(FdA) Foundation Degree of Arts
Events Management
Current
University of Essex
University of Essex
Edge Hotel School
Colchester Campus
Foundation Degree
Full-time
FDA N889
08/05/2024
Details
Professional accreditation
None
Admission criteria
- GCSE: Mathematics and English C/4, or equivalent. We can consider OFQUAL regulated Level 2 Functional Skills in Numeracy as equivalent to GCSE Maths C/4. We are able to consider a range of equivalent English language qualifications, including OFQUAL regulated level 2 Functional Skills, Key Skills level 2, literacy units taken as part of the Access to HE Diploma, or a demonstration of the use of English through essay-based subjects at either GCSE or A-level equivalent. Advice on acceptability can be provided, please contact Undergraduate Admissions for more information.
A-levels: CC or 64 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 1 full A-level or equivalent.
BTEC: MPP or 64 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 1 full A-level or equivalent.
Combined qualifications on the UCAS tariff: 64 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 1 full A level or equivalent. Tariff point offers may be made if you are taking a qualification, or mixture of qualifications, from the list on our undergraduate application information page.
IB: 24 points or three Higher Level certificates with 333.
IB Career-related Programme: We consider combinations of IB Diploma Programme courses with BTECs or other qualifications.
QAA-approved Access to HE Diploma: 9 level 3 credits at Merit and 36 level 3 credits at Pass.
T-levels: We consider T-levels on a case-by-case basis, depending on subject studied. The offer for most courses is Pass with E in the core. Depending on the course applied for there may be additional requirements, which may include a specific grade in the Core.
Additional requirements
All applicants must be aged 18 or over by 31 October 2024 for October 2024 entry.
Subject to satisfactory academic and professional assessment, candidates will have the opportunity to progress to the BA (Hons) degree after 2 years.
Unfortunately if you need a Student Visa to study in the UK this course is not suitable for you. This is due to the high percentage of work placement which exceeds the amount permitted in the Student Visa regulations.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code
English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall, or specified score in another equivalent test that we accept.
Details of English language requirements, including component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here
If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.
English language shelf-life
Most English language qualifications have a validity period of 5 years. The validity period of Pearson Test of English, TOEFL and CBSE or CISCE English is 2 years.
If you require a Student visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.
Pre-sessional English courses
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Pending English language qualifications
You don’t need to achieve the required level before making your application, but it will be one of the conditions of your offer.
If you cannot find the qualification that you have achieved or are pending, then please email ugquery@essex.ac.uk
.
Requirements for second and final year entry
Different requirements apply for second and final year entry, and specified component grades are also required for applicants who require a visa to study in the UK. Details of English language requirements, including UK Visas and Immigration minimum component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here
Additional Notes
If you’re an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College
Course qualifiers
A course qualifier is a bracketed addition to your course title to denote a specialisation or pathway that you have achieved via the completion of specific modules during your course. The
specific module requirements for each qualifier title are noted below. Eligibility for any selected qualifier will be determined by the department and confirmed by the final year Board of
Examiners. If the required modules are not successfully completed, your course title will remain as described above without any bracketed addition. Selection of a course qualifier is
optional and student can register preferences or opt-out via Online Module Enrolment (eNROL).
None
Rules of assessment
Rules of assessment are the rules, principles and frameworks which the University uses to calculate your course progression and final results.
Additional notes
None
External examiners
External Examiners provide an independent overview of our courses, offering their expertise and help towards our continual improvement of course content, teaching, learning, and assessment.
External Examiners are normally academics from other higher education institutions, but may be from the industry, business or the profession as appropriate for the course.
They comment on how well courses align with national standards, and on how well the teaching, learning and assessment methods allow students to develop and demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills needed to achieve their awards.
External Examiners who are responsible for awards are key members of Boards of Examiners. These boards make decisions about student progression within their course and about whether students can receive their final award.
Programme aims
The main aim of the course is to develop event management professionals capable of dealing with the challenges presented by an industry operating in an expanding and turbulent international environment.
In this regard, the output of this degree is envisaged to be an individual who has high levels of operational skill, the capacity to manage complex situations in a practical and professional way, as well as an individual who can demonstrate high levels of critical evaluation and theoretical analysis.
