Graduate Curriculum Committee Course Proposal Form
for Courses Numbered 6000 and Higher
Note: Before completing this form, please carefully read the accompanying instructions.
Submission guidelines are posted to the GCC Web site: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/gcc/index.cfm
1. Course prefix and number:
SUTO 6600
2. Date:
2-13-2012
3. Requested action:
X New Course
Revision of Active Course
Revision & Unbanking of a Banked Course
Renumbering of an Existing Course from
from
to
#
Required
X
#
Elective
4. Method(s) of delivery (check all boxes that apply for both current/proposed and expected
future delivery methods within the next three years):
Current or
Proposed Delivery
Method(s):
Expected
Future Delivery
Method(s):
On-campus (face to face)
X
Distance Course (face to face off campus)
X
Online (delivery of 50% or more of the instruction is offered online)
5. Justification (must cite accreditation and/or assessment by the graduate faculty) for new course
or course revision or course renumbering:
This course offers an international study experience of sustainable tourism and its management as this is a
critical means to foster awareness of global issues, sensitivity to cultures different from one’s own, and
expand one’s world-view (gap in program). No such course was needed when the curriculum was
originally approved but now the members of the Master of Science in Sustainable Tourism Graduate
Program Committee have designed and approved this course. Currently, there are neither accreditation
standards nor an accreditation body for sustainable tourism thus we are building upon best practice and
successful sustainable actions in tourism.
How this course fills gap
 Provides the academic structure for an important learning experience for the MS-ST students.
 Allows the degree program to offer a comprehensive overview of sustainable tourism research to
students through an international experience.
 Keeps ECU’s MS-ST degree program competitive with programs of other universities.
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Revised 04-06-11 and posted fall of 2011. Further revised based upon GCC input received 9/5/2012.
6. Course description exactly as it should appear in the next catalog:
SUTO 6600. Study Abroad in International Sustainable Tourism and Management (3) P: Consent of
instructor. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 s.h. Sustainable management of natural and cultural
resources in international settings.
7. If this is a course revision, briefly describe the requested change:
NA
8. Course credit:
Lecture Hours
0
0
0
0
0
Lab
Studio
Practicum
Weekly
OR
Weekly
OR
Weekly
OR
Weekly
OR
0
0
0
0
0
Per Term
Credit Hours
Per Term
Credit Hours
Per Term
Credit Hours
Per Term
Credit Hours
Internship
Weekly OR
Per Term
Credit Hours
Other (e.g., independent study) Please explain. Travel course consisting of
cultural orientation sessions, traditional class time discussions based on
readings, site analysis, learning from guest speakers from the country of
destination and through group and individual projects.
Total Credit Hours
0
0
0
0
0
3
s.h.
s.h.
s.h.
s.h.
s.h.
s.h.
3
s.h.
15
9. Anticipated annual student enrollment:
10. Changes in degree hours of your programs:
Degree(s)/Program(s)
Changes in Degree Hours
NA
NA
11. Affected degrees or academic programs, other than your programs:
Degree(s)/Program(s)
Changes in Degree Hours
RCLS, GEOG
12. Overlapping or duplication with affected units or programs:
Not applicable
Documentation of notification to the affected academic degree programs is
X attached. (RCLS, GEOG)
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Revised 04-06-11 and posted fall of 2011. Further revised based upon GCC input received 9/5/2012.
13. Council for Teacher Education (CTE) approval (for courses affecting teacher education):
X Not applicable
Applicable and CTE has given their approval.
14. University Service-Learning Committee (USLC) approval:
X Not applicable
Applicable and USLC has given their approval.
15. Statements of support:
a. Staff
Current staff is adequate
X
Additional staff is needed (describe needs in the box below):
b. Facilities
X Current facilities are adequate
Additional facilities are needed (describe needs in the box below):
c. Library
X
Initial library resources are adequate
Initial resources are needed (in the box below, give a brief explanation and an
estimate for the cost of acquisition of required initial resources):
d. Unit computer resources
X
Unit computer resources are adequate
Additional unit computer resources are needed (in the box below, give a brief
explanation and an estimate for the cost of acquisition):
e. ITCS resources
X
ITCS resources are not needed
The following ITCS resources are needed (put a check beside each need):
Mainframe computer system
Statistical services
Network connections
Computer lab for students
Software
Approval from the Director of ITCS attached
16. Course information (see: Graduate Curriculum and Program Development Manual for
instructions):
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Revised 04-06-11 and posted fall of 2011. Further revised based upon GCC input received 9/5/2012.
a. Textbook(s) and/or readings: author(s), name, publication date, publisher, and
city/state/country. Include ISBN (when applicable).
The primary required texbook will be:
De Botton, A. (2004). The Art of Travel. Vintage Publishing: London.
ISBN-10: 0375725342 and ISBN-13: 978-0375725340
Other examples of required readings/resources would be:
General Information about the country of focus
 The World Factbook. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed at
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html.
 US Department of State. Accessed at http://www.state.gov/misc/list/index.htm. Millennium
Development Goals: Indicators and Monitor, United Nations. Accessed at
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/stats.shtml.
