If you want to work in a fast-paced, exciting, and fast-evolving sector, a career in event management might be the ideal choice. To succeed in this industry, you’ve got to be organised, personable and adaptable. If this sounds like something you’d like to get into, you’re in the right place. We explore what studying a qualification in event management is like, what you will learn, where you can study a programme, and the careers in event management that you can enjoy.

What is event management?

Event management involves organising events, such as festivals, fundraisers, weddings, award ceremonies, conferences, and more. As events can play a significant role in marketing a brand or company, event management can be a highly demanding yet rewarding career. 

As an event manager, you will usually work with a team of others which requires excellent communication and interpersonal skills. You will have to remain calm in stressful situations and make decisions quickly.

Although you might not have all these skills right now, studying event management and gaining work experience will equip you with the necessary skill set. 

Event-related courses and degrees 

When researching event management courses, you might come across a variety of other programmes which share similarities but may have slightly different specialisations, such as:

• Tourism and events
• Hospitality and events
• Live event production 
• International event management
• Sports and event management
• Leisure and event management

Ensure you check the modules of the courses you are most interested in to find out what the teaching will focus on. For example, if you have no interest in tourism, you should look specifically for event management courses without these modules.

What will I study in event management?

While course content will vary, event management programmes tend to cover themes and topics such as:

• Media culture and communication
• Marketing, branding, and public relations
• Human resources
• Project management
• Event design, sustainability and safety
• Sponsorship and fundraising 
• Leadership 

Some modules will be optional, enabling you to explore the areas you are most interested in. A degree in event management is usually structured over three years, and some of the more common modules you may study include:

• Event operations
• Digital marketing 
• Finance
• Career management 
• Communications 
• Specific event management (sport, tourism, hospitality, festival and cultural)
• Analytics 
• Management practices 

At some universities, a work placement is integrated into the curriculum so that you can develop industry-relevant skills and work with professionals. 

Where can I study event management?

Event management courses are offered in many countries and at different institutions. You can study this course at various levels, such as undergraduate, postgraduate or diploma level. In some cases, having a bachelor’s degree or higher will be helpful when applying for jobs, as this can be a requirement. 

Employers will also want to see that you have experience in the industry. When studying at the degree level, you can use the university’s career services to find out about internships or work placements. Your tutors might also recommend relevant employers or companies to reach out to. Check out some institutions offering courses in event management:

• Coventry University (UK)
• University of East London (UK)
• Fanshawe College (Canada) 
• Thompson Rivers University (Canada)
• Florida State University (USA)
• James Cook University (Australia) 

Entry requirements for event management degrees

Entry requirements vary according to each course and institution, but the below examples should give you an indication of the grades you will need for an event management qualification.

Undergraduate entry requirements

Coventry University – Event Management BA

• IELTS 6.0
• A-levels BBB-BBC (see university website for specific entry requirements for your home country)
• BTEC DDM
• IB Diploma 29 points

University of East London – Event Management BA

• 112 UCAS points 
• Passes in at least two A-levels (or equivalent)

James Cook University – Tourism, hospitality, and Events BA

• Course pre-requisites: English and maths
• The equivalent of Australian grade 12 
• IELTS 6.0
• TOEFL (internet-based) 94

As you can see, entry requirements vary according to the institution, course, and country. Make sure to check the respective university websites for specific information.

Postgraduate entry requirements

For the postgraduate level, you must usually have completed an undergraduate course and achieved at least a 2:2 or 2:1 pass (depending on the individual university requirements). Higher national diploma qualifications may also be accepted. You might also be required to provide proof of experience within the events industry at the postgraduate level.

You will also need to prove your English language proficiency, with most courses at a postgraduate level expecting an overall IELTS score of 6.5.

What jobs can I do with an event management qualification?

While an event management course will qualify you for a role in the events industry, the course will also equip you with skills relevant to other professions. Some of these include:

• Marketing
• Project management 
• Public relations
• Talent agent
• Hotel management
• Hospitality
• Sales
• Communications
• Fundraising manager
• Tourism

However, you will also gain many transferrable skills that employers want, which apply to almost any role:

• Problem-solving
• Communication skills
• Organisational skills
• Resilience
• People skills
• Management
• Ability to manage budgets
• Technical skills

What can I earn as an event manager? 

Using the UK as an example, if you graduate with an undergraduate degree in event management or a similar field, you can earn a starting salary between GBP 18,000 and GBP 22,000. After gaining more experience, you could expect to earn GBP 22,000 to GBP 25,000. People in senior roles within events can earn GBP 33,000 to GBP 40,000. Of course, this depends on where you work, but this should give you a good indication.

Now that you know more about studying event management, you might be ready to apply! Get tips on applying to university, and check out our study abroad checklist to get started.