Events Management FdA
A convenient way for people working in the events industry, to gain formal qualifications and refresh their skills, without needing to reorganise their life. It’s also open to those wanting to move into the events management sector.
Although all materials are online, there is a three day workshop in Buxton which you need to attend. It’s certainly worth the journey though, as you’ll hear industry experts speak, build up your contacts and learn from others
Learn from the experts
Learning from influential people who are already successful in the events industry is an approach we believe passionately in. That’s why this foundation degree has been designed with the help of such people, and why we ask these professionals to deliver sessions and speak as part of your programme.
The three day workshop in Buxton is led by Capita Symonds, safety specialists that work on Top Gear and the London Marathon, and in the past it’s been attended by security managers for Glastonbury, fire officers and local authority professionals, so you can network with a wide range of people.
Studying online gives you the flexibility to study at the most convenient time and place for you. Course modules still operate within a fixed semester or term time, but you can choose to study during the day, in the evenings or at the weekend rather than having to attend fixed lectures.
Not one, but two comprehensive qualifications
As part of this degree, you’ll also gain an additional Diploma in Events Safety Management – giving you extra credibility.
In order to be a good events manager, you need a broad range of skills. We teach topics including law, crisis communication, project management, events safety and marketing, to give you a varied programme and to make you an all-round professional.
Course Length:
2-3 years of part time study
Start Dates:
September and January
Entry Requirements:
Our entry requirements are usually 100-120 UCAS points from A levels or equivalent qualifications, such as a BTEC National Diploma, Scottish Highers etc. If you've completed an Access/Foundation course, we also accept these qualifications.
The UCAS tariff points are a guide - we'll also consider all the information that you've included in your application. We'll also want to see that you're enthusiastic and motivated to take this course and that you have the potential to benefit from coming to university.
Fees:
| Per Module | Modules | Total | Start | |
| UK | £300 | 16 | £4,800 | Sept |
| Non UK | £405 | 16 | £6,480 | Sept |
*Prices correct for 2011/2012. Subject to annual increase.
Career Information:
This course will complement your existing role in the workplace, and could provide you with the foundations to help you move on and up the career ladder by recognising your skills and experience. If you want to carry on studying and further your knowledge, this course will lead you to the final year of an honours course in events management.
Course Leader:
Modules Summary Stage 1:
You must take all of the CORE modules listed below. You will then need to choose TWO modules from the list of OPTIONAL modules to complete stage 1.
Modules Summary Stage 2:
You must take the following CORE modules. You will then need to select the equivalent of 4 single modules from the list below.
Student Profile:
Career Information
This course will complement your existing role in the workplace, and could provide you with the foundations to help you move on and up the career ladder by recognising your skills and experience. If you want to carry on studying and further your knowledge, this course will lead you to the final year of an honours course in events management.
Modules
Stage 1
You must take all of the CORE modules listed below. You will then need to choose TWO modules from the list of OPTIONAL modules to complete stage 1.
Core Module
In this module, you will learn about the practical elements involved with events management. The module will enable you to:
- undertake the development of an event, including the event selection and initiation process
- identify and evaluate the event management process.
You'll study these areas:
- Event selection and initiation.
- Conceptualisation and realisation of events.
- The economic, social and political feasibility of events.
- Impacts of events on the community.
- Venue finding, logistics and ambience.
- Managing the event as a project.
- Identification of operational issues of event management.
- Evaluation of events.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. You will be asked to submit an event feasibility proposal.
Credits: 15
Core Module
Choosing the right venue is a key aspect of creating successful events. This module focuses on that topic and will enable you to:
- undertake research to select the most suitable venue for an event, based on a third party brief
- create a floor plan and venue layout for a requested event.
We will cover these areas:
- The importance of understanding the client request, pricing the venue, negotiating prices, contracting the client and venue.
- The role of the venue finding agencies, destination management companies/agencies, convention bureaux, tourist boards and regional development agencies in business creation.
- The role of the British Association of Conference Destinations (BACD).
- The importance of selling the event package, the pitch and development of event concepts.
- The changing and highly competitive environment of exhibition/convention centres.
- The importance of technology availability at venues.
- The growing popularity of unusual, temporary and historical venues.
