Event Management (MA)

On this hands-on Masters degree our aim is to cultivate high quality, entrepreneurially-adept graduates to work in all aspects of the event industry – and to positively influence change in the event sector. If you have a particular specialism or project you’d like to develop, this can form the focus of your degree, whilst we’ll equip you with the knowledge, skillset and work-based experience to forge a successful career in the exciting events industry.

You’ll develop a strong knowledge base across a broad cross-section of the events industry. Specifically, you will develop an understanding of the legal and economic challenges inherent within the industry, as well as creative marketing techniques and the process and considerations of running an event from conception to completion.

You’ll also have specific sessions focused on career progression and finding opportunities within the events business.

You will be expected to run, or be involved with running, a variety of events throughout the year.

What you’ll study

• We run commercial businesses, including a live music and events venue and an esports complex. These dynamic spaces provide opportunities for you to learn, gain valuable experience, and work alongside industry professionals who deliver events week in, week out.
• Our undergraduate postgraduate courses cover a range of subjects, including esports, content creation, broadcasting and event production, music business, sound and performance. This creative network enables opportunities to collaborate, connect and extend your own skillset.
• You’ll be paired with an industry mentor, matched to your project and/or specialism. They’ll work with you throughout your studies, acting as an external source of advice, support, contacts, and possibly employment opportunities.
• You’ll also have the opportunity to access a new event management/production company structure to help align working practices to the real working world, benefiting from NTU’s broad array of event opportunities.

Major Practical Project
Prospects and Opportunities Development (20 credit points)

• This module explores your place in the event industry and will influence your future progression whether that is as a freelance practitioner, or a relevant employee within the Events sector. You will be challenged to develop bespoke business and personal identities by investigating relevant business models, strategies and practices. These investigations will contribute to the development of an output plan with a focus on personalisation and a relationship-based approach to dealing with clients in business-to-business and consumer contexts.
• You will present your output plan to a panel for the chance to gain an Employability Grant to aid your next steps, and you will submit relevant supporting materials to complete your ongoing critical evaluation and review of your own personal development in preparation for launching your future career in the event industry.

Legal and Economic Framework (20 credit points)

• The event industry is fast-paced and ever-changing. It is essential that you remain ahead of the game to ensure compliance and economic success. Legal frameworks form the backbone to all of the policies, procedures and practices in event management. You need to study their relevance and application in a variety of event scenarios.
• You will investigate requirements for compliance in the participation of event company management. The module will give you insight into the economic challenges on the world stage, and how the 2 facets of event management go hand in hand.
• You will demonstrate understanding in this by taking part in a professional conversation exploring the legal and economic frameworks associated with your chosen event industry sub sector. Your findings will feed into the 'Prospects and Opportunity Development' and 'Major Practical Project' modules as well as with Event Management and Production company.

Marketing Strategies and Testing in Events (20 credit points)

• Marketing is vital in contributing to the success of every live event. It is not simply a case of sending out a few Tweets and an email push anymore: To succeed, you must be innovative and reactive to change and this requires careful planning and testing to ensure currency and relevance.
• You will study all of this throughout this module, and carry out practical activities to test your own marketing strategies. On completion you will evaluate these activities and report on marketing efficiencies in line with stakeholder and commercial expectations. You'll then take this work and use it to inform your proposal and design of your Major Practical Project.
• You will also be able to apply these skills from within event and production management.

Research Project (60 credit points)

• In an ever-shifting and more complex creative industry, the need to source, analyse and process knowledge has never been more important. Research is an essential skill in the toolbox for any creative practitioner wanting to have an extensive and rewarding career in a brave new world of opportunity and challenge. The Research Project module enables you to collaborate with other creative cohorts and formulate life-long robust research practices. You will learn the essential skills necessary to investigate and synthesise information in order to develop informed conclusions and new and exciting practices. The module will enable you to take a deep dive into your own specialist areas of interest to deliver a large research project. The project can be delivered in media that most closely align with your creativity, with outputs that could include a whole range of audio, visual or webspace artefacts.

How you’re taught
The three key approaches to learning and teaching for this course are:

• Active collaborative learning
• Learning through research
• Blended learning

You'll learn through workshops, lectures, small group and one-to-one tutoring designed to help you develop the practical and thinking skills that you'll need when you embark on a career in events and entertainment industries.

How you’re assessed
Assessment

You will be assessed in a number of ways, including:

• Written assignments
• Reports
• Presentations
• Creative outputs/production
• Portfolio

Careers and employability

• Our aim is to equip you with the knowledge, experience and important connections to enter the events and entertainment industries.
• You'll graduate with the skillset to design and deliver a range of events, from weddings and corporate events, right through to large-scale outdoor festivals and live events.

Roles include:

• Event manager
• Freelance event designer
• Event business owner
• Marketing and events co-ordinator
• Event planner
• Project manager.

YouFirst – working with our Employability Team

• Studying a degree at a popular university has many benefits, none more so than having access to a large employability team.
• Our friendly, experienced careers consultants will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice you won't find in a book or on the internet. You can benefit from this at any time during your studies and up to three years after completing your course.