Students preparing for their graduation ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral

Event and Experience Management - BA (Hons) (subject to approval)

UCAS code W902

This is an archived page and for reference purposes only

2016

The Event and Experience Management programme at Kent introduces students to the quintessential creative industry. It is the profession where business acumen and creative flare come together in a vast array of practices from corporate hospitality to luxury events such as music festivals, prestigious cultural events, charity fundraisers and product launches. Ours is one of only a few events management courses based in a school of art & design, where ideas, vision and creativity are at the forefront of all that we do. In addition to this, the school shares a campus with the Kent Business School where you will learn the necessary interpersonal, management and planning skills.

Overview

Both schools use a range of teaching methods, but great importance is placed on group skills and project work that reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the field. We give students the opportunities to develop their own interests and skills through a modular structure covering visual communication; brand experience, context and regional research, marketing, project management, managing people and teams and enterprise and entrepreneurship. A key component of this course is visual and cultural literacy and the thrill of reading cultural trends in order to create satisfying and enriching events. You will have numerous opportunities to take every step of the journey from conception, to planning, to realizing your creative vision.

We offer students experience in the industry by linking module projects to “live” agency briefs and client events. This ensures that their studies are relevant to the industry. We encourage students to take placements and are establishing links with companies in the UK and abroad. You will have many experiences of presenting yourself individually and as part of a team and will leave with the ability to present, argue and defend your ideas as well as a range of practical, technical, managerial and creative skills.

The course is taught in the historic Chatham Dockyard, which contains inspiring architecture and unique spaces that students have used in their projects. The recently renovated Central Boiler House has been converted into a purpose-design student workshop, fully equipped to cover a wide range of making processes. Features include a woodworking area with a variety of machine tools, a laser cutter & 3D printer, a kiln room, a walk in spray booth and a metal workshop complete with a welding bay. There is also an outside sculpture yard with a covered work area supplied with compressed air, light, power and lifting equipment. The printmaking studio houses a silkscreen exposure unit, drying cabinet, vacuum table as well as non-acid etching facilities. Complementing this, audio-visual production and recording facilities are available across the site; including a large-format digital printer, industry-standard audio recording studios and a photography studio.

Independent rankings

Kent was ranked 12th for Design and Crafts in The Guardian University Guide 2017. Kent was also ranked 12th for Art and Design in the Complete University Guide 2017.

Course structure

The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.  Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.

Year in industry

The Year in Industry gives you an opportunity to gain relevant workplace experience as part of your programme of study. We have long recognised the benefits of taking a year in industry and the increased awareness and confidence the experience brings, and now want to offer these benefits to students within the workplace.

The year in industry also gives you the opportunity to increase your contacts and network so that you can hit the ground running when you graduate.

The year in industry is in addition to your standard undergraduate programme and normally falls between your second and final year. The year itself is assessed on a pass/fail basis through employer feedback and a written report that you submit.

Year abroad

It is possible to extend your full-time degree programme to four years by spending your third year studying abroad (this option is not available if you are studying on a part-time basis).

The School of Music and Fine Art currently has arrangements for exchanges with universities across Europe, America, Asia and other destinations overseas. Our close proximity to Ebbsfleet International train station makes it easy to access continental Europe as well as London.

If you would rather keep your degree to three years, but are still interested in spending some time studying abroad you have the opportunity to take a term abroad at one of our partner institutions in Europe, or further afield, during the spring term of Stage 2.

For more details on taking an overseas experience as a student at Kent, see www.kent.ac.uk/goabroad.

Teaching and assessment

A diverse range of teaching methods are employed for different learning outcomes and contexts, and none of the listed areas of knowledge are acquired exclusively by one method. The following methods are deployed:

  • Seminars and workshop sessions focussed on prescribed reading or other learning assignments.
  • Practical studio teaching, involving both workshops and ‘crits’.
  • Independent learning on set projects either self-directed or within small groups, supported by group and individual tutorials and supervision.
  • Lectures.
  • Visits to galleries, screenings and exhibitions.
  • Opportunities for work-based learning and placements.

Programme aims

  • Provide an academic preparation for a career in the business of Event and Experience Management.
  • Develop understanding and critical examination of a broad range of management concepts, skills, techniques and functions in general and specifically within the field of Events Management and related business opportunities.
  • Produce graduates with a bold and creative vision in the design of events, environments, experiences and performances (such as: celebratory performances, theatre, site-specific projects, product launches, personal rites of passage; visitor attractions and brand experiences) - underpinned by a sound knowledge of production processes, who can make a distinctive contribution to the industry, nationally and regionally.
  • Produce graduates who are critically aware of the range of types and contexts of performance events and experiences, and who are able to make choices appropriate to the context and informed by an understanding of theoretical and practical concerns.
  • Provide a curriculum which maximises local progression opportunities into post-graduate higher education and enhances student employability.
  • Be regionally responsive, utilising the full benefits offered by the local enterprise development initiatives whilst also aiming for national relevance and significance.
  • Maintain high standards of academic rigour, currency and innovation.
  • Develop key transferable skills in the areas of numeracy, communication, financial and computer literacy.
  • Provide learning opportunities that are enjoyable experiences, involve realistic workloads, are based within a research-led framework, are responsive to the development needs of our individual students and offer appropriate support for students from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