- Technical information and venue floor plans.
How will I be assessed?
You will write a blog for an imagined event, which outlines the key areas of the event including the event concept, and how the event meets the client’s requirements.
You will also produce an individual report (1500 words) which explains how you have addressed the client’s requirements and brief in each of the decisions you have made, including the floor plan.
Credits: 15
Core Module
This module requires you to be responsible for your own professional development. You will evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses in relation to your professional role and devise a project to address these weaknesses.
You'll cover:
- Self-evaluation.
- SWOT analysis.
- Personal action plan.
- Review.
- Self-development.
- Professional development.
- Role analysis and role sets.
- The value of professional development in the workplace.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. In assignment 1, you will conduct a SWOT analysis which will lead to the development of a project to address areas of weakness (2000 words, worth 50%). In assignment 2, you will produce a written report identifying how the project/activity has benefited both you and the organisation, referencing relevant theories (2,000 words, worth 50%).
Credits: 30
Core Module
This module will develop your skills and confidence in academic writing. You will be introduced to a range of extended study skills which will enable you to respond to the demands of academic study.
It will cover:
- An introduction to a range of academic study skills.
- An introduction to the University’s online resources.
- Study strategies.
- Harvard referencing.
- Analytical and evaluating skills.
- Writing skills.
- Plagiarism.
- ICT skills.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. This will be a piece of work that demonstrates how you have used academic skills, for example, essay writing, report writing and referencing.
Credits: 15
Core Module
You will gain a practical understanding of the purchasing, costing and control techniques used to support the manager in making effective short term decisions in a service based industry.
At the end of this module you will be able to:
- compare and contrast two sets of final accounts with an analysis of how they reflect the performance of each business
- demonstrate an understanding of the budgeting process including the preparation of a set of management accounts accompanied by a cost evaluation.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework.
Assignment one (worth 50%) will be an analysis of two sets of financial accounts. This analysis will be a 1500 word explanatory essay, highlighting areas of concern and make suitable recommendations.
Assignment two (worth 50%) will be a written explanation of the budget setting process and a cost statement showing standard and actual costs with an analysis of the variants (1500 words.)
Credits: 15
Core Module
The customer experience at events relies much on the skills and competencies of front line and support staff, so it is important that organisations have effective systems and procedures for managing human resources.
The aim of this module is to develop your skills, knowledge and understanding of Human Resource Management (HRM) theory and its application within service industries. You will cover a range of HRM issues and processes, focusing on the manager’s role in implementing HRM systems and procedures.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. For assignment one (40%) you will produce an outline of a recruitment plan for a job of your choice. This should include a job advert, a rationale for your chosen sources of recruitment and an overview of your intended selection methods (1000 words). For assignment two (60%) you will investigate and evaluate performance management and retention strategies used within the service sector (1500 words).
Credits: 15
Core Module
Marketing and promotion are recognised as being fundamental to business success. This module will enable you to:
- demonstrate a basic understanding of the marketing and promotion process
- appreciate the role of marketing and promotion within the service industry.
You will study:
- An overview of contemporary marketing
- The extended marketing mix
- Research, market segmentation and targeting
- Consumer motivation and purchase behaviour
- The nature of the service product – lifestyle process
- Expectations and perceptions of a service
- The promotional process and media landscape – return on investment
- Consumer motivation and purchase behaviour
- Important and multiple roles of promotion
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. You will produce a 2500 word report explaining and evaluating marketing and the multiple roles of promotion in the leisure service sector.
Credits: 15
Stage 2
You must take the following CORE modules. You will then need to select the equivalent of 4 single modules from the list below.
Core Module
This module leads on from Events Project Planning from Stage 1 and begins to follow the event as it takes shape through the different operational stages. Planning is an essential part of events management and is a process which needs careful consideration.
This module will enable you to:
- apply event project management tools to ensure the success of planning
- evaluate the concepts of events operations and project management as applied to a real event.
You'll cover:
- Competitive advantage through event location and facility layout, environmental issues of event location, and risk assessment techniques.
- Integration of activity to include: event concept, event feasibility, venue selection, hospitality and catering, transport, marketing, fundraising and sponsorship, logistics and supply.
