Everything you need to know...
International/EU: £15,860 per year
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Course summary
- Study all aspects of festival and entertainment management.
- Collaborate with venues, artistes, production, caterers and authorities.
- Shape the industry’s future by exploring current and emerging trends.
- Deliver your own live festival experience and consultancy solutions.
- Gain industry-recognised qualifications in Health and Safety (IOSH) and licensing (BIIAB).
On this course, you’ll study event and festival design, technology, marketing operations, safety and successful project management. You’ll build important industry contacts while developing skills in leadership, people, artiste and contract management. With these experiences and qualifications, you’ll have everything you need to start an exciting career – in anything from music and arts festivals to casinos, theme parks and nightclubs.
Sheffield Business School accreditation
Sheffield Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), placing us in the top 5% of business schools globally.
How you learn
Watch course leader Mark Norman talk about the BA Festival and Entertainment Management course at Sheffield Hallam University.
All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.
Our award-winning teachers have experience working in the festival and entertainment management sector. They're actively involved in applied and impactful research. So you’ll be able to understand the latest trends and have the opportunity to apply your knowledge to the design and delivery of live events – all making you stand out to employers.
You learn through
- a combination of lectures, seminars, and workshops
- field trips and site visits
- attending or volunteering at live events and festivals
- organising and delivering your own event
- independent study and group work
You’ll develop an in-depth knowledge of the festival and entertainment industry – experiencing design, events operations and contemporary issues in festival and entertainment management. You’ll gain strong foundations in core business management skills such as marketing, talent management and finance. With these you’ll develop into a career-ready and well-rounded festival and entertainment manager.
We believe you learn best when you engage with the industry and sector first-hand and gain a rich and well-developed understanding of the complexities, challenges, and rewards of operating in the festival and entertainment industry.
This course also includes two externally accredited (industry recognised) qualifications to add to your CV – the BIIAB Level 2 Award for Personal License Holders and the IOSH Managing Events Safely award. Both enhance your career options (and are included for free).
You will be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate level employment through
- access to our unique student support triangle to help with your personal, academic and career development
- access to our Skills Centre with one to ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments
- industry-specific employability activities such as live projects and networking opportunities
Course leaders and tutors
Charlotte Rowley
Senior LecturerI currently teach on the BSc Events Management courses. I am also one of the Placement team for the Events Management subject group, I support students in finding b … Read more
Applied learning
Work placements
At every level of the course, you will have the opportunity to engage with live projects and festivals. You can apply to access placements, volunteering opportunities and work experience through our relationships with industry professionals and leading festival and entertainment organisations, such as Festival Republic, Tramlines and Ticketmaster.
You’ll also have the opportunity to undertake a year-long work placement in between your second and third years. This gives you industry experience to prepare you for your future career and allows you to graduate with an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV.
Live projects
Live projects are embedded within every level of your course. This includes taking part in, planning and delivering your own festival or entertainment event. With our links with local and national festival organisers, you’ll be able to undertake work experience in a variety of settings and roles.
Previous work experience has been offered from the Glastonbury Festival, the Tramlines Festival, Ticketmaster, Download, Leeds and Reading festivals, Sheffield United and Festival Republic.
Networking opportunities
Through our links with industry, you’ll be able to engage with a wide range of guest speakers from across the festival and entertainment industry.
Guest speakers have included Martin Green of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Hull City of Culture 2017 and London 2012 organising committee (LOCOG), Simon Graveling of Athens 2004, London 2012 and Sochi 2014, Lucy Kinsella from Festival Republic, Simon Read (Event Producer) from Ashfield Meetings and Events and Jon Hughes from KPMG.
Future careers
The festival and entertainment industries offer diverse roles for graduates.
They also bring a range of economic, social and cultural benefits to local areas, communities and individuals. It’s a vibrant ecosystem with plenty of opportunities for graduates with the right skillset.
This course prepares you for a career in
- festival or entertainment entrepreneurship
- festival management
- festival operations
- tour management
- artiste management
- venue management (music, arts and culture)
- entertainment venue management (cinema, theme parks etc)
- entertainment operations management
Graduates from our courses have gone on to work for
- Live Nation
- Festival Republic
- Utilita Arena Sheffield
- 2000 Trees Festival
- Tramlines Festival
- Showsec Event Security
- Hyper Hippo Entertainment (Canada)
Other graduates have been able to create a freelance career in live music and entertainment management.
Student success story
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour | Keeping safe on Campus
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
On this course you work with specialist events and festival planning software.
We’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 112
This must include at least 64 points from 2 A Levels or equivalent BTEC qualifications. For example:
- BBC at A Level
- DMM in BTEC Extended Diploma.
- A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies
GCSE
- English language or literature at grade C or 4
- Maths at grade D or 3
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
• Access - an Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above, from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.
• entry with prior credit - we consider applications for direct entry to the final year from those holding Higher National Diplomas or equivalent qualifications
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent.
We welcome applications from people of any age. We may be flexible in our normal offer if you can show a commitment to succeed and have the relevant skills and experience. This must show that you will benefit from and finish the course successfully.
Please note the University will only admit students who are aged 18 or over at the point of enrolment.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Year 1
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Applied Academic Skills | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Creating And Marketing Experiences | Credits: 40 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Events And Festival Industry And Concepts | Credits: 40 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Festivals And Enterprise | Credits: 20 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Year 2
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Module: Event Operations And Safety Management | Credits: 40 |
| Module: Festival And Entertainment Marketing | Credits: 20 |
| Module: The Live Festival Experience | Credits: 40 |
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Module: Foreign Language | Credits: 20 |
| Module: Managing Entertainment | Credits: 20 |
Year 3
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Module: Placement Year | Credits: - |
Final year
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Module: Consultancy And Enterprise Challenge | Credits: 40 |
| Module: Hot Topics In Events, Festivals, And Esports | Credits: 20 |
| Module: Maximising Festival And Entertainment Outcomes | Credits: 40 |
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Module: Foreign Language | Credits: 20 |
| Module: Strategic Experience Design | Credits: 20 |
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2023/24 is £9,250 per year. These fees are regulated by the UK government and are therefore subject to changes in government policy. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2023/24 is £15,860 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
Additional costs for Event management courses (PDF, 224.1KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
