Events Management

Year 1

You will begin to develop your knowledge and understanding of business and events through general business and specialist event modules. You will learn how to scope and design an event, from event vision through to planning and executing the event itself and start building your Industry Experience Portfolio (IEP).

Year 2

You will develop your management knowledge by studying brand management, advertising communication and consumer behaviour modules. Specialist events modules will cover key issues including identifying and managing risk, crowd behaviour and control, and contemporary threats to security and their appropriate management. You’ll continue your practical experience within industry by undertaking your second IEP module.

Year 3

You will consider policy and planning in relation to a range of events from small community-based cultural activities to sporting mega-events. You will study the growing need for events and venues to be sustainable and the role they play in economies and nation states. Your team will plan, manage, produce and evaluate a live festival event in Aberdeen city centre.

Year 4

You undertake a significant piece of independent research into a specific aspect of the industry, guided and supported by an allocated supervisor. You will test all your practical and theoretical skills by designing and delivering your own large charity event on a city wide stage.

Learning Methods

This course is taught through varied class sizes, diverse lecturing styles and a range of assessment techniques. Each module involves around three hours of class teaching per week and while this differs from module to module, most include one hour of lectures delivered to the whole class and a further two hour tutorial taught to a smaller group of students. Lectures tend to focus on a formal session, where the lecturer provides and discusses key topics, ideas and authors, while tutorials investigate and discuss the ideas presented in lectures in more interactive and informal ways.

You will also have the opportunity to be involved in field trips, industry conferences, guest lectures and masterclasses.

Activity Summary

• Lectures - 36 students per group, 3 hours per week
• Tutorial - 18 students per group, 6 hours per week
• Project Supervision -6 hours per week/term

How long is a BA (Hons) Events Management course?

An Events Management degree can be successfully completed in 4 years, in which the opportunity to receive the necessary skills are obtained.

Independent Study

In addition to lectures and tutorials, you will spend approximately 30 hours per week outside of the class working on your own. This involves undertaking prescribed reading, preparing for tutorial assignments, team meetings and researching and writing course reports.

Staff Delivering on This Course

Academic staff who teach on this course have extensive experience within the creative and cultural industries, most of which have a professional background in the subject area of Events, Tourism and Hospitality.

Our staff have either achieved Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, or are working towards this. This is a professional recognition of lecturer practice, impact and leadership in teaching and learning. In addition, many have featured in the annual Support and Teaching staff with Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) awards voted by the students and organised by RGU:Union.

Other staff members include industry experts, postgraduate research students, media technicians, e-learning advisors and library staff.

Assessment

Typically students are assessed eachyear:

Year 1

• 1 written exam, typically for 2 hours
• 4 reports
• 1 portfolio
• 1 oral assessment

Year 2

• 1 written exam, typically for 2 hours
• 1 written assignment, including essays
• 4 reports
• 1 portfolio

Year 3

• 3reports
• 1 portfolio
• 2 oral assessments
• 1 poster presentation

Year 4

• 5 reports
• 1 dissertation
• 1 portfolio

Feedback

We aim to provide you with feedback within 20 working days of hand-in for all written exams, coursework and practical exams.

Placements

You will have the opportunity to complete an Industry Experience Portfolio (IEP), which allows you to build a portfolio of experience, apply your learning to the practical environment and build your professional network.

You will build up a total of 225 hours of work (four-year programme) or 50 hours (advanced entry students) of work experience. This experience carries credits towards your degree award, with the aim for you to gain experience across the diverse sectors of the events industry.

Previous students have worked with T in the Park, The X Factor, and National Trust, with many being offered the option to return to the employer after graduation.

You are responsible for securing this experience however staff will provide ongoing advice, contacts and opportunities.

Study Abroad

In Years 2 and 3, there may be exciting opportunities for you to study with partner institutions in Europe as part of the Study Abroad programme. This is dependent on similar Event Management programmes being offered by partner institutions. For more information visit:

Job Prospects

Event Management graduate employment prospects are wide-ranging and diverse. You can specialise by event sector, for example, business events (conference/meetings, exhibitions, incentive travel, corporate hospitality); music festivals and cultural events; concerts, theatres and performance arts; sporting and spectator events; charity and fundraising events; party and wedding planning; and community events.

Is Events Managementa good career choice?

Previous BA Events Management graduates of Robert Gordon University have gone on to pursue the following careers:

• Commercial and Events Coordinator at Aberdeen FC
• International Events Coordinator at Cricket Scotland
• Event Coordinator at Edelman DABO in Dubai