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Becoming an event planner requires a certain fondness for organization, coordination, and management of smaller projects that lead to a singular, impressive final result. That’s why so many event planners start their careers by pursuing a degree in business or a business-related field. The question that so many event planners have, however, is quite simple: Which of these business-related degrees is the best bet for someone who wants to coordinate major functions for large groups? There is no single answer to this question, but there are a few recommended degrees that can make life easier and a bit more effective for those who are trying to emerge as leading event planners in their local communities.
Consider a Degree or Concentration in Project Management
One of the fastest-growing fields in business is project management, and that’s for a very good reason: Businesses are increasingly looking for people who know how to manage time, money, and resources, all while meeting established benchmarks and long-term goals. It just so happens that these ideals are also central to the event planning industry, which revolves around set budgets, a tightly packed timeline, and long-term goals that must bring together various groups of people in a single function.
Project management, whether it’s pursued as a standalone degree or as a concentration within a broader business degree, offers all of the skills that event planners need most. Classes will teach event planners how to budget and manage a team, how to focus on smaller goals within the project that achieve a single, larger goal in the end, and how to analyze a budget in terms of both products and days spent on the planning process. In the end, graduates of such a program will be efficient managers, planners, and project supervisors, making them excellent event professionals in today’s economy.
General Business with an Event Planning Concentration
A general degree in business administration or business management can really help aspiring event planners take control of their future. In today’s economy, most event planners work for themselves and serve as the sole proprietor of their own event planning business. They therefore need to know how to budget and do the accounting, how to manage vendors or contractors on their own, and how to respond to financial, economic, or other realities while planning the event and expanding their business. A general business degree teaches all of these skills and more
Event planners can also benefit from choosing a concentration in event planning itself. This concentration, which is more popular than ever when paired with a business degree, focuses on the logistics of coordinating venues, vendors, clients, businesses, family members, and other stakeholders who have a say in the final outcome of a special event. It typically requires between 9 and 18 credits of elective courses, each of which helps event planners become both efficient and more highly effective as business professionals.
Two Great Ways to Become a Great Event Planner in Today’s Economy
Event planning is on the rise as more people focus on entertaining their coworkers, friends, and family members, through special events at home or in the community. The degree options available to new event planners are numerous, but the business-related options on the market make it easy to be self-employed, highly efficient, and successful locally. Before becoming an event planner, be sure to choose a degree program that teaches the right combination of business skills, event planning, and project management.
