EVENTS MANAGEMENT

BA (Hons) Top-up

Accredited by University College Birmingham

Award

BA (Hons)

Duration

1 year FT

UCAS Code

N820

Entry

February 2026

Fees

View fees

Department of Hospitality and Tourism
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Saturday 21 March 2026

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Our course offers a residential visit, with essential costs covered by the University

An estimated 1.08 million conferences and meetings took place at UK venues in 2024, with over 10,000 event venues to choose from!

Our BA (Hons) Events Management Top-Up degree is designed for anyone who has previously studied a relevant subject (up to Level 5), to enhance your knowledge and understanding of this dynamic, thriving industry.   With a global market value exceeding $1.6 trillion (Events Industry Council, 2023), the demand for skilled event managers is soaring.

From large-scale festivals and sporting spectacles to corporate conferences and intimate weddings, events shape our world.
Our events management degree provides you with the expertise to excel in this exciting field, transforming your passion for events into a successful career.

Combining business, enterprise and innovation with a strategic focus on resilience and sustainability, our Events Management degree will help you develop the skills you need to become an innovative leader who can build exceptional, unforgettable event experiences. From studying event tourism and sustainable events management to innovation and crisis resilience, you will gain the in-depth knowledge needed to build a comprehensive platform for your future career. Furthermore, as academic partners of the Association of Event Venues, you will have exclusive access to networking and career opportunities built into your programme.

In addition, you will also have the chance to go on an overseas residential trip, hear from industry guest speakers and utilise Cvent, specialist event management software.

Why choose this degree course?

  • RESIDENTIAL VISIT – Travel overseas for a residential trip to a European destination as part of your top-up course (subject to visa requirements)
  • DIVERSE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE – Study a wide range of topics including events planning, marketing and risk management.
  • NETWORKING –  As academic associate members of the Association of Event Venues, students will have the chance to network with national and international event venues. The University also hosts the ITT Virtual Future You event, which focuses on careers in travel, tourism and hospitality
  • ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS – You’ll use industry specialist software throughout your programme and have the opportunity to gain additional certification in event planning

Course breakdown

  • Modules

Core Modules

Festival and Event Tourism

You will study the policy and planning issues surrounding festivals management, events tourism and destination management. You will understand the importance of links between heritage, culture, the arts and festivals, and you will look at promoting and enhancing destinations as part of a regional tourism strategy.

Mega Events

The focus on mega events reflects the current events industry, where events of this scale have become a driving force for change. You will explore the macro environment and analyse key internal and external factors which contribute to staging. You will also consider political, social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts, as well as the challenges of staging international events.

Winning Events Bids

You will have the opportunity to explore, analyse and assess the creative processes which contribute to the production of events and innovative event management. You will learn how to pitch a creative and effective bid to win a contract by using a range of communication tools to develop new concepts and techniques.

International Research Project

You will conduct primary research within the hospitality, tourism and events industry, taking in the wider issues within an international environment. You will learn transferable skills by planning your research methodology, implementation, findings and analysis, as well as reflecting on the success of your research project overall.

Event Crisis Strategy

You will critique and adopt crisis management techniques and consider their role in events management strategy based on a variety of scenarios. This will enable you to compile your own crisis strategy and explore crisis prevention and approaches to recovery.

Plus one option from:

Financial Strategy

An opportunity to consolidate your financial planning knowledge, you will learn how to synthesise and evaluate business performance and strategy. You will develop an in-depth knowledge of financial concepts and how companies portray themselves through their annual reports.

Global Marketing Solutions

This module aims to promote an understanding of the complexity and issues an organisation faces when attempting to enter overseas markets. Organisations increasingly operate in diverse and less understood market environments and emphasis will be placed on identifying the challenges presented by breaking into new markets. The module aims to highlight the practicalities of marketing products and services in new international markets and developing the skills required for exploiting new overseas market opportunities.

Personal Effectiveness and Behavioural Skills

You will identify ways to improve your professional and personal potential by making positive changes and managing yourself. You will benefit from developing your soft skills and self-awareness, which will help you achieve success when managing people.

The modules listed above for this course are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up to date and informed by industry as well as the latest teaching methods. On occasion, we may need to make unexpected changes to modules – if this occurs, we will contact all offer holders as soon as possible.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Academic: A relevant HND or a foundation degree in the areas of Events or Events Management, with 240 credits.

