it will be a period of two sets of 20 weeks at two different companies, or you can spend 40 weeks at a single company. 

You will learn from a professional in the field and support them in their daily work. You will also work on assignments such as developing a sponsorship plan for a sports event, organising an event or, for example, conducting a target group analysis for the cultural sector or an amusement park. You can do your placement in the Netherlands or abroad. Breda University of Applied Sciences has a large international network and will help you find the right placement. Occasionally, you come back to school to exchange experiences and learn from each other.

Exchange

Spending time studying abroad offers you the opportunity to push your boundaries, both literally and figuratively. You expand your international network, learn another language and gain more insight into intercultural differences (and similarities!). Breda University of Applied Sciences has contacts with numerous universities all over the world where you can go as an exchange student. 

Minor

During a minor, you can choose whether you want to delve deeper into your current field of study or broaden your horizons in a different subject. You can choose to take a minor at BUas. Check out all the minors that BUas offers here. You can also choose a minor at another university of applied sciences in the Netherlands or go abroad.

Pre-master

If you would like to study Leisure and Tourism in greater depth, our Pre-master Leisure and Tourism Studies might be just what you are looking for. You will start this pre-master’s track after your professional bachelor’s degree. The track lasts one year, after which you can move on to the academic master’s programme of Leisure and Tourism Studies at Breda University of Applied Sciences (one year). So, if you did a three-year (short) bachelor’s degree, you can obtain your academic master’s degree in only five years’ time in total! 

In addition, we offer all students the opportunity to attend the Strategic Business Management and Marketing (SBM) pre-master’s track in their final year of study. Successful completion of this track will give you direct access to various Master of Science programmes in business-related studies at our partner universities, such as the university of Amsterdam, Maastricht, Tilburg, Brussel (B) or Warwick (UK). After this pre-master’s you may also choose to move on to our academic master’s programme in Leisure and Tourism Studies. In other words, it will be possible for you to earn an academic master’s degree within five years’ time or, after having completed an accelerated three-year track, even within four year’s time!  

The Leisure & Events Management programme is very diverse. You will work in what are called learning communities, in which you collaborate a lot with fellow students, your lecturers and the professional field. You will work on joint and individual projects. You will attend workshops and guest lectures, as well as visit companies in the field. 

This programme is available in Dutch and English. If you choose English, you will join an international class. The mix of students and lecturers from the Netherlands and abroad naturally brings more attention to intercultural differences; not only in education but also in international projects and excursions. This enhances international cooperation and atmosphere, preparing you even better for an international career. 

In the Dutch-language programme, it may happen that you take projects or guest lectures in English. In addition, some of the literature used may be in English. The working language on our campus is English. 

You may expect to spend a full working week on your studies, averaging 40 hours per week. Of course, this also depends on your approach and motivation. Experience has shown that students often have a lot to do in the final weeks of a term. Throughout your studies, you will be guided by lecturers and coaches. In a personal and accessible environment, you will have the opportunity to develop yourself as much as possible. 

A typical week

Each week is arranged differently. The number of days with classes varies from week to week. Below is an example of a typical week. 

Monday 

• 10.00 – 12.00 hrs: Guest lecture by a company from the industry  
• 12.00 – 13.00 hrs: Lunch  
• 13.00 – 15.00 hrs: Working together with your project group   

Tuesday  

• 10.00-12.30 hrs: Check-in with your coach about the project  
• 12.30-13.00 hrs: Lunch 
• 13.00-15.00 hrs: Presentation by an events agency    

Wednesday 

• 9.00 - 12.30 hrs: Check-in by project group and class about your project  
• 12.30-13.00 hrs: Lunch 
• 13.00-15.00 hrs: Personal and Professional Development: lecture on preparing for the oral examination   

Thursday

• 13.00-15.00 hrs: Financial Management 
• 15.00-16.00 hrs: English 

Friday  
Independent study 

Student well-being
BUas encourages and helps you to make the most of yourself, whatever your circumstances. Maybe you have a chronic illness, are a family carer, a competitive athlete, or juggle your studies with running your own business? Our study coaches, student counsellors and student psychologists are here to help. Do you need extra support or advice? Or extra facilities? Then take a look at the options here.

