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Kick start your exciting career in events planning with a unique Events Management degree from the University of Essex. Graduates of this programme could go onto careers working on weddings, sporting events, festivals, fashion shows, corporate events or conferences.
After completing the FdA you will have the opportunity, subject to satisfactory performance, to continue with your studies and finish with a BA degree.
The Events Management degree prepares you for the fast-paced world of planning and managing events. You will learn alongside lecturers who have worked on worldwide and high profile events while gaining experience of real weddings, conferences and private functions alongside your studies.
With a student experience unlike any other, it may come as no surprise that the Edge Hotel School is ranked 1st in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2020 for our subject area.
You will study topics including:
Event planning and logistics
Winning an event contract and proposal design
Business innovation
Contemporary management practice
Cultural events, festivals and weddings
Human resources management
Digital marketing
The Edge Hotel School experience is unlike any other student experience. Here you will have the best of both worlds. Not only will you graduate from a leading university* - you will develop your industry knowledge and professional skills by working within Wivenhoe House, a fully-commercial 4* hotel, alongside your studies.
Our lecturers have international industry experience to support your learning and development
Edge Hotel School graduates go onto careers all over the world
You will gain experience alongside your studies in a real 4* hotel to boost your employability
Our expert staff
Our staff includes lecturers with both professional as well as academic backgrounds to ensure you are taught by people with industry-relevant experience themselves. Among our academic staff are a former organiser of the BRIT Awards, London Fashion Week and events for Her Majesty The Queen, a former hotel General Manager, a former Food and Beverage Manager for award-winning cruise lines and a Dr. (PhD) with international research experience.
Specialist facilities
Wivenhoe House, where you will gain experience, is a 40-bedroom country house hotel on the university campus with a brasserie restaurant and a busy conference and events function that hosts over 300 events and 50 weddings annually.
The Edge Hotel Society hosts student-organised events including industry speakers, student social events and an annual ball.
As an Edge Hotel School student you will be issued with a uniform to wear for your shifts in Wivenhoe House and when representing the School externally. You will just need to provide your own white shirts and black shoes.
Your future
The Events Management degree at the Edge Hotel School combines both events experience and industry knowledge to provide you with the skills for an exciting career in many aspects of events management.
The event and hospitality industry are excited by the calibre of our graduates and there are opportunities throughout the course to meet recruitment managers and network.
Graduates of this programme can go onto careers, in the UK or internationally, in areas such as:
Events management
Wedding planning
Venue management
Festival planning and management
Food and beverage management
Marketing and sales
Cruise ships and airlines
“Events management graduates need to lead by example at events. Here you will combine management and practical skills to enable you to do the job of planning and running great events to a professional standard– that’s why our graduates are so employable. Working in events management presents exciting opportunities internationally as well as across the UK.”
GCSE: English Language C/4, or equivalent. We are able to consider a range of equivalent qualifications, including Level 2 functional skills or a demonstration of the use of English through essay-based subjects at either GCSE or A-level equivalent. Contact Undergraduate Admissions for further details.
UCAS tariff: 64 points
A-levels: CC
BTEC: MPP
IB: 24 points or three Higher Level certificates with 333.
We are also happy to consider a combination of separate IB Diploma Programmes at both Higher and Standard Level. Exact offer levels will vary depending on the range of subjects being taken at higher and standard level, and the course applied for. Please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for more information.
Access to HE Diploma: 45 Level 3 credits at Pass or above
Grades given are an example only of the required tariff points, other combinations of A-level and other qualification grades can be accepted to achieve the required tariff total. Applicants with vocationally relevant level 3 or above qualifications will be considered on individual merit for the Foundation degree.
All applicants must be aged 18 or over at the point of registration.
Subject to satisfactory academic and professional assessment, candidates will have the opportunity to progress to the BA (Hons) degree after 2 years.
Unfortunately we are unable to accept applications for this course from international students.
International & EU entry requirements
We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.
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Other English language qualifications may be acceptable so please contact us for further details. If we accept the English component of an international qualification then it will be included in the information given about the academic levels listed above. Please note that date restrictions may apply to some English language qualifications
If you are an international student requiring a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Additional Notes
If you’re an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College here.
Structure
Example structure
Below is just a example of some of the modules from the current academic year. Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field, therefore all modules listed are subject to change. To view the compulsory modules and full list of optional modules currently on offer, please view the programme specification via the link below.
This module will introduce you to the concept of cultural events, weddings and festivals in society. The module will provide the origins and impacts of events in this genre and will consider a range of ethnic, religious, sociological and cultural viewpoints.
This module will provide you with an understanding of the operational characteristics of a high quality event business and the importance of effective teamwork in delivering excellent customer service. You will be introduced to the legal and regulatory context in which events operate, understand and use basic financial and costing skills and utilise relevant technology to enhance business performance.
This module will introduce you to the importance and centrality of the customer experience as fundamental to all activity within hospitality and event businesses. You will understand the different types of customer and factors that will influence their behaviour and expectations. The module will identify the components of effective customer relationships enabling you to develop the knowledge required to effectively deliver customer excellence.
This module will enable you to analyse the macro, micro and internal business environments in which international hospitality and events businesses operate. A comprehensive understanding of the environments that an organisation operates in will enable you to interpret situations and allow you to make decisions that add value for stakeholders. The focus of the module is on the external and internal influences on organisations and the effect these have on business practices and internal aspects of organisational life. Contemporary business issues will be studied as they arise.
This module introduces you to the regulatory frameworks for corporate bodies in the UK and sets the key financial documents into context (such as profit and loss, cash flow and balance sheets). Financial ratios and comparative measures are described and analysed in the context of micro-economics both internally and industry wide.
The module aims to develop your understanding of gastronomy as well as current trends in food and beverage and how culture, societal expectations and consumer demands influence the food and beverage offerings of events, restaurants, hotels and other food establishments. It will provide you with an understanding and insight into food and beverage commodities, how they are created and used as well as the processes used in the sourcing, purchasing, production and service of food and beverage within the events and hospitality industry.
Delivering Event and Hotel Operations and the Customer Experience
This module will introduce you to the concept and importance of the centrality of the customer experience as fundamental to all activity within a hotel business. The module will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on and take part in delivering customer excellence within the various functions of the hotel operation.
This module will equip you with a range of management and leadership skills to support your career development in the hospitality and event industries. You will identify how reflective practice enhances the effectiveness of managers, and assess your own skills set, identifying areas for development. You will show appreciation of the types of management skills that are transferable from academia to the work of hospitality and event managers, building on from the skills outlined within the Continual Professional Development module studied at level 5, for example team working, delegation and self-management.
This module continues from the first module, Event Operations by providing you with the opportunity to develop the knowledge of supervising teams as well as aspects of operational management. You will develop further the knowledge and application required for the successful planning and organising of your teams for the delivery of products and services to customers in all aspects of event management operations. You will understand the value of data to inform managers on trends, performance and analysis.
This module will develop your understanding of the underlying themes and forces acting on an organisation relating to its digital business, and in particular e-marketing. This is an evolving and growing aspect of modern marketing and you will research different strategies used throughout all industries to gain customers and improve brand recognition. You will learn about revenue management and the use of data to inform decision makers when maximising revenue in hospitality and events.
This module will enable you to analyse current contemporary issues that impact on management, staff, operations and customers within the events industry. Contemporary management practice will be studied within changing organisational, consumer and environmental contexts to enhance your understanding of factors that impact on competitive positioning within the industry.
Delivering Event Operations and the Customer Experience
This module will introduce you to the concept and importance of the centrality of the customer experience as fundamental to all activity within a hotel business. The module will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on and take part in delivering customer excellence within the various functions of the hotel operation.
In this module you will explore the subject of business ethics and the related concept of corporate social responsibility. The module assesses the business need for ethical practice, and examines the strategies through which ethical practices can become embedded. Furthermore Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a key concept in business operations and organizational management in recent years. The module will examine the background of CSR, its current applications, challenges, limitations as well as the different forms it can take such as HR policy and codes of conduct, legislation, and administration.
The purpose of this module is for you to consolidate your professional and personal learning and to focus on the development of techniques and strategies for self-management of your continuous professional development. You will develop critical self-reflection skills as well as provide an understanding of the role and relevance of research for managers in decision making. The module will also provide opportunity to develop a range of skills to prepare you for career advancement and employment opportunities.
Each year of the FdA consists of up to 21 weeks of teaching, 8 weeks gaining experience in the hotel and 2 weeks self-study, in addition to your holidays.
During a teaching week you would spend around 9 hours in lectures, or smaller seminars.
During a hotel week you would spend 4 or 5 days on shift, Monday – Sunday, gaining experience and applying the academic theory from your lectures.
Most of your hotel experience at Wivenhoe House will be in the conference and events department, but you will also gain some experience in reception, the kitchens and restaurant.
Term dates for this programme may differ from the standard termly timetable. Please contact the department for specific term date information on ehs@essex.ac.uk.
Assessment
Your Events Management degree has been designed to provide a mix of assessment approaches, including:
Essays
Exams
Posters
Presentations
Reflective statements
Reports
Dissertation
Events Project. The Events Project in Level 6 of the Events Management degree consists of an individual report, a presentation and a group report focusing on a real-life event with an external client. This is your opportunity to organise a live event for an external client from start to finish during the final level of your course.
The Professional Performance Assessment (PPA) which takes the form of an interview is used throughout our courses to allow you to reflect, practise and improve your interview skills before embarking on interviews for your first graduate role.
The Professional Code of Conduct is an important part of your assessment. It focuses on areas that are important for future managers such as attendance, punctuality and team working. The Professional Code of Conduct is available in your Student Handbook.
Fees and funding
Home/UK fee
£9,250
International fee
£16,850
While the BA course is available to all applicants, the FdA course is only available to applicants from the UK or EU. EU students commencing their course in the 2021-22 academic year will be liable for the International fee.
Fees will increase for each academic year of study.
Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex. We run a number of Open Days throughout the year which enable you to discover what our campus has to offer.
You have the chance to:
tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff
Check out our Visit Us pages to find out more information about booking onto one of our events. And if the dates aren’t suitable for you, feel free to book a campus tour here.
Applying
Applications for our full-time undergraduate courses should be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Applications are online at: www.ucas.com. Full details on this process can be obtained from the UCAS website in the how to apply section.
Our UK students, and some of our EU and international students, who are still at school or college, can apply through their school. Your school will be able to check and then submit your completed application to UCAS. Our other international applicants (EU or worldwide) or independent applicants in the UK can also apply online through UCAS Apply.
The UCAS code for our University of Essex is ESSEX E70. The individual campus codes for our Loughton and Southend Campuses are 'L' and 'S' respectively.
You can find further information on how to apply, including information on transferring from another university, applying if you are not currently at a school or college, and applying for readmission on our How to apply and entry requirements page.
Applicant Days and interviews
Resident in the UK? If your application is successful, we will invite you to attend one of our applicant days. These run from January to April and give you the chance to explore the campus, meet our students and really get a feel for life as an Essex student.
Some of our courses also hold interviews and if you're invited to one, this will take place during your applicant day. Don't panic, they're nothing to worry about and it's a great way for us to find out more about you and for you to find out more about the course. Some of our interviews are one-to-one with an academic, others are group activities, but we'll send you all the information you need beforehand.
If you're outside the UK and are planning a trip, feel free to email applicantdays@essex.ac.uk so we can help you plan a visit to the University.
Visit Colchester Campus
Home to 15,000 students from more than 130 countries, our Colchester Campus is the largest of our three sites, making us one of the most internationally diverse campuses on the planet - we like to think of ourselves as the world in one place.
The Campus is set within 200 acres of beautiful parkland, located two miles from the historic town centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded town. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.
If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tours allows you to explore our University from the comfort of your home. Check out our Colchester virtual tour and Southend virtual tour to see accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.
Exhibitions
Our staff travel the world to speak to people about the courses on offer at Essex. Take a look at our list of exhibition dates to see if we’ll be near you in the future.
At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.
The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and
Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.
