MSc Events Management

• Contemporary Issues in Events Management: The events sector is very dynamic and subjected to multiple external forces, be them environmental, economic, social, political or technological. You’ll gain an understanding of the contemporary issues affecting the events management industry, understand the role of sustainability and develop the skills and knowledge to critically evaluate a range of current management issues.
• Organisations, Strategy & Finance: You will learn about the foundations of strategic analysis and choices that tie into an organisation’s business decisions. You will study the corporate finance sources of organisations, reporting and interpreting financial data. 
• Bidding for & Managing International Events: You will learn to critically evaluate and apply management theories and techniques to the effective bidding for and organisation of international events. This will support and prepare you for a career in international events and markets. 
• Live Event Development & Delivery: This unit blends the key elements of planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating an event. The key skills and knowledge acquired will help you to design and execute a creative and innovative event which will constitute the assignment of this unit. Working with various stakeholders you will have the chance to put on a real event focusing on a contemporary social issue.
• Sustainable Project Management for Events: Since events are increasing in scale and complexity, the areas of programme and project management are important to future event managers. You’ll develop these skills by designing a themed event programme comprised of a number of event projects.
• Study skills will be taught as a non-assessed unit: You will learn how to collect, analyse, interpret and present both qualitative and quantitative data. You will be able to understand the nature of research and its associated ethics which will provide an essential underpinning for your research project
• Dissertation: The 15,000-word dissertation is the conclusion of your learning experience, where you will carry out a research project using appropriate research methodology to collect and analyse data and present your findings. Study skills will be taught as an unassessed unit to underpin your research project.

• Community, Events, Sports & the Third Sector: You’ll analyse contemporary societal challenges from the local to the global and from corporate social responsibility to bringing awareness to ‘taboo’ societal issues by allowing critical inquiry and independent research.
• Carnival & Festivals: This unit seeks to provide you with an understanding of the rites and rituals of traditional Carnivals as well as facilitate reflection on contemporary festival practices.
• Conference Tourism: You will reflect on the conference sector’s growth and examine it by identifying the trends and growth of major conference destinations. You will learn about the latest issues affecting the conference sector such as sustainability and implementing the latest technology. 
• Crisis & Disaster Management: You'll develop a systematic understanding of the unique needs and critical resources that exist within key sectors and activities of Tourism, Hospitality and Events. You'll complete a number of strategic and tactical planning exercises aimed at addressing the need to integrate tourism and events within risk reduction, response and recovery strategies.
• Entrepreneurship: The process of creating a new entrepreneurial venture, and funding sources for new and upcoming entrepreneurs. There's a focus on identifying and evaluating entrepreneurial opportunities. Entrepreneurial development may cover a single entity, a further investment by a portfolio entrepreneur, a management buy-out, a spin-out or a venture in an existing organisation. 
• Global Food & Drink: The unit will provide an in-depth analysis of the role of food and drink in the international hospitality, tourism, retail and events business environment. An understanding of the nature of our relationship with food socially, economically, politically, environmentally and in terms of technology is a valuable addition to other strategic and operational areas of expertise.
• Design for Tourism & Hospitality: This unit addresses the role and significance of design in and for the tourism and hospitality industries at the level of individual businesses and organisations or sites and events. It considers the design of tangible and intangible objects or ‘things’ such as buildings (exteriors and interiors), maps and guides, souvenirs, live events, corporate identities, business processes, and servicescapes.
• International Sport Event Management: A key aim of this unit is to encourage you to think critically about global contexts for sport events and how management practices may consequently vary according to particular international contexts. In doing so, the unit will focus on the management of sports organisations, the role and importance of stakeholders, collaborators and delivery organisations in the organisation, provision and outcomes of sports events.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

You have the option to undertake a 30-week placement at the end of the course, providing an opportunity to apply your acquired knowledge and skills in the workplace. You are required to find your own placement; however, our Careers & Employability Service and your faculty placements office are on hand to support you.

The placement is intended to foster personal and professional development, and to help you to make a connection between academic learning and the working world.

Studying abroad is an incredible opportunity to experience a new country and culture while continuing your degree. If you choose the study abroad option, you will complete a semester (around 3 months) overseas at one of our partner institutions. 

If you start your course in September, you will complete semester one and two at BU then finish for the summer break. You will start the study abroad option in September of your second year, at the same time as completing your dissertation and complete the course in January of the second year. 

If you start your course in January, you will complete semester one, break for summer and then complete semester two at BU. You will start the study abroad option in January of your second year, at the same time as completing your dissertation and complete the course in July of the second year. 

You can choose to study abroad or take the optional work placement but not both. 

Find out more about studying abroad. 

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the university’s taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry. If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

Typical placements include undertaking roles such as:

• Event Manager
• Conference/Exhibition Development Manager
• Marketing/Events Co-ordinator
• Account Manager
• Project Manager
• Club Membership Manager.

We provide a lot of support for you to help you find work, including a block of seminars, covering topics such as writing a CV and a cover letter, completing an application form, performing well in interviews, and we also provide language support to assist you with the written elements of your applications. 

