In the minor in Design and Strategies for Themed Entertainment, you will discover and develop the next insights and concepts that combine commercial success with ethical and sustainable leadership in the industry of attractions, amusement, theme parks, and zoos.

In a world where the need for good multidisciplinary (young) professionals with transversal skills and different backgrounds is growing, Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) offers the minor programme in Design & Strategies for Themed Entertainment. In this minor you will experience groundbreaking knowledge of the industry of Attractions and Theme Parks Management (including Attractions, Amusement, Theme Parks, Zoos, and suppliers).

The minor programme will address key strategic topics such as a) sustainable business modelling, b) future trends, c) strategic design, d) vision development, and e) innovation. You learn to look beyond your own field of expertise and approach real-life and complex problems from different perspectives. Together with cutting-edge industry partners and clients you will discover and develop the next insights and concepts that combine commercial success with ethical and sustainable leadership for preferable futures.

This minor will uniquely combine a major client-focused project assignment in the Themed Entertainment Industry (20 credits), a course on Storytelling (5 credits) and a course on Sustainable Business Strategies for the Future (5 credits).

Upon completion of this minor you will be able to

• Apply knowledge and theories about storytelling and experience design
• Apply knowledge and theories about sustainability with the attractions and theme parks industry
• apply this new sustainability knowledge to the client’s project/assignment:Build bridges, by co-creating with internal and external stake holders for the purpose of the strategy - Arrive at a strategic policy on the basis of a vision- Create support for the proposed strategic policy and its implementation
• Organise and facilitate creative sessions/brainstorming sessions with various participants
• Take ethically responsible actions
• review a business-related problem or challenge of a company or organisation within the broader context of that company or organisation, both strategically and tactically
• establish a step-by-step approach for achieving a new concept and/or design including a storyline
• create the sustainable business case for the client by looking into the feasibility of the concept and taking into account ethics and sustainable development
• define and apply a fully fletched design research methodology, based on different theories; Apply a systematic literature review, including data- collection and analysis of validity and reliability

Propaedeutic certificate obtained

In addition, it is important that you should have an intrinsic motivation to learn, engage, and develop in the area of sustainable strategies, future scenarios, experience design, and storytelling in the attractions and theme parks industry.

The project supervisor will assess the project based on the deliverables: justification document, oral exam, final product and final presentation to the client. The courses will be assessed via a presentation, oral exam, justification document, reflection document and a vlog. To pass the minor, all three components must be obtained with a 5.5 or higher. Each deliverable can be resubmitted within two weeks after feedback in consultation with the team coach. All products to be delivered must be submitted digitally in Brightspace

Competencies
Researching, designing, presenting sustainable business plans for clients from the industry of themed entertainment (theme parks, zoos, attractions, family entertainment centres, supplying companies, etc.).

Interviewing- and presentation/pitching skills will be (further) developed. Real- life project management will be trained and applied to deliver good and expected outcomes for all stakeholders involved.

Students will gain more understanding of strategic business development, the core principles of storytelling and concepting to deliver new concepts for attractions, themed areas, business ideas, etc. that are successful for the specified target groups. In these new concepts, there is information on the designs, stories, implementation phase, important stakeholders and investments needed. 

Topics
Strategy & Innovation, Experience Design, Storytelling, Concept Development, Research, Sustainability, Ethics, Business Modelling, Presentation- and Pitching Skills, Project Management, Business Model Canvas, Consultancy, Personal- and Professional Development 

Structure of the minor
A project assignment for a client (20 credits), a course on Storytelling (5 credits) and a course on Sustainable Business Strategies for the Future (5 credits).

Teaching methods
The project assignment will be supervised by a BUas supervisor via weekly supervised meetings. The courses will be offered via different teaching methods such as lectures, guest lectures, workshops, field trips, and a hackathon.

International context
The industry of Themed Entertainment is a global one and therefore we work with clients from all over the world. If we work with Dutch clients, there is always an international component added to it, such as international target groups or field trips.

The language of instruction of this minor is English.