MSc (International Events Management)

Develop authentic masters-level expertise in managing and leading a diverse spectrum of global events – from cultural and sporting events to conferences, trade shows and festivals.

Work Placement Route

• For international students wishing to undertake a placement as part of this course, you must apply to the International Events Management (work experience route). Transferring to the work experience route later will not be possible due to visa restrictions.

Course summary

• Explore the creation, delivery and evaluation of international events at masters-level.   
• Deepen your knowledge of global cultural, sporting and business events. 
• Understand the economic and social contribution and impact of events on all scales. 
• Solve complex real-world problems with innovative, analytical and critical thinking.  
• Gain an internationally recognised industry-accredited qualification in Health and Safety (IOSH). 

You’ll focus on the strategic role that authentic events play in contemporary global society, including how they contribute to organisational and environmental objectives. The course combines the latest theories of strategic event management with the application of knowledge through problem-solving and collaboration with industry partners. You’ll also have a 12-month placement opportunity to gain further experience

Sheffield Business School accreditation

• Sheffield Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and has been awarded the Business School Impact System label by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).

How you learn

• All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with authentic real-world issues, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive. 
• Sheffield Hallam is one of the top providers of events courses in the UK. As a founder member of the Association of Event Management Educators (AEME), we’re involved in establishing academic benchmarks in events education. As a result, the MSc International Event Management course has an innovative learning and assessment approach that puts you at its centre. 
• You’ll be supported by industry-experienced academic staff. You’ll also be encouraged to collaborate with peers – both as part of your learning and through extra-curricular activities – creating a strong sense of course community. 
• This course is delivered face-to-face over three semesters – with teaching scheduled based on the length of your course and the academic calendar. 

You learn through:  

• Practical workshops  
• Lectures 
• Tutorials  
• Site visits 
• Field trips 
• Industry guest lectures and key speakers 
• Staging live, online or simulated events
• Coursework
• Regular feedback 

Key themes

• You’ll join the course and gain a fundamental insight and understanding of the events industry, its importance locally, nationally and globally, and its overall contribution to economies and communities. From the very beginning of the course you’ll learn about event design, strategy, operations and delivery.
• You’ll study the creation of events, key trends impacting the global events sector and how to evaluate event outcomes. Our course also challenges you to reflect on your own development to improve business communication and leadership skills. You’ll study a range of operational event management topics, including event marketing, finance and budgets, resources, venues, staffing and stakeholder management. 
• We’ll also focus on important global and societal issues through applied practical skills – including sustainability, equity, diversity and inclusion, and making ethical business decisions. 
• Assessments include a variety of written, verbal, digital and practical formats. We’ll support your success with formative feedback and student supervision. And where appropriate, we’ll build flexibility and personalisation into the assessment design to allow you to tailor your own learning

Course support

• You’ll have an academic adviser, an employability adviser and a student support adviser.
• Our teaching is digitally enriched, with opportunities to engage online with peers and tutors.  
• You’ll have in-person workshops to welcome you and support you with placements.    
• Supported independent study builds confidence and resilience, shaping individual creative practice.  
• Collaboration with external partners gives vital experience of the professional world.

Applied learning
Work placements

• The 12-month placement option (for September starters only) is an extra opportunity to develop your practical skills, either in the UK or abroad. We run employability workshops to help you gain a placement and we have a dedicated placement team to support you. Previous students have had placements with Olympia London, Ashfield Meeting Experiences, TRO Experiential Marketing Agency and Hilton Hotel.

Live projects

• You’ll be able to complete a live project as part of the Event Management in Action module – designing, planning, marketing and delivering an event. This could be for a charity or a business client, using all the skills, knowledge and experience you’ve gained so far. 
• We also work with local, regional, national and international event organisations to offer you opportunities to get involved in a range of roles and types of events. Through our wide network, you’ll have the chance to work, volunteer or look behind the scenes at some of these events.  
• Previous examples include Sheffield Doc/Fest, Sheffield's Chinese New Year celebrations, Leeds Festival, Festival Republic and the Tour de France Grand Depart. 

Field trips

• To enhance your learning further, we include a residential trip. This is usually in London, with past students visiting the Olympia Conference Centre, Olympic Park, the Excel and the annual international tradeshow Confex.

Networking opportunities

• Our links with industry mean you’ll be able to engage with a wide range of guest speakers from across the events industry – including visiting academics, researchers and other professionals.You’ll also benefit from our membership with the Association of Events Management Educators and National Outdoor Events Association. Since 2002 we’ve developed an impressive track record of forming tomorrow’s leaders in events management – with successful alumni working across the globe. Our graduates regularly return to share their career stories and events expertise.

Future careers

• Prepare for a career in management and senior management roles within the fast-paced field of event management. You’ll have support from an academic member of staff, workshops and support sessions to help prepare you for your future career. 

This course prepares you for a career in:  

• Event management 
• Venue management 
• Project management 
• Global hotel management 
• Event account management
• Event coordination for government organisations  
• International association coordination  
• Conference and event organisation 
• International leisure resort management  
• Events and conference business analysis and consultancy

These are just a few of the many career paths you can follow in the industry. 
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work as: 

• Sales Manager, Maritime Industry, Vancouver 
• Associate Director, Initiative, Leeds 
• Client Strategy Manager, Pico, London 
• Events Project Senior Supervisor, Dotera, China 
• Senior Project Coordinator, Smyle Agency, London 
• Associate Account Director, Innocean Worldwide, India

Where will I study?

• You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

Equipment and facilities

• You’ll develop your event leadership and management skills in our event spaces and specialist facilities on campus – delivering live events in the community through a wealth of partner venues in Sheffield and the surrounding area. 
• You’ll develop your digital skills using management software to plan and manage events. For example, previous students have used OnePlan event software to plan and deliver the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, enhancing their learning. 
• In recent years we’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.