Events Management with Foundation Year

Program Overview

1. Course summary

On this course, you’ll learn about events design, technology, marketing, operations, safety and successful business management. You’ll design a range of events – from festivals and concerts to fashion shows, brand launches, sports and esports, conferences, exhibitions and luxury weddings. By collaborating with events professionals, you’ll gain valuable skills to help you develop your career.

Program Outline

Student view

Watch student Frances Daws-Burgess talk about what it’s like to study this course.

2. How you learn

Your lecturer's view

Watch course leader Daniel Woodason talk about this course.

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world of events, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

Our award-winning lecturers have years of professional experience in different sectors of the events industry. They’re actively involved in applied and impactful research. So you’ll be able to understand the latest trends in events management and apply your knowledge to the design and delivery of live events – all making you stand out to employers.

You can learn more about our students’ work and experiences on our Instagram account.

You learn through

You’ll develop an in-depth knowledge of the events industry – experiencing design, safe events operations and the latest trends and issues in events management. You’ll gain strong foundations in core business management skills – such as marketing, talent management and finance. With these you’ll develop into a career-ready and well-rounded events professional.

We believe you learn best when you engage with the industry and sector first-hand. You’ll gain a rich and well-developed understanding of the complexities, challenges and rewards of operating in the global events industry. This will culminate with your own live event where you showcase the knowledge and skills gained throughout your course.

The course also includes two externally accredited (industry recognised) qualifications to add to your CV – the BIIAB Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders and the IOSH Managing Events Safely award. Both enhance your career options (and are included for free).

You will be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate level employment through

In the foundation year, you'll study wider business topics, while specialising in your chosen subject area. You'll learn useful skills such as academic writing, work in diverse teams and learn to utilise a wide variety of data sources. In doing so, you'll fully prepare yourself for undergraduate study.

Course leaders and tutors

Dan Woodason

Senior Lecturer in Events Management for the Department of Service Sector Management at Sheffield Business School

Applied learning

Work placements

At every level of the course, you’ll put knowledge into practice through live projects and professional work opportunities. You can access placements, volunteering opportunities and work experience through our relationships with industry professionals and leading events management companies, such as Festival Republic.

You’ll have the opportunity to undertake a year-long work placement in between your second and third years. This gives you industry experience to prepare you for your future career – and allows you to graduate with an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV. For example, in the past, students have undertaken placements with Olympia London, Walt Disney Florida, Mini UK, Ashfield Meetings and Events, Hotvox, Coombe Abbey, Warner Bros UK, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Emu Events, TRO Experiential Marketing Agency, Visit Britain and Porsche UK.

Live projects

Live projects are embedded within every level of your course – culminating in the final year where you’ll design, plan, market and deliver an event. This could be for a charity or a business client, using all of the skills, knowledge and experience you’ve gained on the course.

Plus our links with local and national event organisers mean you’ll be able to undertake work experience in a variety of settings. Previous work experience has been offered by Glastonbury Festival, BMW, Welcome to Yorkshire, O2 Academy Sheffield, Tramlines Festival, The Great North Run, Leeds and Reading festivals, Cancer Research UK, Sheffield United, Festival Republic, Boomtown and Detonate Festivals, English Heritage, and Global Brands UK.

Networking opportunities

Our links with industry mean you’ll be able to engage with a wide range of guest speakers from across the events industry. Guest speakers have included Martin Green of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Hull City of Culture 2017 and London 2012 organising committee (LOCOG), Simon Graveling of Athens 2004, London 2012 and Sochi 2014, Arther Forbes-Whitmore from Ticketmaster, Lucy Kinsella from Festival Republic, Simon Read (Event Producer) from Ashfield Meetings and Events and Jon Hughes from KPMG.

You’ll also benefit from our membership with the Association of Events Management Educators and National Outdoor Events Association. Since 2002 we’ve developed an impressive track record of forming tomorrow’s leaders in Events Management – with successful alumni working across the globe. Our graduates regularly return to share their career stories and events expertise.

6. Modules

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Year 2

Compulsory modules

Year 3

Compulsory modules

Elective modules

Year 4

Optional modules

Final year

Compulsory modules

Elective modules