- Implications of negligence, task forces and committees, control and budgeting.
- Project management (Gantt Charts, Network Charts, Critical Path) and contingency planning.
- Post event shutdown and crowd dispersal.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework.
Credits: 30
Core Module
This is another opportunity for you to relate your academic knowledge to your specific working environment and to evaluate your own development since the beginning of the programme. The aim is to encourage you to manage your own development against a range of transferable skills under the following headings:
- Interpersonal skills.
- Working with and relating to others.
- Personal skills; self-development.
- Application of academic knowledge.
- Information technology.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. In assignment one (50%) you will complete a research project discussing how an aspect of management practice within your work environment relates to the theoretical knowledge you’ve gained so far (2000 words.)
In assignment two (50%) you produce a written summary of your self-development during the programme, in terms of a range of typical transferable skills (3000 words.) You also select the equivalent of four single modules from the following.
Credits: 30
Optional Module
During this module you will study:
- The classification of corporate events within the broader context of events management and the hospitality industry.
- Characteristics of the corporate events and their geo-demographic features.
- Evaluating the size, scope and nature of corporate events in strategy formulation.
- Targeting, segmentation and positioning in events management.
- Evaluation of the relationships between successful targeting positioning and strategy selection to business performance.
- Appropriate marketing communication strategies.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. You will produce a formal report of between 3,000 and 3,500 words, identifying the characteristics of the market groups relevant to a given case study.
Credits: 15
Optional Module
This module is about understanding the necessity of preparing, planning and implementing a crisis communication plan. It is essential in the events industry to appreciate the lifecycle of a crisis and the importance of a correct situational response.
You'll study:
- Different types of crises: natural, human, technological.
- Coombs’ Situational Crisis Communication Theory.
- Coombs’ Crisis Clusters including victim, accidental and intentional.
- Crisis response strategies, the crisis response continuum and the Denial Curve.
- Public relations issues, stakeholder management and symmetrical communication.
- The management of apology.
- McHale’s Hegemonic model of crisis communication.
- Crisis communication planning and the crisis communication plan.
- Corporate reputation management – maintenance and enhancement of the most important organisational asset.
- Reputation risk management.
- Risk issue lifecycle and the reputation risk management process.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. You will produce a crisis communication plan detailing an organisation’s intended response to an identified emergency/crisis.
Credits: 15
Optional Module
This module will give you an awareness of relevant legislation affecting the planning and implementation of event operations.
You'll study:
- Human resources and work legislation including the application of the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and the role of the Executive and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
- Events venue legislation such as the application of The Event Safety Guide (2002). The Disability Discrimination Act (2005), The Guide to Fire Precautions in Existing places of Entertainment and Like Premises (1998) and the Licensing Act (2003).
- Civil Contingencies Act (2004) Local Arrangements for Civil Protection.
- BS8901 Sustainability in Events Guide (2007), The Risk Management Standard (2002) and other industry benchmarks.
- An introduction to the law of tort, the concept of 'negligence' and the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act (2007).
- The essence of events’ contract law, contracting and sub-contracting suppliers, breach of contract, remedies and frustration.
How will I be assessed?
You will undertake a time constrained online assessment testing your knowledge of events’ legislation and your legal obligations as an event organiser.
Credits: 15
Optional Module
The events industry is multi-faceted and encompasses current and emerging festival, corporate and sporting events. To ensure events are conducted with due care and attention for the welfare of staff and customers, each event needs to be subject to unique venue-specific health and safety planning and management.
After completing this module you'll be able to:
- evaluate and assess the essential decision making processes for the choice of venue, facilities design and layout for a range of events
- identify, assess and analyse event specific health and safety, financial and operational risks
- produce an event safety plan incorporating event and venue evaluation, risk assessments, emergency procedures, waste disposal, security, crowd control, organisation, safety and welfare and sanitary provision.
We will cover:
- The role of the events safety management team and responsibility of the event organiser.
- The role of the events logistic manager including on site issues, communication, crowd dynamics, ingress and egress of attendees, emergency procedures, the emergency services.
- Types of design and facilities used for events: old, modern, already constructed, purpose built.
- Crowd capacity, environmental issues, impact assessments, health and safety audits and legal requirements.
