Factors to Consider When Selecting a Graduate School for Event Management
Higher Education Articles May 2, 2015Master’s degree and graduate certificate programs in event management will prepare students for careers as convention and meeting managers and planners. Continuing education departments and graduate schools offer these programs.
Selecting a Graduate School for Event Management
A graduate certificate or a master’s degree in the subject is most commonly awarded in graduate programs in event management. Students can find these programs through the continuing education and graduate departments of four-year universities.
Education Requirements
Current meeting professionals and individuals interested in a career in event management will benefit from enrolling in graduate programs in event management. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is a minimum requirement for enrollment to both master’s degree and graduate certificate programs, and prior work experience is a requirement in some programs.
Flexibility of Learning Formats
Master’s degree programs span a longer duration, are more intensive than graduate certificate programs, and are consequently suitable for working students. Additional flexibility is available through some programs via graduate certificate programs and evening and online courses.
Opportunities for Interaction
For newbie students and those with limited work experience, a graduate program affords the opportunity to gain hands-on event management experience. Workshops, residencies, and internships are offered in some programs. Some incorporate interactions with established professionals, such as seminars, field trips, and networking events, which may benefit students.
School Services and Resources
With a master’s degree or graduate certificate in event management, students can find a broad array of career choices. Hence, they may prefer programs that provide career services, such as interview workshops and job boards. Students may also seek schools with programs devised to train them for the Convention Industry Council’s Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) credential offering.
Graduate Certificate in Event Management
Schools often offer professional or graduate certificate programs in event management via continuing education departments. A Certificate in Meeting, Conference and Event Management; a Special Event Management Certificate; and a Graduate Certificate in Hospitality Management are among available certificates. Coursework may vary according to the concentration, but commonly coursework covers topic areas such as:
•Finance
•Business
•Ethics
•Marketing
•Computer applications
Master’s Programs in Event Management
A tourism degree program, such as a Master of Science (M.S.) in Recreation with a concentration in international tourism or the Master of Tourism Administration (M.T.A.) with an event and meeting management concentration, may include graduate degree programs in event management as a component part.
Students enrolled in these event management programs are trained to seek mid-level or entry-level careers, and they may be required to complete a thesis. Core coursework may include topic areas such as:
•Event marketing
•Entertainment and tourism
•Hospitality
•Risk management