Leadership qualities are of importance to the industry and this programme will provide a range of learning experiences that will challenge student practitioners to develop themselves as future leaders at all levels of the industry.
The aspiration is that our graduates combine professional expertise with vision, passion, confidence, and a willingness to take considered risks as well as having the ability to learn and pass on skills and knowledge to others.
The objectives of the course are:
- To provide students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of their selected sector by working with an upmarket and fully commercial business environment that will form a focus of their academic experience.
- To engage students with event companies and organisations so that they can both develop a network of professional contacts as well as developing their individual knowledge of current business practices and innovations.
- To expand students’ knowledge, skills and capabilities and to challenge them intellectually and personally with the aim of becoming valuable young professionals in their selected sector.
- To develop students ability to implement creative and viable approaches to problem solving and to give them the confidence to work in and lead multi-disciplinary teams.
- To develop not only a high level of academic knowledge and understanding, but also to ensure that students have the ability to use and apply it in the context of the events sector wherever in the world that they choose to work.
- To produce graduates who have in depth knowledge and critical awareness developed from high levels of critical engagement with and evaluation of the theory and practice of event management and who have acquired a range of transferable business and operational skills and an appreciation of the local and international, social, political, ethical and technological environment in which event management operates.
- To encourage graduating students to continue to plan their future personal learning and development whether that be academic, professional or personal.
Learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods
On successful completion of the programme a graduate should demonstrate knowledge and skills as follows:
A: Knowledge and understanding
A1: Detailed knowledge and critical understanding of the history and culture of the industry and the changing global, economic, political, social and professional context in which it operates.
A2: Detailed knowledge and critical understanding of the operational and strategic characteristics of a event and the art and science of excellent operational and management performance.
A3: Detailed knowledge of the measurement of the performance of the business and the relationships between revenue and profit.
A4: Detailed knowledge and critical understanding of functions, processes and legal frameworks impacting on contemporary management of people, finance, materials and information.
A5: Understanding the centrality of the guest and the guest experience and the significance of meeting and exceeding guest expectations.
A6: Understand contemporary issues such as innovation, sustainability, ethics of business and social responsibility, globalization and diversity in the context of managing an operation.
A7: Knowledge and understanding of the importance of continued personal and professional development in the pursuit of professional excellence and the fulfilment of individual potential.
Learning methods
Knowledge and understanding are acquired and developed through both active engagement in the work place and through discussion, evaluation and contextualisation of the relevant theory which is addressed in academic led lectures, seminars and workshops. This not only allows the student to make the connections between observed situations, experienced interactions and taught concepts and theories but also to develop a range of important academic and personal skills in the context of their aspired industry.
The Wivenhoe House working environment not only engages and exposes students to real problem identification and solving situations but also provides real time commercial data (financial, operational and qualitative customer feedback) which is evaluated and analysed in academic environment so as to promote critical evaluation by the students who were actively involved in the activities which generated this data set.
Assessment methods
Knowledge and understanding is assessed via an examination and coursework assignments, including problem solving activities, simulations, oral presentations, individual and group reports, as well as more conventional written forms such as essays and other discursive assignments.
In many of these modes of assessment students will be expected to demonstrate the connection between theoretical knowledge and understanding and its practical application.
The use of assessment in this context also provides a valuable addition to the overall learning and teaching approaches.
B: Intellectual and cognitive skills
B1: Reformatting a range of ideas and/or information towards a given purpose.
B2: Synthesize and develop innovative and entrepreneurial ideas and solutions in the appropriate context.
B3: Identify problems and using appropriate judgement to design and implement creative solutions.
B4: Incorporate a critical awareness moral, ethical and safety issues in their work.
B5: Accept responsibility and accountability within broad parameters for determining and achieving personal and / or group outcomes.
Learning methods
The experiential and work based learning aspect of the course provides the opportunity for students to perform (level 4) and supervise (level 5) the activity of running a fully commercial business environment. This progressive development requires them initially to focus on knowledge and basic skill accumulation but thereafter to develop the capacity to synthesise and evaluate issues and situations. This intellectual and cognitive development is supported by providing relevant and contextualised academic theory which will both support and challenge the student.
Assessment methods
These skills are assessed using a wide variety of methods including coursework assignments, reflective reports and, ultimately, significant problem solving projects which demand both high levels of teamwork and the demonstration of individual theoretical research.
