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College of Business
Copeland Hall
1 Ohio University
Athens OH 45701-2979
People walk around to different vendor tents at a festival during sunset
Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management
Online Undergraduate Certificate

Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management Online Certificate

Be on the Cutting Edge of Event Management

The 100% online Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management Certificate Program addresses the growing demand for individuals who have the ability to effectively plan, organize and implement festivals, events and entertainment experiences in a wide variety of settings. The demand for human resource capacity in this field is expected to rise as the field continues to emerge as a distinct profession.

This certificate program is especially appropriate for those interested in planning sporting events, recreational festivals and events, hospitality and tourism festivals and events, and music festivals and events, community events, and a wide range of other festival, event, and entertainment experiences.

Specialization

The certificate requires that students choose an area of specialization. The three areas are:

  • Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management for Sport Management
  • Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management for Parks, Recreation, and Leisure
  • Festival, Events, and Entertainment Management for Restaurant, Hotel, and Tourism
“Events are the future of sport management. The Canada Games, for example, include over 6,000 volunteers, 4,000 athletes and an economic impact of over $150M per Games. And, we are but one of the many events in the amateur, professional and collegiate sport realms that rely on event management to develop their sport, attract athletes, and generate revenues. And, as events are so important, so too is the need for well trained professionals to take the still-growing field to its next plateaus." —Dr. David Patterson, Former President and CEO of Canada Games Council

Courses in the Certificate

The certificate requires a minimum of 15 hours with a minimum C– grade in certificate courses.

View full coursework and curriculum requirements in the official Academic Catalog.

View Full Certificate Curriculum

Admissions Requirements

The certificate does not include an application process. During the MGT 3580 foundations course, students who want to pursue the certificate will get assistance with declaring their specialization.

Fellows

Faculty with the Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management Certificate selected industry experts to provide course content, guest lecture, mentor select students and identify consulting projects for the sports management concentration. These fellows are:

  • Heather Lawrence-Benedict is an expert in event management and is the current Director of Sport Operations at CrossFit, LLC. Heather was a member of the Department of Sports Administration faculty for more than 15 years.
  • Jon Neimuth, FAIA, is Director of Sports Americans at AECOM, responsible for strategy and execution of economics, cost consulting, planning+programming, architecture, engineering, and operations.
  • Keller Taylor, CVE, MBA '08, MSA '09 is an expert in operations management and a Certified Venue Professional.
  • Jackie Reau BSJ '92, MSA '12 is CEO and Co-Founder of Game Day, an award-winning multimedia marketing firm in Cincinnati.
  • Don Schumacher has 45+ years of experience operating sports facilities, bidding on preparing for and presenting sports events and consulting in the sports event travel industry.

Contact Us

The Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management Certificate Program is interdisciplinary, where students choose their concentration sponsored by departments across campus. Students with questions about a specific specialization should contact the appropriate faculty member listed below: