BA (Hons) Events Management (Full Time)

This course offers the chance to combine hands-on experience in organising a wide range of events with essential management skills.

Course overview

The BA (Hons) Event Management degree at Southampton Solent University gives you hands-on experience of event planning and organisation, providing academic and vocational preparation for this vibrant and rapidly expanding industry. Moreover, it emphasises the understanding, application and analysis of management skills in relation to live events.

The course develops students’ cognitive, transferable and practical skills and helps them become independent learners and reflective practitioners, fostering their understanding of the changing nature of the events management business.

Much of the assessment is focused on the planning, organisation and management of live events. The University has close links with major city events, including The Boat Show, as well as national events such as the Glastonbury and Glade Festivals, and venues such as The Harbour Lights, De Vere Hotel conference facilities and the Mayflower Theatre.

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Industrial focus

Course team members are experienced in managing facilities and events and are actively engaged in research and development of the field, ensuring that the course units are always up-to-date with current issues. 

Course content

Year 1

Seven core units:

• Industry Practice and Research
• Leisure Marketing
• Financial Planning and Reporting
• Introduction to Organisational Behaviour for Leisure Services
• Event and Activity Safety and Operations
• Introduction to Event Logistics and Staging
• Events Management I.

Year 2

Five core units and one option unit:

• Service Operations Management
• Research Methods
• Work Based Professional Studies
• Events Management II
• Risk Management in Events.

Options:

• Applied Event Staging
• Customer Service, Marketing and Sales
• Event Sponsorship
• Human Resource Management for Events Management
• Innovation and Creativity for Entrepreneurs
• Market Research
• Multimedia Events
• Languages
• Curriculum Plus units.

Year 3

Three core units and two option units:

• Project
• Strategy for business
• Contemporary Issues in Events Management.

Options:

• Critical Management Thinking 
• Cross Cultural Management 
• Developing Creativity for Business 
• Electronic Marketing 
• Employee Relations 
• Equality and Diversity 
• Greening Events 
• Hospitality Management 
• Integrated Marketing Communications and Strategy 
• International Marketing 
• Small Business Enterprise 
• Languages 
• Curriculum Plus units. 

Why choose this course?

• Students apply events management theory to real live events in the local community
• The live events raise thousands of pounds for Barnardo’s every year
• The Curriculum Plus option units allow for accreditation of learning at voluntary or paid events.

Assessment

Progress is assessed through a combination of essays, presentations, case studies, work placement and examinations. Practical group work on live events will be used to integrate learning and assessments in Years 1 and 2. Year 3 is assessed more on an individual basis, particularly on the 10,000 word dissertation.

Key career skills

Presentation, management, communication and problem solving.

Projects/work placement

The Careers and Employability Service (CES) supports students to plan and organise their own placements through a series of group and one-to-one sessions. CES offers advice on how to find a placement, create a successful CV or application form and how to stand out at interview.

Recent placements include

• Fontwell Race Course
• Compass Catering
• Soul Cellar (bar and nightclub)
• Tower of London
• Cartier Polo event
• Henley Royal Regatta
• Farnborough Air Show
• Audiences South
• Crossroads for Kids, Inc
• Deutsche Bank
• European Exhibition Contracts
• Hampshire Autistic Society
• Out of the Office
• Oxfam
• Rhodes Art Complex
• The Children's Trust
• The National Trust.

Student profile

Carley Rowland  

"I’ve always liked the idea of event management, the idea of putting something together. I researched the course and came to the open days where I got to know the lecturers. I soon realised this would be the best place to study event management. Plus, I live close to Southampton and didn't want to move far.

"All the lecturers are really hands-on and friendly – you can talk to them about anything. I don’t think I would have enjoyed the course half as much if I didn’t feel I could go to them for help. If you email them they always get back to you too. We had an event in a night club recently and they came down and got involved – it was awesome! It is stressful organising your own event, but the course really equips you with the skills to deal with it.

"Recently, I was lucky enough to do work experience with the logistics team for the London marathon. When I began my degree, I really wanted to go into wedding planning but my work experience has inspired me to go into event logistics. My time helping on the marathon showed me how much work really goes into setting up an event - much more than people realise.”