By Dr. Sheri Hernandez
Program Director, Hospitality Management, American Public University
When the New Year arrives, so will a brand-new concentration for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at the university.
Prior to the pandemic, forecasts indicated the meeting and event planning industry would enjoy continued growth. For employers in this industry, the anticipated growth rate was higher than many other industries. Across the country, students enrolled in MBA programs have been demanding unique and different options for specialization and concentrations.
New Classes Available in the MBA Meeting and Event Concentration
Based on input from industry experts and market studies, several new event planning and management courses have been developed. These classes will form a meeting and event concentration for the MBA program and will instruct master’s level students on various topics, including:
- Event coordination and management
- Risk management and safety
- Leadership
- Financial management for events
MBA students will have the ability choose from a group of courses to complete their concentration requirements.
The Pandemic Has Led to a Rise in Virtual Events
As with many other industries, the event planning industry had to pivot and reinvent their services during the pandemic. Virtual events, along with specialists and software geared specifically to planning and executing them, emerged quickly in response to changing market needs.
Our course development was ongoing when the pandemic hit, while the event industry had to shift its focus to virtual events. This business shift enabled our course developers and industry experts to collaborate and change their strategy, incorporating elements of virtual event planning into several different courses. The intent behind adding these new courses is to incorporate a theme of adaptability and resilience within the curriculum.
The event planning industry will continue to evolve, but in the future, there will once again be large in-person gatherings and celebrations beyond computer screens. An MBA with a concentration in event will give students interested in this field a strong business background and the knowledge to be successful in this very exciting field. For more information about the MBA program or the new meeting and event concentration, contact an admissions representative.
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