 United Nations World Tourism Organization Highlights. Accessed at
http://mkt.unwto.org/en/content/tourism-highlights.
General Sustainable Tourism/ Ecotourism Articles
 Butcher, J. (2005). The Moral Authority of Ecotourism: A Critique. Current Issues in Tourism.
8(2/3), 114-124.
 Butler, R. (1980). The concept of a tourist area life cycle of evolution: implications for
management of resources. Canadian Geographer 24(1): 5-12.
 Peake, S., Innes, P., & Dyer, P. (2009). Ecotourism and conservation: factors influencing
effective conservation strategies. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17(1), pp. 107-127.
 Tosun, C. (2000). Limits to Community Participation in the Tourism Development Process in
Developing Countries. Tourism Management, 21, 613-633.
Tourism Development and Planning
 Choi, A. S., Ritchie, B. W., Papandrea, F., & Bennett, J. (2010). Economic valuation of cultural
heritage sites: A choice modeling approach, Tourism Management, 31(2), 213-220.
 Farrell, T. A. & Marion, J. L. (2001). Identifying and assessing ecotourism tourist impacts at
eight protected areas in Costa Rica and Belize. Environmental Conservation, 28 (3), 215-225.
 Gutierrez, E., Lamoureux, K., Matus, S. & Sebunya, K. (2005). Linking Communities, Tourism
and Conservation. Prepared for Conservation International.
Resident Attitudes/ Community Participation in Tourism
 Andereck, K. & Vogt, C. (2000). The relationship between residents’ attitudes toward tourism
and tourism development options. Journal of Travel Research, 39: 27-36.
 Brown, D. (1998). Debt-funded Environmental Swaps in Africa: Vehicles for Tourism
Development? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 6(1), 69-79.
 Tosun, C. (2002). Host perceptions of impacts, a comparative tourism study. Annals of Tourism
Research 29 (1): 231-253.
Marketing
 Lancaster, K. J., 1966. A new approach to consumer theory, Journal of political Economy, 74,
pp. 132-157.
 Uriely, N. and Reichel, A. (2000). Working tourists and their attitudes to hosts. Annals of
Tourism Research 27 (2): 267-283.
b. Course objectives for the course (student – centered, behavioral focus)
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
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Incorporate tourism industry terminology in discussions about the industry.
Recall the regulatory, advocacy, educational, planning, research, management and/or other
functions of key regional, national and international organizations who the support ecotourism
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Revised 04-06-11 and posted fall of 2011. Further revised based upon GCC input received 9/5/2012.
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and cultural tourism agenda.
Elaborate on the responsibilities of NGO’s, government and the private sector within tourism
development and management.
Describe the function and importance of visitor guidelines within tourism; create visitor
management guidelines and tools.
Compare and contrast the responsibilities of inbound and outbound tour operators based on
observations within country and as part of trip preparation.
Discuss the various components of the tourism product mix as applied to international
destinations.
Develop concepts for relevant and appropriate visitor merchandise.
Describe the overt and subtle difficulties of sustainable tourism development, and conclude why
they might exist.
Provide examples of positioning as it applies to international travel; differentiate and explain
marketing messages for various travel audiences.
Explain the importance and application of marketing research; suggest research needs
applicable to the destination and be able to defend this position.
Categorize examples of tourism policy in international tourism into formal and informal
groupings.
Identify various economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts associated with tourism.
Devise (hypothetical) appropriate strategies to mitigate negative impacts and maximize positive
impacts.
Critique the interpretation skills and techniques associated with various site and tour guides that
are encountered throughout the class.
Evaluate the application of the World Tourism Organization’s criteria for sustainability to the
host destination; justify this position.
Assess the relationship and responsibility that an eco/cultural attraction has with the host
community and its stakeholder groups.
Contrast international and domestic eco/cultural tourism issues.
c. Course topic outline
Course topics include:
1. General Sustainable Tourism/ Ecotourism Principles
2. Global Tourism Organizations
3. Social, Cultural and Political Aspects of Tourism
4. Tourism Development and Planning
5. Small Business and Entrepreneurs
6. Community Participation
7. Environmental Issues in Tourism
8. Tourism Research and Indicators
9. International Tourism Markets
10. Marketing Strategies
11. Tourism Policy
12. Sustainable Tourism Certification and Criteria
13. Sustainability: Pulling it All Together
d. List of course assignments, weighting of each assignment, and grading/evaluation system
for determining a grade
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Journal - 100 points
Discussion/ Debriefing Participation – 200
Regional Assessments – 100
Group Assignment – 200
Individual Assignment – 200
Exhibit/ Show (upon return) – 200
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Revised 04-06-11 and posted fall of 2011. Further revised based upon GCC input received 9/5/2012.
Total of 1000 points
A = 900-1000 points
B = 800-899 points
C = 700-799 points
F = less than 700 points
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Revised 04-06-11 and posted fall of 2011. Further revised based upon GCC input received 9/5/2012.