Step into the exciting world of event management, where you will fuse creativity and practicality to create extraordinary experiences that audiences love. This course takes you through every key step of event planning and execution - from conceiving innovative concepts to evaluating your triumphant success. Brimming with real-world case studies, interactive discussions, and hands-on exercises, this course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to start designing events that leave a lasting impression
COURSE LENGTH:
COURSE STRUCTURE:
- The Four Stages of Event Management
- Event Planning
- Coordinating Your Event, People & Budget
- Venue Management
- Event Production
- Event Health & Safety: Part 1
- Event Health & Safety: Part 2
- Outdoor Events & Festivals
- Corporate Events
- Introduction to Marketing for Events
- Evaluating the Success of Your Event
- Event Sponsorship
STUDY OPTIONS:
Part Time
1 x 3 hour live online evening class per week over 12 weeks
SUMMARY:
On this foundational course, you will learn the art and science of crafting unforgettable events that resonate with your attendees. You will delve into the core concepts of event management, exploring the four essential stages – conceptualisation, articulation, execution, and evaluation – and learning how they come together in the development of a wide variety of event experiences.
As the saying goes, “Fail to plan, plan to fail.” That’s why this course focuses on developing your organisational skillset, exploring vital areas such as evaluating feasibility, defining event themes, and executing a strategic planning process that maximises strengths and opportunities while minimizing weaknesses and threats (SWOT). You will discover the importance of setting a comprehensive event timeline and using anchor points as guideposts to ensure seamless coordination and execution.
You will also dive behind the scenes to explore the technical, production, and personnel aspects of event coordination. You will gain valuable insights into creating schedules, budgets, timelines, and production plans, ensuring that every element falls into place. You will also discover the various event management structures that facilitate smooth communication and foster a collaborative environment.
Importantly, this course covers vital safety and risk management factors in event management, allowing you to ensure the welfare of all involved. Marketing strategies and sponsorship tactics will further enhance your ability to attract participants and elevate the reputation of your events in the marketplace. This 12-week course will help you hone your approach to event management and start crafting immersive and engaging events.
Learners taking part in this course will now have access to the EBSCO Online Library, free of charge, for the full duration of the course. Here you can browse thousands of relevant journal articles and other reliable academic and commercial texts like the Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg Business week and Forbes Magazine, to supplement your learning and assignments.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
Ireland’s events sector is worth approximately €3.5 billion and hires over 35,000 individuals across company and freelance roles. Post-pandemic, there has been a marked increase in events across all sectors. This means that event management skills are more in demand than ever, and particularly promising in areas such as hospitality, marketing, and sales. Whether you aspire to work in-house, in-agency, or as a freelancer, this course will provide you with the foundational skills and administrative tools to create and produce events. In addition, this discipline develops universal skills that would benefit you in a wide range of careers beyond event management, for example organisation, time management, coordination, communication, problem- solving, and creativity skills.
ASSESSMENT AND CERTIFICATION
This course is assessed through two assignments, a recorded presentation and a final written project, allowing you to demonstrate your understanding of the course material. The recorded presentation (worth 20% of your assessment) allows you to explain your idea for a hypothetical event that would be a good cultural and artistic fit for the Galway International Arts Festival. The report of approximately 2,500 words (worth 80% of your assessment) is your pitch document for the same hypothetical event. Both assignments are due after the end of the course.
Your UCD Professional Academy Diploma will be issued electronically on a secure platform, with a link that you can share with employers and others wishing to verify your credentials. You’ll also be able to add the certification to your LinkedIn profile to demonstrate your achievement to your network as well as recruiters and potential employers searching for individuals with your skills and experience.
This course is not on the National Framework of Qualifications.
LEARNER PROFILE:
This engaging course is ideal for early-career event professionals looking to upskill and elevate their position in the industry as well as those who would like to pursue a role in event management but have no experience in the field. The course content places an emphasis on contextualising learning material in an accessible way, and there are lots of opportunities for interactive discussion, feedback, and knowledge transfer. After just 12 weeks, you will have a strong foundation in event management theory, a toolkit of templates, and the confidence required to conceptualise, plan, and manage your own events. This course does not focus on leveraging events as part of a marketing strategy. While some practical event management experience can be beneficial, it is not essential.
