Business and Management (Festivals and Events)

Develop clear insights into the festival and events sector while learning the theory of how successful events are created, and put what you've learned into practice. The course will teach you the theory behind successful events, and give you the opportunity to put them into practice straight away. In practical seminars you’ll work in groups to plan events from the ground up, looking at logistics, procurement, time management, artist management and organisation. You’ll find new approaches to event promotion to draw in audiences.

We’ll also support you with networking in the local area and further afield, and introduce you to guest speakers from organisations such as Bath Festivals, B&NES Council Events team, Komedia Bath and The Forum.

The hands-on approach of the course means that when you graduate you’ll have all the skills you need to dive straight into a role in events management, venue management, event production and more. You can also bring in modules from areas outside the Festivals and Events pathway if you want to explore issues around a particular theme, such as sustainability or global affairs.

Year one
Gain a broad understanding of today’s business environment – from the contexts in which organisations operate, to trends in economic thinking and the importance of data in business. Modules will cover topics such as organisations and the business environment; economics and globalisation, and managing data.

Year two
Focus on the inner workings of businesses. Use business techniques to solve problems and start developing the skills that employers look for. Modules cover key themes including creativity and innovation in business. At the end of the year, you can choose to embark on a ten-month business placement or a ten-week summer placement - applying what you’ve learned so far in the real world.

Year three
Develop and explore your business learning, with a focus on creating and hosting festivals and events. Undertake an in-depth business research project in festivals and events. We also support you to set up a business, whether on your own or with your fellow students. Other topics to explore include: managing sustainability; organisational strategy; new trends in management; cross cultural management in international business, and strategic human resource management.

You'll be assessed in a wide range of ways that will test your business knowledge and management skills. These could include presentations, work related projects, group-work, computer based simulations, podcasts, exams, essays, videos and business reports.

We offer variety in the way we teach: sometimes we’ll set you problems so that you can find the answers for yourself; sometimes we’ll lecture. Most modules use a mix of lectures and small group seminars. There’s a good blend of online activities using our Virtual Learning Environment. We invite business leaders in to talk about their experience and we arrange visits to local businesses. All of our teaching methods facilitate your development as a self-directed learner.

You’ll be given personal support in your studies – we’re a friendly team of academics who are committed to helping you achieve your goals.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

We give you the opportunity to work with regional and national businesses in and around Bath. You’ll be working on live project briefs, helping organisations find creative solutions to their business issues.

Depending on your pathway and the modules you study, you can gain accreditation by professional bodies and get exemption from professional exams.

In addition to the business community projects, you’ll have fantastic opportunities to work closely with business and industry through placements, projects and internships. Students have previously worked across the local and regional arts and culture industry in events businesses such as The Forum, Komedia, local council events teams and in roles in fashion PR.

Students from this pathway will be able to hit the ground running, jumping straigh into a variety of roles in the events sector including:

• Events logistics
• Event manager
• Artist liaison
• Wedding planner
• Council event planning
• Public and private event planners
• Venue management
• Festival planner
• Artist management.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

The Professional Placement Year (PPY) provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for, and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your PPY, you'll work to identify roles of interest and secure a placement. The Placements Team will support through timetabled sessions and 1:1 appointments.

As well as completing a minimum of 900 placement hours, you will complete two assessments demonstrating your skill development, growth in professional behaviours and how the PPY has impacted your future career aspirations.

Aiming to make work experience more accessible, we have introduced the PPY Bursary. Students undertaking a PPY can receive between £500 and £1,500 to be used towards placement costs such as travel, food, workwear or accommodation.

For more information and details of eligibility criteria, please visit the PPY Bursary webpage.

You'll have access to excellent facilities at our Newton Park campus and city centre studios as well as online resources. These include:

• Commons building
• Newton Park library
• Academic Skills support (ASk)
• Specialist resources and subject librarian
• Our Virtual Learning Environment
• Free access to courses via LinkedIn Learning
• Support from the English Language Unit if English isn't your first language
• The Studio in Bath

Our libraries offer a wide range of business resources, including a wealth of online material that can be accessed on- and off-campus, enabling you to work at times that suit you.