Planning a good event is an art. There are tons of different elements that need to be taken care of. All of these, in the end, come together you give you an event that all attendees remember long after they have gone back home. The term event itself is very vast. A wedding can be an event but so can a meeting with a company’s shareholders. Similarly, a baby shower and an awards show are both events but two very different types of events. An event planner should be able to take on any of these events and turn them into a success.
While there are many people who believe that you don’t really need to get any training or education before getting into event planning and management, the job description of an event planner or manager is limitless. You have to get involved in everything, starting from building the basic structure of the event and sending out invites to scouting venues, handling caterers and other vendors and more. Some amount of knowledge from people who have years of experience in the realm can go a long way in helping you plan your events in the best possible manner. Here, we will be looking at some of the best event planning courses that can get you ready for any challenge that comes your way!
Successful Events: Event Planning, Marketing & Management (Udemy)
You may already be familiar with platforms like Udemy, edX and others, which bring you a range of online learning resources at very affordable prices. The “Successful Events: Event Planning, Marketing & Management” course offered by Alex Genadinik on the Udemy platform is a great place to kickstart your learning about event planning. The course, which includes five hours of video content, multiple articles and downloadable resources, is designed to help you set you an event — or a series of events — by putting together aspects of event planning, promotion, management and monetization.
Event Planning Certificate (Emory University)
While this isn’t strictly an online course — more of a hybrid — a majority of your time will be spent studying online, with some in-person training as well. This means that you need to be in the vicinity of Atlanta, Georgia in order to enroll yourself in this course and fully benefit from it. Modules being taught include event budgeting, logistics, “green” events, marketing, terminology and maintaining relations with your clients, vendors and volunteers. Keep in mind that almost the entire course is offered online, but in the sixth week, you have to come in for a full-day session on campus.
Event Planning 101 (Universal Class)
If you are looking for a relatively simple introduction to the field of event planning, the Event Planning 101 course by Universal Class is an effective, yet simple, course to consider. Designed for students who don’t have too much time and want to fit their learning into any part of the day that they get time, all the material is available online and can be accessed at any time and place. This also means that you can set your own pace without feeling rushed. There is a range of lessons covering many different topics, including wedding planning, networking and corporate events, starting your own event planning enterprise and whether or not it is right for you.
Event Planning: Where to Start by Hanna Ashcraft (Skillshare)
Skillshare has a number of different short courses and lectures on event planning, which makes it a fantastic tool for the times when you are looking to expand your horizons without digging too deep in your pockets. “Event Planning: Where to Start” is an interesting course developed by Hanna Ashcraft that helps you gauge what is a good place to start when you have to plan an event. Different lectures are aimed at covering different aspects like budgeting, venues, catering, audiovisuals, rentals and more. There is also a class project that is included in this course.
Certificate Programs in Event Management (International Institute of Event Management)
There are three different certificate programs offered by the International Institute of Event Management (IIEM) that you can turn to when you are looking to improve your grasp over the art of event planning. The first of these is a certificate in wedding planning, which includes modules on budgeting, planning the strategy, selecting venues and aesthetics and figuring out the logistics. The second is a certificate in event management, which involves a study of corporate events, social events, contracts, logistics, etc. The final option is a master’s certificate in event management — a more wholesome option — where you are taught everything that is included in the other two courses and more, for example, marketing, social media and business strategy.
Online Event Planning Courses (QC Event School)
Another option like the last set of courses by IIEM is the range of event planning courses by QC Event School. There are four main courses offered by this school — event and wedding planning, corporate event planning, private event planning and wedding planning. While the corporate event, private event and wedding planning courses individually work towards preparing you for one field in particular, you can opt for the event and wedding planning course for a more inclusive course structure that covers most of the material that the other courses would lay emphasis on.
Five-Course Certificate Program (Bryant University)
If you are looking for a comprehensive set of courses that will give you the edge that you need in the event planning industry, Bryant University’s five-course certificate program is one of the most terrific options. This extensive program is a little expensive when compared to a lot of others in the field, but you surely get a fantastic return on the investment with this. The courses covered include foundations of event planning, event marketing, event design and decor, event production and logistics and finally event management and leadership. While it is recommended that you complete the entire program, you can also pick and choose the courses you want to concentrate on.
Basics Bootcamp: Meeting Fundamentals (Meeting Professionals International)
The Meeting Professionals International platform offers a range of certificate programs that can be extremely beneficial for people looking to make a career for themselves in the corporate events and planning meetings. One of these courses, the Basics Bootcamp: Meeting Fundamentals, is a good place to get started when you are looking to acquaint yourself with the basics of how to go about planning events and meetings. It goes into detail about defining a meeting, budgeting for it, dealing with vendors and more.
Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism Industry by University of Maryland Eastern Shore (edX)
While this isn’t exactly a course with an emphasis on event planning, University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism Industry on the edX platform is worth trying if you are looking to make a career for yourself in the realm of hospitality or tourism. Spread across six weeks, you only need to dedicate between one to two hours of your time each week to complete this course. In addition to event planning, you touch upon aspects like human resources, food service, operations and tourism management.
The courses mentioned on this list can all be taken online, with the exception of one, where you will be required to go down to the university at some point or the other. This may not suit everyone, which is why we have offered a great range of courses for you to choose from. Pick the one that fits best with your routine and requirements — for example, if you are just looking for a short introduction, the Skillshare ones may be helpful, or the five-course certificate program if you are looking to delve into great detail. Once you complete the course that you have chosen, you will find yourself better equipped to take on a number of different event-based challenges that come your way!