Event Management – B.S.

Program Overview

This interdisciplinary event management program empowers students to design their own pathway, focusing on event ideation, execution, and community engagement. With core courses in public relations, tourism, and strategic planning, students gain hands-on experience through field experiences and elective courses tailored to specific event management areas. The program aligns with industry standards and prepares students for a growing field with high job demand.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This interdisciplinary program empowers students to create their own event management pathway. The core program focuses on event ideation, program design, technology, execution management, budgeting, and community engagement and is experientially based with both in-class and off-campus learning. Students are provided with opportunities to work with community businesses to experience the challenges of event implementation. Curriculum is designed to support the Meeting Planner International (MPI) Standards with courses that focus on the meeting and business event competency standards industry subsets.

Outline:

Core Courses (36 credits)

• Core Cognates – 12 credits
• FIN 2420 Entrepreneurial Finance
• MGMT 2140 Exploring Entrepreneurship
• MKTG 2500 Marketing Principles
• COMM 2000 Human Communication Theory
• Core Courses – 15 credits
• COM 2500 Introduction to Public Relations
• COM 3480 Public Relations Writing
• GEOG 3100 Introduction to Tourism
• HPHE 2100 - Strategic Planning for Events
• HPHE 3100 Event Management Advanced Applications
• Field Experiences – 9 credits
• HPHE 2750 Popups, Catering, and Fundraising Events
• HPHE 3750 Meetings, Conventions, and Exposition Mgt
• HPHE 4199 Event Practicum

Elective Courses – 15 credits

• THEA 1810 Stage Management
• THEA 2600 Arts Management
• COM 3350 Leadership Communication
• FCS 1550 Design Principles
• GEOG 4080 Tourism Marketing
• GEOG 4180 Tourism Planning and Development
• HPHE 1700 Intro to Recreation/Sport Management
• HPHE 3110 Event Marketing
• HPHE 3150 Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics for Exercise Science, Health and Physical Education
• HPHE 3300 Grants and Fund Development for Sports, Recreation & Events
• HPHE 4700 Facilities and Risk Management
• LAW 3800 Legal Environment
• MGMT 2500 Organizational Behavior
• MGMT 3350 Building the Entrepreneurial Business
• PADM 3000 - Nonprofit Advancement
• PADM 5830 Grant Writing
• PADM 5840 Nonprofit Marketing and Development
• PADM 5870 Fund Raising for Nonprofit Organizations

Pathways

• Corporate Event Managers (including weddings):
• Event Core Classes
• Suggested Electives: FCS 1550 Design Principles; LAW 3800 Legal Environment, MGMT 2500 Organizational Behavior; MGMT 3350 Building the Entrepreneurial Business; COM 3350 Leadership Communication
• Recommended Minors: Fashion Merchandising, Advertising
• Festivals and Music Directed Events:
• Event Core Classes
• Suggested Electives: THEA 1810 Stage Management; THEA Arts Management; MGMT 3350 Building the Entrepreneurial Business; GEOG Tourism Marketing; GEOG 4180 Tourism Planning and Development
• Recommended Minors: Advertising
• Non-Profit Event Managers:
• Event Core Classes
• Suggested Electives: FCS 1550 Design Principles; PADM 3000 - Nonprofit Advancement; PADM 5830 Grant Writing; PADM 5840 Nonprofit Marketing and Development;
• Recommended Minors: Leadership for Social Change
• Conventions, Corporate Meetings, Trade Shows:
• Event Core Classes
• Suggested Electives: (3) LAW 3800 Legal Environment; (3) HPHE 4700 Facilities and Risk Management; (3) HPHE 3110 Event Marketing; (3) MGMT 3350 Building the Entrepreneurial Business; (3) COM 3350 Leadership Communication

Careers:

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, demand for job positions in this industry is expected to grow by 18% from 2021 to 2031, which is significantly faster than the average occupational growth.