A group of people listening to a talk in a classroom.

BA(Hons) Business and Events Management

Entry year
2024/25
Course code
NN21
Application
UCAS
Level
Undergraduate
School
Bristol Business School
Tariff points
112
Campus
Frenchay
Duration
Three years full-time; sandwich four years
Delivery
Full-time, sandwich
Programme leader
Briony Whittaker

This course is open for applications

Page last updated 5 December 2023

Introduction

Get involved in projects and activities with our partners Macmillan Cancer Care, Glastonbury Festival and our Exhibition and Conference Centre.

Why study business and events management?

The event industry has seen significant growth and is now worth £42.3 billion in the UK alone. It offers diverse and exciting career opportunities around the world.

Events play an important role in economic development and social well-being, and can help achieve other business objectives like community cohesion.

Why UWE Bristol?

BA(Hons) Business and Events Management brings together UWE Bristol's recognised expertise in event studies and business management. It's ideal whether you want to specialise in the business of events, or events in business.

Study the main disciplines and operational areas of business alongside specialist modules on event management functions, processes and values. Plan events from inception through to closure and evaluation. Explore areas of the industry including concerts and festivals, conferences and meetings, sporting events, weddings and celebrations.

Bristol is a natural place to study events, with a thriving visitor economy and many businesses involved in event and festival management. Engaging with the local area is an integral part of the learning, teaching and assessment programme.

Event organisations, suppliers and venues provide guest talks, placements, voluntary work and internships. An optional placement year allows you to build contacts and experience, and you'll get a taste of running your own event in a collaborative project in your final year.

Where can it take me?

Career options are diverse and include event project manager, contracts manager, event marketing manager and event experience officer. Some graduates use their business and management skills to start their own events businesses.

The solid grounding in business and management ensures you have a broad range of career paths to choose from, and a skillset relevant to many other careers.

Why I chose Business and Events Management

Structure

Content

The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.

Year one

You'll study:

  • Introduction to Management
  • Economics for Events and Marketing
  • Understanding Business and Financial Information (Marketing, Events and Tourism)
  • Understanding the Principles of Marketing (Marketing, Events and Tourism)
  • Business Decision Making for Marketing and Events
  • Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
  • Events in Society
  • Understanding Organisations and People (Marketing, Events and Tourism).

Year two

You'll study:

  • Managing People
  • Research Methods for Events and Marketing
  • Planning and Managing Events
  • Introductory Research Project (Marketing and Events)
  • The Business of Events
  • Practical Digital Skills or Management Skills (Marketing and Events)
  • Introduction to Project Management or Financial Aspects for Marketing, Events and Tourism.

Plus, one optional module from:

  • Good Business, Bad Business and Sustainability
  • Integrated Marketing Communications
  • Entrepreneurship and Small Business.

Placement year (if applicable)

If you study on the five year (sandwich) course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work or study placement after Year two.

Depending on which you choose, you'll either complete a placement learning or learning and development module.

See the Placements and Fees sections for more information.

Final year

You'll study:

  • Specialised Events Practice
  • Contemporary Issues in Events
  • Strategic Management (Marketing, Events and Tourism)
  • Staging and Evaluating Events
  • Critical Business Enquiry Project or Enterprise Project or Applied Business Project or Business Project .

Plus, optional module(s) (the number depending on credit requirements) from:

  • Marketing Services
  • Organisational Leadership
  • Project Management
  • Entrepreneurship: Ideas and Issues
  • Corporate Events
  • Managing Tourism Experiences
  • Digital Marketing Strategy
  • Work-Integrated Learning Project
  • Cross Cultural Learning and Development.

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we will inform you.

"In my third year, I completed a placement year as an Events Assistant at Action Medical Research, which developed my teamwork and communication skills. These skills helped me to get to where I am today, working as an Events Executive at Bioscientifica." Shannon, 2020 Business and Events Management graduate

Learning and Teaching

Our approach to learning is student-focused, with emphasis on helping you find things out for yourself.

Lectures, workshops/seminars, tutorials and group work make up 12 hours of contact time each week and you'll spend at least as much time again studying independently.

This can involve essential reading, preparing for classes and presentations, reviewing lecture content, completing written work and revising for end-of-module exams.

In Year one, you'll get support with important academic skills, and you'll be assigned an academic tutor to support you throughout your degree.

You'll develop your academic skills and your understanding of law, economics, accounting, business and management.

In Year two, you'll study modules on specialist areas of events and business studies, plus a major enquiry or work-based project.

Final year focuses on learning through reflection and managing complexity and change. You'll also gain the vital experience of staging and evaluating a live event.

Become a reflective learner and develop skills you'll need in your career, such as self reliance and collaboration.

Study thought-provoking modules led by well-connected staff and engage with ongoing events that reinforce what you've learned in class.