If you are unsure if your previous qualification is suitable, please contact us before completing an application. You can complete our enquiry form here or call us on 0121 604 1040

International students

Academic: European and International qualifications studied in a relevant subject matter will also be considered. Applicants will need to have achieved 120 ECTS or equivalent (European Credit Transfer).

If you are unsure if your previous qualification is suitable, please contact us before completing an application. You can call us on 0121 604 1040 or complete our enquiry form:

Enquiry Form

Key information

Teaching and assessment

Note: Indicative information only – actual timetables and assessment regimes will be issued at your induction. 

Teaching

Example of a typical teaching week (up to 14 contact hours): 

  • Large group teaching – 6 hours 
  • Smaller group teaching – 3 hours 
  • Tutorials – 3 hours 
  • Subject advice sessions – 2 hours 
  • Field trips and visits 

You will also need to commit around 20 hours per week for individual study time. 

Assessment

Estimated breakdown of assessment for this top-up course:

  • Coursework – 70%
  • Practical assessment – 5%
  • Written examination – 25%

Our teaching and assessment is underpinned by our Learning and Teaching Strategy 2025-2030.

Additional qualifications and training

This course is accredited by the CMI, meaning you will be eligible for a CMI Award in Leadership and Management when you graduate. (This is subject to payment of an additional fee.)

Tuition fees for international students

If you are an international student (or have been fee assessed as an international fee payer) and are enrolling on a full-time [Band 3] bachelor's degree course in 2025/2026, the fee for the academic year will be £19,750. If you complete a placement year, there will be an administration fee of £500 for a full year or £250 for a half-year placement.

View fees for international students

Kick-Start Scheme

As a new student studying this course full-time, you will receive £300 per year through our Kick-Start Scheme (UK students only, eligibility criteria applies). This scheme will support your studies and future career by contributing to course-related materials, uniform or selected items on campus. You may also qualify for an additional £500 per year.

Find out more about the Kick-Start Scheme here.

Unibuddy Community - meet other students on your course

Starting university is an exciting time, but we understand that it can sometimes feel a little daunting. To support you, you will be invited to join our Unibuddy Community, where you can meet other students who have applied for the same course at University College Birmingham, before you start studying here.

As soon as you have been made an offer, you will be sent an invitation email to complete your registration and join the Unibuddy Community. For more information, check out our Unibuddy Community page.

Percentage
70%

of graduate employers say relevant experience is essential to getting a job with them

Work experience

Work experience is vital for learning how to apply your training in the real world and for building your confidence and skills before you finish your course – and it may even lead to a job when you graduate. Our Hired team can help you find suitable work experience.

We encourage students on our BA Events Management top-up course to gain work experience throughout your studies.

Work alongside experts in your sector

A snapshot of some of the employers we have worked with:

  • Ritz Carlton Hotel
  • The Total Event Company
  • Coworth Park
  • Enterprise Holdings
  • The Belfry Hotel and Resort
  • Utilita Arena Birmingham
  • The Birmingham Botanical Gardens
  • Compass Group (Edgbaston Cricket Ground)
  • Amadeus (NEC Group Ltd)
  • NEC Group Ltd

The most valuable part of the course has been, for one, receiving that kind of support to help me get the best out of my studies. On top of that, the trips and visits throughout the course, talks from renowned industry figures and real-life focused assignments have all been amazing.

Nika Gurung Events Management BA (Hons)

Career opportunities

The example roles and salaries below are intended as a guide only.

Events/festival manager

Average Salary: £33,000

Marketing executive

Average salary: £26,500 – £30,500

Digital marketer

Average Salary: £30,000

Project manager (graduate)

Average Salary: £39,197

Tour manager

Average Salary: £27,500

Event coordinator

Average Salary: £20,961

Want to take your studies to the next level? Completing the BA (Hons) degree will enable you to move onto our postgraduate courses such as International Events Management MSc or Hospitality with Tourism Management MSc/PGDip (Pathway A).

Hired

We are here to support your career goals every step of the way. 

 

Find out more

Emma’s Story

As a Birmingham City Council Events Officer, Emma has worked on many iconic events including the famous Frankfurt Christmas Market.

Read Story

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