• Regular - 2 semesters - Info Pack
• Regular - 4 semesters - Info Pack

Career prospects for graduates:

It is expected that after completing their master's in Cultural heritage and Cultural Tourism, students will have gained the necessary competence, knowledge and experience needed to get involved in studying the rich cultural heritage of Bulgaria and developing new opportunities for cultural tourism. They will be prepared to contribute to the discovery, description and presentation of new artifacts in a way that is both sensitive to their historical value and authenticity, and at the same time, helps develop cultural tourism. Those who complete the master's programme will have the necessary competence find new opportunities for development of cultural tourism in Bulgaria. They will also be able to take part in preservation and protection initiatives. Potential employers for graduates include all institutions working with culture, history and heritage and tourism - regional administrative centres, NGOs, Cultural centres, tourist agencies, etc. They will be prepared for managerial, organisational and presentational duties in the sphere of cultural tourism, such as developing new tourist routes for visitors, tourist guiding, or organising big cultural events.

Educational expectations:

During their studies, the students will gain wide knowledge in those aspects of the cultural heritage of Bulgaria which, through a specialised professional approach, can be turned into an attractive 'cultural product', or a tourist attraction. At the same time, they will learn about tourist industry management - development factors, supply and demand, finding new markets, developing new routes, etc.  The students will also become experts in protecting and preserving cultural heritage, the value and authenticity of cultural artifacts; they will become familiar with Bulgarian and European laws which protect European cultural heritage. They will also learn about the latest practices of cultural tourism development in the European Union.

The students will broaden their knowledge of the ancient civilisations which existed on the territory of modern Bulgaria - Ancient Greece and the roman Empire, Thracians, Proto-Bulgars and Slavs, the civilisations of the eastern Mediterranean and other neighbouring cultures. Special attention is paid to the rich Christian tradition - churches, monasteries and other holy sites which offer great opportunities for religious tourism. Part of the studies include folklore, folk songs and tales, customs and festivities, old Bulgarian arts, crafts and architecture which offers interesting and attractive possibilities for developing cultural tourism. The studies aim to build upon established practices for turning heritage areas into tourist attractions and organizing traditional craft fairs which attract international participants and visitors. The role of visual arts and literature in cultural tourism is also discussed. Those who successfully complete the master's programme will become experts in creating a cultural product and marketing it to the international tourist industry.