After your propaedeutic phase, you can choose to continue with the regular study programme of Leisure & Events Management, or you can opt for one of the specialisation areas. The specialisation areas are offered in English and in Dutch. Within the Dutch-taught variant, you will study a substantial part of the programme in Dutch, such as certain meetings and sessions, and creating documents and products. The literature and theory lectures may still be offered in English though. This will prepare you for a career in the Netherlands, but with the capacity of maintaining relations and cooperating with the international market. 

Leisure & Events Management (regular study programme)

At Leisure & Events Management, we train you to become the future leisure manager with a broad perspective on the industry and a modern vision of society. As society and the leisure sector are constantly evolving, it is essential to stay updated on the latest trends and developments. In recent years, we have witnessed the growing importance of topics such as sustainability, well-being, and corporate social responsibility, in which the leisure sector plays a crucial role. 

Through various projects, including marketing, you will work on developing your professional competencies. You will learn how to create leisure concepts and involve various stakeholders in solving challenges together. This is done in a deliberate and future-oriented manner, ensuring that the planet is not harmed and that the well-being of people is enhanced.

Throughout the program, you will get acquainted with inspiring organizations in the leisure sector through field trips, guest lectures, study trips, and collaborations with external clients. We offer a wide range of opportunities, allowing you to explore which subsector or role best aligns with your ambitions and talents.

Attractions & Theme Parks Management

From the second year, you can choose to pursue the two-year Attractions & Theme Parks Management (ATPM) track. This is a specialisation offered to students from the Tourism Management, Facility Management, and Leisure & Events Management programmes.

Why this specialisation?
The number of attraction and theme parks is still growing and the competition is fierce. It’s not just theme parks that are constantly reinventing themselves; holiday resorts, zoos, shopping centres and museums - to name a few examples from your future field of work - also focus more and more on creating memorable experiences. In addition, there is still much to gain in terms of corporate social responsibility. In short, things can and must change to become more experiential and more sustainable. 

A new generation of managers
There is great demand for a new generation of managers capable of creating successful and meaningful concepts and experiences (concept design) from a business perspective (business design). In this specialisation, you will learn how to innovate products and services to create added value for both visitors and the company you work for.

The challenge
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all business model in the world of attraction and theme parks. The challenge is to make the right combinations and come up with something that makes you stand out and builds goodwill. An example? Zoos are making a turn towards a more ethical and educational approach, whereas museums are adding a bit more experience and interaction. And theme parks try to immerse people in complete themed worlds. Digitalisation, AI and sustainability are playing an increasing role at all parks, and we also pay a lot of attention to these themes within BUas. 

What will you do?
You will dive into the world of marketing, finance, workforce planning and safety, because you need that knowledge. But you will also explore the fields of Hospitality, Imagineering and Storytelling. You will work on your creative leadership skills and learn about change management. Each course is linked to a real client from the world of attractions. During your studies, you can do a placement at ‘world parks’ such as Walt Disney World in Orlando, Europa-Park, and Efteling. 

More information can be found on the website of Attractions & Theme Parks Management.

Sports & Esports

Sports and esports play a crucial role in today’s society. They socially connect people, provide identity, are key to health, vitality and personal development. In addition, these sectors are major contributors to the leisure industry and therefore play a huge economic role.

Everybody is familiar with the sports sector which builds upon a huge history and tradition. However, esports is catching up quickly to become the fastest growing leisure sector in terms of participants, fans and economic value. Not only with sports-themed games such as FIFA or Formula 1, but also industry-leading games such as League of Legends, Fortnite or Counterstrike. Huge numbers of participants are involved in gaming and from a financial perspective the sector is larger than, for example, Netflix and all cinemas together.

At BUas we focus on the experience of sports & esports, not so much from the participant’s perspective (practising or assisting in (e)sports, professionally or otherwise), but more from the perspective of spectators and fans. Additionally, you will always study both sectors in this specialisation. Rather than focusing on one specific game or sport, the programme looks primarily at what these industries and (e)sports can learn from each other.

