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College of Business
Copeland Hall
1 Ohio University
Athens OH 45701-2979

Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management Certificate

Be on the cutting edge of event management

People walk around to different vendor tents at a festival during sunset

 

The Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management (FEEM) 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 FEEM 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 FEEM Certificate

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

Core Course (3 credit hours)

All students complete the following course:

  • MGT 3580 — Foundations of Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management

Area of Specialization Courses (12 credit hours)

Choose one specialization area and complete four courses in that area:

Sport Management
  • SASM 3760 — Sport Facility and Event Management
  • SASM 4010 — Advanced Sport Event Management
  • SASM 4020 — Advanced Sport Facility Management
  • SASM 4915 — Sport Management Expedition: FEEM Certificate
Parks Recreation, and Leisure
  • REC 3050 — Planning and Operating Recreation Areas and Facilities
  • REC 3100 — Recreation Programming
  • REC 3630 — Festival and Special Events Operations
  • REC 4920 — Practicum in Recreation and Leisure: FEEM Certificate
Restaurant, Hotel, and Tourism
  • RHT 3410 — Principles of Tourism
  • RHT 3600 — Catering for the Hospitality Industry
  • RHT 3620 — Convention and Event Planning
  • CONS 4910 — Field Work in Consumer Sciences: Career Technical Education: FEEM Certificate

Admissions Requirements

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

Fellows

Faculty with the FEEM 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 FEEM 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: