MSc in International Events Management Oxford Brookes University

On our MSc International Events Management, you will gain work experience and interact with practitioners and academics.

You will build a strong foundation in events management and apply theory to practice by engaging in practical events management. Live case studies and real event design and delivery allow you to experience an innovative and creative approach to your learning.

You will gain a wealth of knowledge including:

• event design
• planning
• delivery
• working with key stakeholders
• the core principles of events marketing including digital marketing and marketing analysis
• finance and accounting for business
• leadership in an international context
• decision-making skills to devise marketing plans and communications.

You can develop your potential to become a leader within the industry by working with our researchers to explore recent research and the challenges within the sector.

If you choose the sandwich mode, you can apply for a year's paid supervised work experience in an events marketing role.

Learning and assessment

You will study nine compulsory modules, including a module that helps develop your professional and academic skills. You will choose to take a dissertation or client project.

The course lasts two years with the work placement and one year without.

Study modules

Compulsory modules

• Contemporary Issues in Events Management}
  This module gives you the context for the field of international events, helping you to understand the breadth and complexity of the events industry and the range of stakeholders involved in international event management. You will critically analyse a range of contemporary issues involved in managing events on the international stage in multiple settings, scales, sectors and societies. Key concepts such as evaluating the impacts of events; their sustainable operation and management and key issues surrounding funding, sponsorship, human resources and marketing of events are explored more deeply through the lenses of contemporary research and debates.
• Principles of International Events Marketing
  This module introduces you to the key principles, concepts and tools of marketing in the context of the international events sector. Critical evaluation of the macro and micro environments and the consequential impacts on events marketing is explored together with the impact of contemporary issues such as sustainability on events marketing decisions. Students examine the diversity of event stakeholders and use marketing techniques to critically analyse the impact of these groups on strategic marketing decisions, ultimately students are enabled to research and develop a strategic events marketing plan.
• Developing the Sustainable Event
  This module is based on global industry standards for events management. Within the context of designing and planning for a real event, which takes place and is evaluated in semester two, this module introduces the principles of sustainable project performance management and develop skills in creativity, working with the client, designing planning, implementing and evaluating projects against a triple bottom line – environmental, social and economic. You will learn how to use project and financial and performance management tools, how to identify, manage and mitigate risk and how to deal with the impact of change on the project and manage performance.
• Delivering the Sustainable Event
  This module prepares you for live events. You will build on your planning in developing the sustainable event and bring key principles and concepts of international events management to the delivery of a real-world event. There is a focus on developing an understanding of the links between strategy, decisions and outcomes of an event and its stakeholders – internal and external. The module is divided into three distinct phases – theoretical underpinning, participation in practical event delivery and reflection and evaluation of both the event and individual learning. Post-event activities such as collation of feedback, evaluation and consideration of legacy also examined with students evaluating their own event.
• Professional and Academic Development
  This professional and academic skills development module helps you to become a lifelong learner and enhances your employability. Starting with a focus on how to achieve your best academically, you then develop your skills for employment and career planning. You will work through a self-development plan, taking the lead in your own learning and development. You will be coached in identifying, engaging in and reflecting on how you can gain from developmental activities within the university and externally.
• Research Methods for Events and Marketing
  This module delivers the skills that enable you to conduct marketing research independently. Students on the MSc programmes are expected to undertake effective research drawing upon a range of secondary and primary data sources in the preparation of coursework. You will be exposed to a range of methodological issues, data collection techniques and study skills. In addition, this module is geared towards the preparation for, and successful completion of, high quality, rigorous and systematic research for business and management.
• Finance & Accounting for Business
  This module aims to develop a basic understanding and critical assessment of corporate financial information from the user’s perspective. This will include both financial and management accounting information covering three areas: basic terminology: purposes, users, rules and regulations of business entities; financial accounting: key financial statements published accounts and analysis and interpretation through ratios; management accounting: costing, budgeting and forecasting, budget management and pricing.
• Leadership and Management: International Perspective
  This will develop your international management and leadership skills, introducing you to key management issues which are illustrated by case studies. It will improve your cross-cultural awareness and enhance your effectiveness when working with an international organisation.
• Digital and Social Media Marketing Strategy
  Digital technologies have transformed marketing, they offer new sources of customer insight, they have dramatically changed customer behaviour, enabled new business models and impacted how organisations interact with their customers and key stakeholders. This module aims to take a strategic perspective of the digital and social media environment. It focuses on the interaction between consumers, businesses and other organisations and how thinking digitally can assist in effective marketing. Web-based media, mobile platforms, social media and digital tools are reviewed, practised and critically evaluated to identify successful performance and to create contemporary digital marketing strategies.

Final project - choose one of

• Dissertation
  This module gives you the opportunity to explore and develop expertise in an area of interest. You are encouraged to choose topics that are valuable in your future careers. This is a self-managed activity, driving your own research project while being guided and advised by a supervisor, based on the proposal developed in the Research Methods in Marketing module.
• Client Project
  You have the opportunity to link theory to practice by analysing a real organisational issue. Having identified a project (with the approval of both the client company and the Module Leader) you investigate a particular issue, one that can be supported through the relevant literature and by conducting primary research with the client. This module is not an internship but can be taken in conjunction with an internship you have identified and are participating in. The ‘issue’ in question may be a current management problem for the client organisation or related to future strategic choices. The Client project provides you with a significant learning and personal development experience.

Work placement

• Events Practice (sandwich mode)
  This module is a great opportunity to gain one year’s supervised paid work experience in the UK or internationally in an events management role. You will investigate a marketing challenge in a commercial or non-profit organisation. Throughout this module, you apply the practical concepts you are learning in the course. When you are working for the organisation, you will be responsible for managing a large proportion of your own learning, including tracking and recording your progress.
  We provide lots of support to help you find paid work experience and gain connections with various organisations. Our placements team (WAVES) has a database that records work placement opportunities and they run numerous placements fairs where you could meet potential employers. Securing a work experience placement is your responsibility and does take a lot of effort, but this gives you valuable experience. You would need to cover your own living and travel costs throughout this duration.

Our Graduates are employed in roles throughout the world, including jobs in:

• media
• digital
• brand and communications agencies

And in-house marketing and events management positions in areas as diverse as:

• fast-moving consumer goods
• retail
• hospitality
• travel
• publishing
• manufacturing
• conferences and exhibitions.

Current employers include:

• Johnson & Johnson
• Hitachi
• DK
• Avis
• PWC.

As well as a number of small and medium-sized ‘digital’ agencies.

We have strong relationships with companies in a range of industries. These relationships inform the programme design and delivery and provide opportunities for placements and employment.