You will discover how to fuse insights from both industries and how to create new impactful and meaningful experiences for fans and enthusiasts. Regarding your professional career, this specialisation prepares you for work in various organisations in both sectors. For example, helping sports and esports organisations with creating the best possible and most innovative sports and esports experiences, but also supporting brands using sports and esports for branding and marketing purposes.

In Sports & Esports, we collaborate with real clients in the sports and esports industries. And for esports projects, we even have our own gaming facility where we can make use of all gaming and livestream equipment. This game facility can also be used for leisure to make friends or compete against other students.

With the specialisation, we also go on study trips to explore sports and esports beyond the borders of the Netherlands. We visit a city and various sports and esports organisations. Of course, we also occasionally engage in sports or gaming activities for fun with and against each other.

Live Music & Dance Events

Live Music and Dance Events is a specialisation that focuses on live music and dance events (music festivals, pop venues, clubs) at the heart of the leisure industry. The central theme of this specialisation is creating and organising sustainable events in the live music and dance industry with social and economic impact.

Within the Live Music and Dance Events specialisation you will be trained to set to work as a concept/programme developer, marketeer, manager or production leader at a music festival or pop venue. A professional field that is constantly changing due to impacts of social trends such as sustainability, big data, or crowd safety. You will be working in a flexible world in which operating independently as well as in networks and an ability to handle peak periods are key. 

Live Music and Dance Events is a specialisation for students who are flexible, have a great passion for music events (in whatever form), and have the ambition to work together and discover the industry, but also have a vision of the future of the industry. All this is offered in a free programme structure in which personal development is essential.

Social Innovation

Starting in your second year, you can dive into the three-year Social Innovation track. This is an ideal choice for anyone studying Tourism, Facility or Leisure & Events who is socially conscious and eager to make a meaningful contribution.  

Social Innovation is all about coming up with solutions with people, not just for them. You will team up with fellow students in the Performatory on campus to brainstorm creative solutions to societal issues in areas like health, equality, human rights, and the environment.

Examples of project challenges include:

• Finding ways for tourism to benefit local communities
• Organising a dance party for people experiencing homelessness 
• Designing future-ready workspaces

You will tackle real-world problems for all kinds of organisations, just think of sports events organisers, theatres, museums, festivals, and also healthcare institutions and governments. You will often work across different sectors, collaborating with new people while expanding both your network and experience.

Social Innovation at BUas boasts a vibrant community with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. A unique aspect of this track is that you get to shape your own learning journey.

You will choose your own topics and projects within a clear framework. Each year, you will engage in about eight hands-on projects, utilising design-thinking skills. What’s more, you will work in self-chosen teams, mixing with students from other years and programmes.

Events for Business

Events for Business is a specialisation in which events are used as a means to achieve business goals, such as branding, marketing communication, team building or relationship building. Events have proven to be a powerful tool to add emotional value to a message you want to communicate.  

Many companies outside the leisure sector organise events to promote new brands or launch new products. Think, for example, of Coca-Cola, Apple or car brands. Specialist event agencies create and organise campaigns centred around events for these major brands. You will learn more about major event venues such as RAI Amsterdam, Jaarbeurs Utrecht and Ahoy Rotterdam, which have plenty of facilities for organising business conferences and exhibitions. You will also learn more about the corporate events market and how the international event sector is developing.

You will be trained to become part of a new generation of innovative and strategic events professionals, capable of creating live or hybrid events or series of events to give meaning to organisations, cities, regions or countries. This can be as a project manager, marketer, brand (city) manager, concept designer, data analyst or marketing and communication specialist. Are you creative, empathetic, have a hands-on mentality, good social qualities and the drive to discover the business market together with fellow students and graduates? Then this specialisation is perfect for you! 

Urban Life & Placemaking

This specialisation focuses on leisure taking place in cities and all the aspects playing a role there - looking from a social, economic and spatial perspective, in many different situations. 

This is as broad as the transformation of an old industrial site into a new vibrant cultural area, a cultural festival which links to the identity of a city and daily leisure in neighbourhoods in skateboard parks, community centres or small theatres. 