- Counter terrorism issues including prevent, pursue, protect and prepare as well as terrorism issues around public spaces and mass gatherings.
- Energy sources including essential services, water, gas, electricity and sanitation, energy control systems, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting.
- Technical issues such as structural capabilities, sound, light, staging and special effects, as well as media coverage and additional structures.
- Management theories surrounding the physical layout and design of venues, suitability of the venue, adaptation of venues and managing touring events in different venues.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. You'll produce a detailed event safety plan for a real event including a risk assessment and site plan.
Credits: 30
Optional Module
For events, the quality of the service is important in achieving business success. Supervisors and managers play a significant role in harnessing the skills, competencies and commitment of staff to provide services to the standards expected.
In this module you’ll be introduced to theoretical perspectives of management and you’ll recognise the changing nature of management and analyse the role of supervisors and managers within the service industries.
During this module you will:
- consider the links between management theory and practice within contemporary service industries
- investigate theoretical perspectives of people management and organisational behaviour and evaluate their impact in the workplace (topics will include motivation, leadership, teams and groups, organisation structure, organisation culture, power and conflict)
- research and evaluate recent initiatives and approaches to people management, identifying features of high performance organisations and analysing ideas relating to flexibility, diversity, job design, empowerment, performance management and employee involvement.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. You will produce an evaluative report based on an investigation into management practices within a chosen service sector organisation and its impact on performance (3000 words.)
Credits: 15
Optional Module
Marketing tools, if effectively coupled with the exciting and changing media landscape, empower organisations to strengthen their brand, optimise consumption of their product/service, improve the use of their assets and their overall business performance.
In this module you will cover:
- The roles of marketing and sales management within the organisation.
- The service concept – quality and its positive contribution to promotional investment.
- Services and their characteristics
- The promotional challenges and increased opportunities.
- The importance of the brand.
- Capacity and demand management.
- Core and augmented product.
- Segmentation, targeting and positioning.
- The control elements of the communications process based upon traditional and emerging AIDA models.
- Semiotics in marketing and promotion.
- E-business – virtual, viral and the rest.
- The media landscape – Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC).
- Relationship and network marketing.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework. You'll produce a 3500 word report based on a UK service sector organisation.
Credits: 15
Optional Module
This module will enable you to take the necessary decisions to ensure effective resource management and sustainability. Effective decisions come from using effective purchasing and control systems and applying this in specific situations.
You will cover:
- Relevant costs and revenues for decisions.
- Cost-volume profit analysis.
- Long term decision techniques.
- Sources of finance.
- Long term capital structure and costs.
- Investment ratios.
- Investment in working capital.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework.
Credits: 15
Optional Module
Understanding consumers’ wants and needs as well as satisfaction levels is an important, but under-skilled and under researched area. Therefore, this module will help you develop basic skills for research, which are relevant to the events industry. It will cover:
- Researching and analysing academic work and referencing skills
- Specifying research questions and testing hypotheses
- Research styles and traditions: quantitative and qualitative; combining both methods
- Building up a feasible research design including ethical, sampling and reliability evaluation as well as philosophical approaches
- Primary research methods, such as interviewing, focus groups, observation, questionnaires, SPSS
- Analysing and presenting data
- Ethical issues in research approach and design and recognition of the University’s research ethics policy guidelines.
How will I be assessed?
It’s 100% coursework.
Credits: 15
Our entry requirements are usually 100-120 UCAS points from A levels or equivalent qualifications, such as a BTEC National Diploma, Scottish Highers etc. If you've completed an Access/Foundation course, we also accept these qualifications.
The UCAS tariff points are a guide - we'll also consider all the information that you've included in your application. We'll also want to see that you're enthusiastic and motivated to take this course and that you have the potential to benefit from coming to university.
Apply Now
Applications for Online courses are made through the main University of Derby website.
By clicking on "Apply now" below you will be redirected to the University of Derby website to continue your application process.
Fees
| Per Module | Modules | Total | Start | |
| UK | £300 | 16 | £4,800 | Sept |
| Non UK | £405 | 16 | £6,480 | Sept |
*Prices correct for 2011/2012. Subject to annual increase.
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