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Business and Management (Festivals and Events)

BA (Hons)

Undergraduate degree - single honours

Award
BA (Hons) Business and Management (Festivals and Events)
School/s
Bath Business School
Campus or location
Newton Park
Course length
Three years full time, or four years full time with professional placement year. Part time available.
UCAS codes
Institution Code: B20
Course Code: N285 or 23K6
Campus Code: A,BSU

Entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed under 'Typical offers' in the main column below. For combined courses, please check both subjects. If your qualification is not listed, please email admissions@bathspa.ac.uk with your specific details.

Gain real-life festivals and events experience while studying in the vibrant South West.

  • Explore the world of business with a focus on creating and hosting festivals and events.
  • Put your ideas into practice by working on live briefs and organising your own events.
  • Choose either a ten-month or ten-week work placement and apply what you’ve learned in the real world.

University of the Year for Social Inclusion

Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2024

#8 in the UK

for Satisfied with Feedback in Business and Management (Guardian University Guide, 2024)

From large-scale festivals to unique bespoke events at heritage sites, our Festivals and Events course offers you the chance to experience the full breadth of the events sector in the UK today. Want to launch the next top music festival or become an events manager? Whatever your aims, this Business and Management pathway will teach you the core skills needed to succeed in this ever-changing and innovating industry.

We capitalise on our enviable location in the World Heritage City of Bath, which is in the heartland of cultural festivals and events, close to both Glastonbury and Bristol. Our local area has a thriving cultural and arts industry, and is home to some of the biggest festivals, venues and events in the country.

This course enables you to gain first hand experience, work with clients on real briefs and explore the sector as you apply your learning to your own events.


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“The Bath Business School team are very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and dedicated to helping you achieve your potential.”

Alex Appleton, Business and Management graduate

What you'll learn

Overview

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.

Course structure

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.

How will I be assessed?

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.

How will I be taught?

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.

Course modules

This course enables you to develop your own learning pathway, depending on your interests. There are a selection of core and optional modules each year. Core modules will depend on your chosen pathway and you can choose optional modules to complement or diversify your core skill-set each year. The programme document gives you more information on module choices.

Year one (Level 4) modules
  • The Business Environment
  • Organisational Behaviour and Management
  • Economics and Globalisation
  • Managing Data
  • Design Thinking for Enterprise
  • Professional Practice
Year two (Level 5) modules
  • Creativity for Business
  • Innovation Management
  • The Marketing Business
  • Human Resource Management
  • Financial Accounting
  • Operations and Project Management
  • Destination Management
  • International Business
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Applying Economics
  • Festival and Events Management
  • Law for Business Enterprise
  • Fashion Marketing and Management
  • Work Placement
  • Professional Placement Year
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Opportunities

Study abroad

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

Business community projects

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.

Professional accreditation

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

Work placements, industry links and internships

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.

Careers

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.
Global Citizenship

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.

Adobe Creative Campus

Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.   

Professional placement year

Overview

This optional placement year 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.

Preparation

Before your Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.

How will I be assessed?

On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.

Facilities and resources

Where the subject is taught

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

Resources

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.

Fees

2024 entry
Student Annual tuition fee
UK full time £9,250
UK part time £4,625
International full time £15,750

Professional Placement Year

During the placement year, the fee is reduced to 20% of the full time fee. This applies to UK and EU/International students.

  • UK: £1,850
  • International: £3,150

Interested in applying?

What we look for in potential students

We’re looking for individuals who are enterprising and creative. You’ll need to have drive, motivation and the get-up-and-go to achieve in a challenging environment.

Typical offers

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below:

  • A Level – grades BBB-BCC preferred.
  • BTEC – Extended Diploma grades from Distinction Distinction Merit (DDM) to Distinction Merit Merit (DMM) accepted in any subject.
  • T Levels – grade Merit preferred.
  • International Baccalaureate – a minimum of 32 points are required.
  • Access to HE courses – typical offers for applicants with Access to HE will be the Access to HE Diploma or Access to HE Certificate (60 credits, 45 of which must be Level 3, at Merit or higher).

If you don’t meet the entry requirements above, we may be able to accept your prior learning or experience from outside of formal education. See our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) page to learn more.

English Language Requirements for International and EU Applicants

IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.

Course enquiries

For further information about the programme or entry requirements, please email us at admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.

How do I apply?

Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page.

Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply webpages.

Get ahead

You’ll already be actively interested in business and be able to demonstrate your interests through activities such as keeping up to date with business news and reading relevant specialist online journals e.g. Marketing Week.

Course leader: Marc Leverton
Email: m.leverton@bathspa.ac.uk

Three year course
With placement year

Website feedback to web@bathspa.ac.uk