Written assignments have clearly delineated word limits to encourage concision in the presentation of structured, well-supported argument and opinion. Cognitive skills will also be assessed by a mixture of written, oral and activity-based assignments as appropriate to the learning outcomes and the level of study.
C: Practical skills
C1: Recognise and develop professional practical skills at the highest level of professional expectations.
C2: Exercise appropriate judgement in planning, organizing and delivering guest requirements in a variety of appropriate contexts using valid techniques, systems and procedures.
C3: Using communication and information technology effectively in the operation and management of the business.
C4: Using appropriate and effective supervisory and management techniques including working autonomously in planning and management resources.
Learning methods
At the initial levels, the experiential and work based nature of the learning environment provides the opportunity for students to engage in the practicalities of assisting in the running of a commercial environment. In addition, a significant majority of the academic theory is contextualised to the students’ aspired industry and this is supported by the underpinning philosophy of the School to deliver ‘Industry Engaged Higher Education’.
This emphasises the inclusion of members of industry being involved in the delivery of the curriculum (under the direction of academics) so as to deliver a curriculum that is not only academically challenging but is current, realistic and pragmatic.
This is exemplified by the EHS Student Conference at which student level 5 and 6 delegates attend keynote speeches and workshop activities mainly delivered by industry professionals and representatives of key industry professional organisations and associations.
Assessment methods
Formative and summative assessment of professional and practical skills takes place in the work place across the range of modules in all years. Elements of this would include criterion referencing against professional benchmarks.
At higher levels of the course this is assessed through judgement of the nature and industry appropriateness of the solutions students identify in their suggested solutions to real client problems or cases.
D: Key skills
D1: Ability to communicate information, ideas, plans, conclusions and feedback clearly, cogently, accurately and successfully using different and appropriate methods.
D2: Ability to listen actively and summarise information received accurately to enable a meaningful response.
D3: Ability to use IT effectively for personal, learning and business operations e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, learning platforms
D4: Ability to compile, understand, interpret, and act upon numeric data in managing performance of financial, materials, resources, sales and other data relevant to sustained successful commercial performance.
D5: Researching, retrieving, analysing and selecting information from a variety of sources.
D6: Ability to exercise initiative and take personal responsibility.
D7: Ability to apply appropriate techniques, gained through reflection or research to enable creative and timely solutions to business problems.
D8: Ability to demonstrate appropriate professional behaviour at all times through effective time management, conduct, appearance and commitment to colleagues and the industry.
D9: Ability to undertake further training be that, professional and or academic, to develop existing skills, knowledge and acquire new competences to contribute to organizations and the industry in the future.
D10: Ability to work independently or as part of a team utilizing a range of relevant interpersonal skills
D11: Ability to engage in independent study setting personal goals, managing own workloads and meeting deadlines.
D12: Ability to review, reflect upon, evaluate and enhance own learning.
Learning methods
Skills necessary for employment and progression are developed across the programme and are integrated into all aspects of the student experience.
Communication, IT and numeracy skills are developed in modules involving quantitative analysis and students are required to demonstrate the achievement of these skills in the delivery of their assessments. The progressive improvement of these skills is required as the course progresses so as to allow students to achieve the expectations of the different tasks and activities but also to provide evidence and underpinning of their judgements recommendations and proposals.
Problem-solving skills (involving the use of quantitative and qualitative data) are developed at every level of the course in response to practical business and management problems involved in their work experience and case studies that students are given as part of their academic development. This is also a feature of one of the students in the ‘capstone projects’.
Working with others skills are developed through the use of group work and through the reflective practice associated with the work-based learning.
Interpersonal skills involving effective listening, negotiating, persuasion and presentation are emphasised throughout the course but specifically in dealing with commercial customers in the Wivenhoe House and through the significant levels of social and professional contact with members of industry.
Students are made aware of multicultural approaches to management, and encouraged to develop the skills required to communicate across cultures as well as engaging with a wide range of individuals (fellow students, Wivenhoe House employees, customers and members of industry) who come from different cultural and national backgrounds.
Assessment methods
Transferable skills are assessed through the numerical manipulation required in modules requiring quantitative analysis, the written (or oral) presentation skills displayed in assignment work, the outcomes of team-working scenarios and practical activities set in the real work context.