The city offers a dynamic context for leisure activities in all kinds of areas - such as culture, sports, events and hospitality. During your study, you will be guided in finding your topics of interests, work with projects for real clients and on top of that you even get the chance to live in a city abroad for 5 months! 

In this specialisation we pay attention to subjects such as concepting, place branding, community development and vision. Stakeholder engagement, gentrification, city interventions, well-being of residents and a sense of place are key words within Urban Life & Placemaking.

In the first year, you will visit one or more companies. Depending on the specialisation you choose in the second year, you will go on a field trip in year 2 or 3. From the second year onwards, you will also visit various companies in the Leisure & Events industry.  

Depending on your previous education, you may complete the programme in three years. We also offer a special mhbo track for students with a havo diploma. 

Vwo

How does it work?
If you choose the three-year track, you will start in the second year of the programme and skip the first year. This study track is only accessible if you have a vwo diploma* or similar foreign diploma. This first year is your propaedeutic year, which means it comes with a binding study recommendation of 60 ECTS credits. 

Specialisations or regular programme 
In your first and second year, you can attend the regular Leisure & Events Management programme or choose a specialisation. Here’s a list:

- Regular Leisure & Events Management programme
- Attractions & Theme Parks Management
- Social Innovation
- Live Music & Dance Events
- Urban Life & Placemaking
- Events for Business
- Sports & Esports

For more information on the specialisations, click on ‘Specialisations’ in the menu.

You indicate your preference for either the regular programme or one of the specialisations when you apply for the study programme in Studielink. For applications submitted after 1 May, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to take part in the specialisation of your choice. It is always possible to attend the regular programme.

Placement and exchange
During your studies, you will do a placement for a company in the Netherlands or preferably abroad. You can also go on an exchange for six months at one of our partner universities.

Minor and graduation 
In the final year of your study programme, you choose a minor in which you will study a specific theme, such as esports or crowd safety. Because BUas is affiliated with Kies op Maat, you can choose a minor both within and outside BUas, offering you a wide range of options. In addition to your minor, you will carry out an individual graduation assignment that demonstrates your readiness to become a capable, entry-level leisure manager. 

Interested?
If you are interested in the three-year track, also known as the compact programme, and/or if you have questions about the content or set-up of the programme, please contact us via [email protected]. If you have administrative questions or questions about certain procedures, such as prior education and admission requirements, please contact Student Office at [email protected]

*You have obtained a vwo diploma with the appropriate profile. With the vwo c&m profile, you will not be admissible to a fast track after eliminating the deficiency (at havo level).

Tailor-made track for havo graduates

Are you almost finished with ‘havo’ but in doubt about a direct transfer to ‘hbo’? Then we have a solution for you: an 'mhbo' track. Together with De Rooi Pannen, BUas offers a programme that allows you to obtain an ‘mbo’ diploma (level 4) and an ‘hbo’ diploma in your field of interest in five years!

If you are thinking of further education in tourism, media or the events industry, you may want to consider this option: mhbo Tourism | Leisure | Creative Business

You take this fast-track level 4 programme at De Rooi Pannen in Tilburg or Breda. After two years, you will obtain your ‘mbo’ diploma and have a choice of three ‘hbo’ programmes at BUas. Here you will enter in the second year: 

• hbo (professional) bachelor Creative Business
• hbo (professional) bachelor Leisure & Events Management  
• hbo (professional) bachelor Tourism Management

In other words, you have a little more time to discover your talent: you don’t have to choose your ‘hbo’ programme until after two years. 

Read here how the tailor-made track for havo pupils works (in Dutch). 

 

At BUas you are trained to become an entrepreneurial professional. In all the professional bachelor’s programmes, you are given the opportunity to develop your entrepreneurial skills. Alongside your studies, you can join BUas Startup Support, BUSS. BUSS organises (networking) events and connects student startup entrepreneurs, there is even the possibility to apply for guidance from your own startup coach.

You can also graduate within BUas with your own company! Every academy offers this opportunity, though a selection process may apply. Maybe, by that time, you already have a small profitable business or have plans to start one? BUas Startup Support can help you.

More information on how to start your own business.