  • The creative process: the interaction between intention, process, outcome, context, and the methods of dissemination.
  • The elements that contribute to the make-up of the design experience and impact upon design decisions including; practicality, spatial dynamics, texts, narrative requirements and related technologies.
  • Organisations, their environments and their management, including the management of people, operations, finance, marketing and organisational strategy.
  • Professional, managerial, contractual and health and safety issues which underpin design practice.
  • The historical development of the discipline of event management in practice and theory and the critical and theoretical paradigms that have emerged from those developments and histories.
  • The contribution made by design to the visitor experience, and communication of meaning in events, experiences, exhibitions, performances and related practices.
  • The contemporary cultural and contextual elements that inform and impact upon design decisions and, in turn, the contribution of events to public culture and arts as well as to local and regional identity.
  • 'Management' - the processes, procedures and practices for effective management of organisations, including theories, models, frameworks, tasks and roles of management together with rational analysis and processes of decision making within organisations and in relation to the external environment.
  • Social science concepts and theories and the ability to apply them to business and management contexts.

Intellectual skills

  • Generate ideas, concepts, proposals, solutions or arguments independently and/or collaboratively in response to set briefs and/or as self-initiated activity.
  • Investigate, analyse, interpret, develop and articulate ideas and information through to outcomes.
  • Understand and evaluate the critical, contextual, historical, conceptual and ethical dimensions of arguments, theories and creative processes.
  • Analyse and evaluate information and experiences, formulate independent judgments, and articulate reasoned arguments through reflection, review and evaluation.
  • Source and research relevant material, assimilating and articulating relevant findings.
  • Apply core numeracy and IT skills to problems.

Subject-specific skills

  • Generate ideas, concepts, proposals and solutions for designs for events, experiences, installations and performances, appropriate to their brief, text, location / site and context.
  • Create, evaluate and assess options, in a range of business situations, applying concepts and knowledge appropriately.
  • Identify, formulate and solve business/ decision-making problems using appropriate qualitative and quantitative tools.
  • Understand the needs, opportunities and challenges offered by project catalyst (text, brief and site).
  • Use digital design aids to advance the development and communication of the design idea, use a range of event technologies and performance related software.
  • Select, manipulate and test the elements of design (material, space, time, form, lighting, sound, image, colour, symbol etc.) in order to develop the design idea.
  • Use design to evoke place, story, atmosphere and theme.
  • Communicate effectively, orally, visually and in writing, about business issues in general and pertaining to the events industry.

Transferable skills

  • Apply, consolidate and extend their learning in different contextual frameworks and situations.
  • Study independently, set goals, manage their own workloads and deliver required outputs effectively.
  • Anticipate and accommodate change, and work within contexts of ambiguity, uncertainty and unfamiliarity. ?
  • ability to interact effectively with others, for example through collaboration, collective endeavour and negotiation.
  • ability to source, navigate, select, retrieve, evaluate, manipulate and manage ?information from a variety of sources.
  • Employ both convergent and divergent thinking in the processes of observation, investigation, speculative enquiry, visualisation and/or making.
  • Communicate effectively orally and in writing, using media appropriate to the purpose.

Careers

Our programme gives you the confidence to pursue your own ideas and the ability to communicate those ideas effectively to others. We teach you how to work to tight deadlines and how to operate within high-pressure situations.

Potential careers include: creative events design, celebratory arts worker (designing carnivals and similar events), party planner/wedding designer, designer of corporate events, brand events and launches, performance production or stage manager, designer of educational or heritage events, conference organiser, arts administrator, and culture/arts/tourism officer. Careers in advertising, design, performance, communications, and retail are also open to you.

Entry requirements

Home/EU students

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.

Qualification Typical offer/minimum requirement
A level

BBB, with a related subject at B or above. Candidates are usually interviewed and you should bring a portfolio of your creative work to the interview.

Access to HE Diploma

The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma)

The university will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF;OCR) on a case by case basis please contact us via the enquiries tab for further advice on your individual circumstances.

International students

The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about our country-specific requirements.

Please note that if you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes through Kent International Pathways.

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.

General entry requirements

Please also see our general entry requirements.

Fees

The 2016/17 annual tuition fees for this programme are:

UK/EU Overseas
Full-time
Part-time

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.

The University of Kent is currently considering whether to increase its regulated full-time tuition fees for all returning Home and EU undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250 in September 2017. This would be subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses might also rise by 2.8%.

For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk

UK/EU/International students on an approved Year Abroad for the full 2016/17 academic year pay an annual fee of £1,350 to Kent for that year. Those on an approved Year in Industry pay an annual fee of £865 to Kent for that year. Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.

Funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Details of our proposed funding opportunities for 2016 entry can be found on our funding page.  

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. For 2016 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our scholarships pages. Please review the eligibility criteria on that page.