Program Overview

Convention Sales and Meeting Planning Certificate

The certificate program in convention sales and meeting planning provides students with a solid foundation in convention sales and management. This program incorporates the scope of convention properties, budgeting, contracting, and risk management, allowing students to explore the exciting growth industry of convention sales and meeting planning.

Program Description

Convention sales and meeting planning is a dynamic and evolving career field, growing locally, nationally, and internationally. This certificate program prepares students to thrive as tourism professionals, providing a competitive edge in supporting corporate or nonprofit entities.

At a Glance

• College/School: Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions
• Location: Downtown Phoenix, ASU at Hainan

Curriculum

The certificate requires 15 credit hours: two required core courses (six credits) and three elective courses (nine credits). Courses taken as part of a university major may count toward that degree and the certificate. Requirements can be met online, with all core classes and some elective classes taught online at least once per year. To earn the certificate, students must complete a minimum of 12 upper-division credit hours.

Required Courses

• CRD 350 Tourism, Recreation and Sports Marketing (3 Credit Hours, Minimum Grade: C)
• TDM 345 Meeting and Convention Planning (3 Credit Hours, Minimum Grade: C)

Elective Courses

• NLM 310 Volunteer Management (CIVI) (3 Credit Hours, Minimum Grade: C)
• PRM 145 Special Events Management (3 Credit Hours, Minimum Grade: C)
• TDM 205 Introduction to Travel and Tourism (GCSI) (3 Credit Hours, Minimum Grade: C)
• TDM 225 Introduction to Hotel, Resort and Lodging Management (3 Credit Hours, Minimum Grade: C)
• TDM 386 Convention Sales and Management (3 Credit Hours, Minimum Grade: C)
• TDM 458 International Tourism (GCSI) (3 Credit Hours, Minimum Grade: C)

Enrollment Requirements

A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at ASU. Undergraduate certificates are not awarded prior to the award of an undergraduate degree. A student already holding an undergraduate degree may pursue an undergraduate certificate as a non-degree-seeking graduate student.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include:

• Apply programmatic principles relevant to the convention industry to a variety of scenarios.
• Plan an event using current practices and concepts.

Career Opportunities

The field of convention sales and meeting planning comprises a multitude of areas, including fundraising, recruitment, coordination, supervision, and a variety of management responsibilities. The demand for professionals is high, and graduates have received an excellent foundation for enhancing career opportunities nationally, regionally, and locally. The U.S. meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry generates more than $120 billion a year, supporting nearly two million jobs. The city of Phoenix is a major convention and meeting destination, with a need for qualified professionals to service conventions and meetings due to the $600 million investment in the Phoenix Convention Center expansion, development of new hotels, and other visitor-related products.