Master’s in Meeting and Event Management

Created by the SDSU L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, in collaboration with Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the Master’s in Meeting and Event Management program is the first graduate-level program in North America that’s designed to elevate meeting professionals to business event strategists.

About the program

• The Master’s in Meeting and Event Management program is a graduate-level program designed to help you advance your career and your profession as a whole.
• The coursework is designed and taught by passionate, experienced instructors dedicated to helping you succeed throughout the program and beyond. Many members of our faculty are high-level executives and leaders in the meetings and events industry. Our program is a community of driven leaders, and you’ll have the opportunity to connect and network with your classmates, instructors, and alumni throughout the program. You’ll even get to spend two weeks at San Diego State University’s beautiful campus.
• Through one-on-one mentorship opportunities, frequent networking opportunities, and a personalized Leadership Development Plan, you’ll have the tools you need to become a stronger leader and an agent of change in your profession.

At a Glance

• Leadership program with personalized hands-on coursework
• Real-world content
• No thesis required, students complete a capstone project
• Program includes 2 weeks in San Diego
• Cohort based – students go through the program together
• Gain a mentor and expand your network

Program is Perfect For
The Master’s in Meeting and Event Management program is designed for experienced professionals with around 5-15 years of experience in some type of meetings and events-related industry, such as:

• Certified Meeting Managers (CMMs)
• Certified Meeting Professionals (CMPs)
• Corporate Meeting Planning
• Third Party Planning
• Group Sales
• Convention Services
• Destination Management
• Audio Visual and Production

Our program is ideal for dedicated, driven professionals who envision themselves taking on a high-level leadership role in their profession, like a director, general manager, or CEO.

As many of our students are working professionals, all coursework is designed with flexibility in mind. Because the vast majority of the coursework is completely online, you can easily integrate your program into your busy schedule without putting your professional life on hold.

What You Can Learn

• Our online meetings and events management program will help you become a leader in your industry. Our courses will help you take those next steps in your career by focusing on a variety of topics, including strategic leadership, stakeholder management, finances, business analytics, change management, and marketing. Students will learn about these topics from dedicated, experienced faculty members, many of whom also teach courses on SDSU’s main campus. Our courses are supplemented by frequent networking opportunities and on-site learning experiences with high-level meetings and events executives.

Why Should You Choose Us?
Connections

• All of our students are paired with an experienced mentor at the beginning of the program. This mentor is a high-level leader with extensive experience in the meetings and events industry. Throughout the program, your mentor will help you with your coursework and your professional life by offering advice and guiding you towards success. You’ll gain a meaningful, professional connection with someone who has years of experience to share, and this connection is built to last well beyond your graduation.

Flexibility

• We designed our program with today’s professionals in mind. Other than two weeks spent on San Diego State University’s beautiful campus, the entirety of this 21-month program is completely online. This means that you can take your courses and complete your assignments without putting your professional life on hold. Best of all, the coursework is practical, which means that many of the lessons that you learn can be applied to your job the very next day.

Versatility

• This leadership degree is applicable to more than 100 hospitality and tourism-related industries and virtually any career path.

Proven Results

• Research shows that event managers with a graduate degree make $8,000 more per year than those with a bachelor’s degree (Burning Glass Technologies, 2019). This program incorporates facets that are proven to drive measurable return on investment, including networking with industry leaders, mentorship matching, and a career-changing capstone project.
• Be one of the first to earn your master’s degree in meeting and event management. Work on your own schedule, advance your career, and shape the future of meeting and event planning.

Time Involved (in succession)

• 1 week-long on-campus experience featuring team-building projects and leadership exercises to help you connect with your instructors and classmates.
• 21 months of online instruction in 8 courses. The online courses are manageable 10-12 hours per week of reading, assignments, and forum discussions that can be completed on your schedule.
• 1 week of on-campus capstone experience at SDSU, full-time & all-day.

Prerequisites

• In order to apply to the Master’s in Meets and Events Management program at SDSU Global Campus, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Ideally, you should also have experience in the hospitality and tourism industry.
• If you’re a domestic applicant, SDSU requires that you have a minimum 2.85 undergraduate GPA. International applicants are required to have a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA. Under special considerations, we may consider applicants with a GPA below 2.85 for admission.
• If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, but you do have a track record of superior leadership, you may be accepted into the program and receive a special certification upon completion.