Apply theory to practice, so you can appreciate the relevance, applications and limitations of the concepts you learn.

The placement or study year abroad helps with this. You can also gain experience as a Student Ambassador or a PAL (Peer Assisted Learning) Leader, or through volunteering.

See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.

Approximate percentage of time you'll spend in different learning activities*:

YearScheduled learning and teaching studyIndependent studyPlacement study
124%76%0%
224%76%0%
321%79%0%

*Calculated from compulsory and optional modules (where applicable) each year

Assessment

You'll be assessed through a mix of coursework and examinations to assess what you know and can do and help you develop the confidence and skills that employers value.

You'll complete essays and reports, business plans and applied research projects, portfolios and weekly notes, and assessed group and individual presentations and posters. You'll also reflect and comment on your own learning and personal development.

Learn more about assessments.

Approximate percentage of marks awarded by each assessment method*:

YearWritten exam assessmentCoursework assessmentPractical exam assessment
116%54%30%
226%48%26%
320%76%4%

*Calculated from compulsory and optional modules (where applicable) each year

Features

Placements

We encourage you to do a 40-week paid sandwich placement after Year two. It can be in the UK or abroad.

Your placement is valuable because it allows you to gain real-world experience and skills that increase your employability.

UWE Bristol has strong links with employers who highly rate this experience. One third of students on placement are re-employed by placement employers on graduation.

You'll get help to find your placement and support throughout from your department and the careers service.

Study year abroad

You'll also have opportunities to study overseas on courses that are taught in English and relevant to your degree. The study year abroad is not a paid placement.

Students are selected for this through a competitive process.

Study facilities

In our Bristol Business School, you'll have access to cutting-edge learning spaces.

Designed with student input, the Bristol Business School offers learning spaces for individual and group study, interactive learning spaces and conference rooms you can book. It's a space for students and businesses to come together, collaborate and form new partnerships.

In our specialist library, business librarians manage vast collections to support your research. Attend workshops to develop your information skills or visit Study Skills

You'll have access to books, trade press, academic journals, and industry databases including FAME, MINTEL, Marketline Advantage and Passport both on and off campus.

Take a Virtual Tour of the Business Management facilities and see what's on offer here for you.

Life

Accommodation

An excellent range of options for all of the Bristol campuses and the city centre.

Bristol

A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.

Sports, societies and activities

There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.

Health and Wellbeing

We provide support in the way you need it.

Campus and facilities

Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.

Careers

Careers / Further study

You'll graduate with an understanding of businesses and organisations in the event industry, their management and the dynamic environment they operate in. And you'll have all the attributes and skills you need for graduate careers in events.

Your foundation in business and management and specialism in events means a variety of career options spanning the private, public and voluntary sectors will be available to you.

Get inspired

Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and find you graduate jobs, placements and global opportunities.

We can also help find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.

Visit our employability pages to find out about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.

Fees

Supplementary fee information

Your overall entitlement to funding is based on how long the course is that you're registered on. Standard funding is allocated based on the standard number of years that your course lasts, plus one additional year.

You'll apply for funding each year that you study and Student Finance will take into account how long the course is in each year that you apply. So if you register for the four year course and then transfer to the three year course, the number of years you can apply for funding will change. Student Finance will reassess your funding based on how many years you have been in study, not just those years for which you received student finance.

Always seek advice before taking any action that may have implications for your funding.

Learn more about funding.

Additional costs

This refers to items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee. These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing.

Learn more about costs.

Entry

Typical offers

  • Tariff points: 112
  • Contextual tariff: See our contextual offers page.
  • GCSE: Grade C/4 in English and Mathematics, or equivalent.
  • English Language Requirement:

    International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

    *The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language requirements section.

  • A-level subjects: No specific subjects required.
  • EDEXCEL (BTEC) Diploma: No specific subjects required. For information on required Guided Learning Hours please see our minimum entry requirements page.
  • Access: No specific subjects required.
  • Baccalaureate IB: No specific subjects required.
  • Irish Highers: No specific subjects required.
  • T Levels: No specific subjects required.

Entry requirements

If you don't meet the entry requirements, you may be eligible for BA(Hons) Business and Events Management (with Foundation Year).

International applicants

For country specific entry requirements please find your country on the country information pages. If you are an international student and do not meet the academic requirements to study this course, you can qualify by completing preparatory study at our International College.

If you are applying to study at UWE Bristol and require additional support to meet our English language requirements, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Read more about our Pre-Sessional English Programme.

Direct entry

If you are interested in Direct Entry to Final year, please see our BA(Hons) Business and Management (Top Up) course.

Read more about entry requirements.

How to apply

Read more about undergraduate applications.

Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.

For further information

Unistats

UWE Main Campus

Full Time