Special Event Planning
The interdisciplinary major in
Organizational Communication
Special Event Planning
Suggestions for students who want to plan events such as:
* fundraising dinners, run/walk events, silent auctions and sales, receptions and tastings
* ceremonies, ribbon cuttings, tours and open houses, commemorative events
* celebrations, reunions, fairs, festivals
* weddings, galas, balls
* informative events, training, orientation, benefits fairs, health fairs
* meetings, retreats, conferences
These events can be done for nonprofit organizations, corporations, hotels, resorts, and event management firms.
A minor in Entrepreneurship is highly recommended if you want to own an event planning business. You might also consider the Meeting and Event Planning Certificate Program at Belmont University in Nashville. Other recommended minors are Management or Marketing.
Be sure to check out the web site of the Center for Nonprofit Management in Nashville. This web site has job postings for fundraisers, event planners, and other staff for nonprofit organizations in Tennessee.
Courses below seem to be best if your interest is in event planning; however, they are not required. You may take any of the courses approved for General Education and for the Cognate in the Organizational Communication major.
General Education – 41 hours
Suggestions for General Education: From among the 41 hours required in the General Education, we recommend specific courses in three areas which seem pertinent to special event planning.
Humanities and/or Fine Arts:
MUS 1030 Introduction to Music
Natural Sciences:
ASTR 1030/1031 Exploring the Universe
CHEM 1030/1031 Chemistry for the Consumer
Social/Behavioral Sciences:
HLTH 1530 Health and Wellness
Organizational Communication major – 30 hours
Please talk to your advisor about requirements in the major.
Required statistics and internship – 6 hours
Majors are required to take a statistics course and to choose 3 internship hours from the following: ORCO 4210 Applied Organizational Projects or ORCO 4220 Internship. Both are experiential learning (EXL) courses.
Cognate – 18 hours
Please look over the Cognate list and choose courses that sound interesting and will help you with your career goals.
Electives – 25 hours
Suggestions for Electives: For your elective hours, we recommend you choose more courses listed in the Cognate or from the following list.
- ABAS 2500 Wine Appreciation
- ABAS 3200 International Wine Industry
- ACTG 1110 Introduction to Accounting
or ACTG 3000 Survey of Accounting for General Business - BCEN 1400 Introduction to Business
- CSCI 1150 Computer Orientation
- HLTH 3300 First Aid and Safety Education
- INFS 1010 Social Networking
- MGMT 4920 Small Business Management
- MKT 3900 Direct Marketing and Electronic Commerce
- MUHL 3120 Masterworks of Classical Music
- N FS 1240 Principles of Nutrition
- PHED 1020 Beginning Social Dance
- REC 4110 Youth Sport Programming and Administration
- SOC 2500 Marriage and Family
- THEA 3810 Stage Management