 However, it is ultimately your responsibility to find work. The university does not guarantee that you will find a place. Some students may choose to opt for a taught unit instead of placement.  

 During your time on placement you will be supported by a unit tutor and a placement development advisor who will visit you on placement and keep in touch by phone and email. 

If you choose to do a placement as part of your course

• If you have previously studied in the UK, we will consider any study limit that may apply. We will issue your CAS according to the length of time you are entitled to under UKVI regulations (if you do not have enough time left for a work placement year, we will issue your CAS to cover your course dates only).
• If you decide after you have enrolled on your course that you do not want to do a placement, this will be reported to the UKVI when you have successfully completed your course.

If you choose not to do a placement as part of your course

• We will note this on your CAS and your visa will only be granted long enough to cover your taught course, excluding placement.
• If you change your mind while you are here and decide you want to do a placement, you will need to leave the UK to make a new Tier 4 visa application for the additional year of study. You would need to pay for your return travel back to your home country, as well as the cost of a new Tier 4 student visa application.

Students who study on our course bring a range of different experiences with them from educational, professional and recreational environments, whether it is music, sport, drama or the arts. Students on this course will typically have a passion for events and an appreciation of their wide scope.

As an academically driven course, you will learn to critically evaluate a range of theories and models relevant to the events sector. We encourage applications from those individuals who are academically driven, have the ability to work well in groups and are prepared to commit to their studies in the field of events management.

This course selects candidates by looking at their applications. There are no interviews or additional selection activities and therefore we suggest that you make your application stand out from the crowd.

For more information, take a look at our postgraduate how to apply pages.

Please see our website for the application deadlines. You should apply as early as possible to be considered for your course of choice. If you require a student visa, apply for the visa as soon as you have an unconditional offer and receive your CAS. There may be delays in visa processing in your country and you need to be in Bournemouth ready to study for the start of term.

December and January is one of our busiest application periods and therefore it may take us a little longer to process incoming applications. For courses with a January start date, we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Click the green ‘Apply now’ button to submit your application free of charge online through myHub, our application portal. You will create your own myHub account so that you can track the progress of your application. Don’t forget to save your application as you go; you can return to it at as many times as you want before you submit it. For more information visit our How to apply section.

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in any subject, or equivalent or substantial industrial experience at senior management level.

If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow - some based on experience. Contact the Future Student Enquiry Team for more information.

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry:

• India: Bachelor’s degree (4 years) from a recognised HE institution with a minimum overall result of 55% 
• Nigeria:  Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution with a minimum classification of 2:4
• China:  Chinese Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution with 65% or above
• Turkey: Bachelor’s degree (Lisans Diplomasi - four years) with a minimum overall GPA of 2.3/4.0
• Vietnam:  Bachelor's degree/Bang tot nghiep dai hoc with an average score of 6.5/10, or 2.25/4, or a Master’s degree/Thac si.

All applications will be subject to a minimum grade and your degree may need to be in a relevant subject area.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level.

Our MSc (Hons) Events Management graduates are in roles such as:

• Account Executive
• Exhibition Manager
• Conference & Events Organiser
• Events Manager
• Events Co-ordinator 
• Events Project Director
• Assistant Manager
• Fundraising Manager
• Head of Sales.

As you progress through the course, selecting option units and setting up your placement – should you choose to complete one – will help you establish the exact career path you want to follow, and the sector in which you want to put your studies to use.

If you want to continue your studies after achieving your Master’s, you can look into our range of doctoral programmes.

What's included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for any mandatory field-based teaching activity.
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study.
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service.
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, intregrated social media and advanced video features.
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces.
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow.
• Disability and additional learning support.
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills.
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies.
• Accommodation and living costs. Please visit our website for more information.
• Travel costs, for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass is included in your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchases separately.
• Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Placement year funding can be found on our website.
•  Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study.
• SportsBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

If you need to repeat one or more units during the course of your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full time fee.

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries to eligible students who are beginning their studies at BU. Please visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/funding for details on living costs, budgeting and paying your tuition fees.

International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. For September 2024 and January 2025 entry, a £5,000 deposit is required. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:

• You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
• You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

Julie joined Bournemouth University in 2005 and is the Post Graduate Programme Leader for Events Management. She is a senior lecturer in Conference & Events Management in the Department of Sports and Events, at Bournemouth University Business School. Prior to joining Bournemouth University, she lectured at the Institute for Tourism Studies, Macau, China; IHTTI School of Hotel Management, Neuchâtel, Switzerland and at Mahidol University International College, Bangkok. She was also a visiting lecturer at Ramat-Gan College, Israel and in Nicosia, Cyprus, and a visiting Professor at MUST University Macau. This has given Julie extensive experience in teaching international students in a wide range of cultures and international environments. The role of postgraduate programme leader enables Julie to continue to create a more inclusive, equitable and diverse environment by teaching and engaging on a daily basis with international students. Julie currently lectures on three units on the M.Sc. Events Management programme, the units are Live Event Development and Delivery; Bidding for and Managing International Events and Conference Tourism. She is also the personal tutor to the M.Sc. Events Management students and dissertation supervisor to both undergraduate and masters level dissertation students. Julie has two PhD. completions of which she was first supervisor. She is currently supervising two PhD students.

Julie gained her PhD from Bournemouth University in 2005. Her PhD was entitled `An analysis and critique of an evolving conference industry within the U.K. Julie’s research focus predominantly on the UK conference sector. Areas of interest include greening conferences; Environmental initiatives; Corporate social responsibility; The use of single-use plastics in the conference sector; Attendee/delegate decision-making processes at conferences and exhibitions. Not only is Julie’s PhD related to conferences and she lectures in conference tourism, but Julie also organises international conferences. Julie is the Co-Founder of the (ICE) International Conference for Events: Making Waves in Events Management. The aim of this international conference is to debate the way in which we see, think, and undertake events management research, pedagogy, policy, and practice and to inspire more research within the events domain. The ICE conference was hosted at Bournemouth University, in 2013. Then at Sheffield Hallam University in 2014. Macao Institute for Tourism Studies in Macao, China, hosted ICE2015. Two years later, ICE travelled further and reached Orlando, Florida, in the United States, where Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida hosted ICE2017, Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, South Africa hosted in 2021 and Warsaw Poland in 2023. Since 2019, The International Conference on Events (ICE) has been listed on the ICCA Association Database, having met its strict requirements.

Mary Beth is a Senior Academic in the Department of Sport & Event Management at BU Business School. Currently she delivers UG & PG teaching on our Events Programmes at L5, L6 & L7. Some of my responsibilities in the course involve graduate and professional engagement with industry to enhance the learning opportunities to students. Outside of this, her main research interests in the field span the event experience; sustainability in events and qualitative methods of research in events.

Mary Beth is originally from Canada and her professional background draws from a cross-section of industry experience that spans working with charities, corporate organisations and government. She possesses an undergraduate degree in Public Relations (Canada); MSc in Tourism and Heritage Management (UK) and a PhD (UK). Mary Beth is active with professional networking associations including the Power of Events, Association for Event Management Educators (AEME) and Leisure Studies Association (LSA). She is also an Executive member of BCUR (British Conference of Undergraduate Research).

Katherine King is a Senior Lecturer in Leisure Cultures at the Bournemouth University Business School. Her research interests focus on the geographies of sport, leisure and events in particular, the interconnections between identities, lifestyles and sport, leisure and event spaces She specialises in qualitative research.

Katherine teaches across the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Sport and Events. She is the Level 4 tutor for BA (Hons) Event Management and leads the introductory unit Critical Event Studies. She also leads the unit Contemporary Issues in Event Management on the Masters programme which explore the relationship between events and society. She also leads the unit Sport and Physical Culture on the Sports programmes and runs student writing retreats.

Katherine acts as the administrator on behalf of the Leisure Studies Journal and is a member of the Leisure Studies Association. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Authority. 

Gary is a Senior Academic in Sport Management at Bournemouth University and Visiting Professor in Sport Management at Southwest University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China. Pre-BU, he was a Senior Teaching Fellow at the University of Southampton and a senior sports and events manager pre-Southampton.

Gary's research interests focus on Systems Thinking, Systems Practice to inform organisational decision structuring, design, and purposefulness in sports and events organisations. Specifically, his research explores the following:

1. The influence of the environment on the organisational system, how the system adapts and responds to the environmental forces, and how it maintains its dynamic state as a distinct entity.

2. Systems inquiry investigates the concepts of boundary, communication, emergence, hierarchy, power, emancipation, equality, and efficacy. Systems inquiry further investigates the recursiveness and viability of any organisational system.

He has published in Systems-based journals, such as Systems and Society and the Systemist. Gary is a member of the United Kingdom Systems Society (UKSS) Management Committee, Chair of the Conference, and an Associate Editor of the Systemist. He is also Chair of the Society’s Forums, contribute articles for the Newsletter, and regularly present at the Society’s Conferences.

Arkadiusz Tomczyk graduated with a MSc in Tourism Management & Marketing from Bournemouth University in 2013. Arkadiusz then followed a career in management in the hospitality industry. Gaining practical experience in hospitality Operations Management, Arkadiusz teaches undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in higher education. He has been teaching at Bournemouth University units such as Financial Reporting, Entrepreneurship and SME Management, Event Business, and practical aspects of Hospitality Operations and Food and Beverage Management. He is very self-motivated with high integrity, pragmatic, and flexible yet structured and analytical approach. Also, Arkadiusz’s teaching has been recognised by awarding multiple ‘You’re Brilliant’ awards.

He teaches Sustainable Project Management for MSc Events Management at BU.

Arkadiusz is also a PhD candidate here at Bournemouth University, interested in personalisation, value co-creation and Revenue Management research. His current research project is titled: Personalisation through co-creation. With his excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, he was also elected as a vice-chair of the Southern Branch of the Institute of Hospitality. The primary purpose is to promote professionalism through lifelong learning.