Event planning is a growing career field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of meeting, convention, and event planners is projected to grow 18 percent between 2020 and 2030. The event management major at Iowa State University (ISU) is the only four-year program of its kind in the state of Iowa and one of only a few in the Midwest.

A Ranked Experience

Hands-on learning from leaders in the field are part of your Iowa State experience when you major in Event Planning. You’re well-prepared for internships and your career after graduation. Plus, your degree is from a ranked program!

Experiences and Internships

Being on the ISU campus provides event management students with unique opportunities to gain valuable experience and internal internships:

  • Each spring students in EVENT 485 propose the concept, location, schedule, menu, entertainment, décor and more for “The Conference”. In the fall students enrolled in EVENT 486 get the hands-on experience putting plans into action and producing “The Conference” for the ISU and Ames communities.
  • Students can be involved with the annual ISU Fashion Show — one of the largest student-produced fashion shows in the nation.
  • Other opportunities to gain event planning skills include the athletics department, the alumni association, ISU Dining/catering, the Greek system, and Dance Marathon.

Program information

Event management

Curriculum requirements

4-year plans

Past syllabi

Facilities and Laboratories

The Meeting Room is a laboratory providing students hands-on access to a number of cutting-edge technology tools like virtual reality headsets, event sound and lighting equipment, wireless connectivity to displays for bring-your-own-display, and group/collaboration furniture. The Meeting Room is utilized in EVENT 277: Introduction to Digital Promotion in Event Management for student projects involving digital promotion and EVENT 471: Special Events Coordination for multimedia system labs.

Accelerated degree option – do more with your time at Iowa State!

An accelerated degree option is available for the event management program.

Faculty

Students in the event management major learn from the best. Our faculty members are experts in a wide range of areas related to marketing, technology, promotion, brand management, trend analysis, resource management, catering, and finances.

Dr. Ken Tsai, Program Director

Dr. Joan Su, Director of Graduate Education for Event Management

Jamie Beyer, M.Ed

Rita McClain, M.B.A

Event management study abroad programs

The event management program offers various international opportunities through the College of Health and Human Sciences International Programs office. In AESHM 381F: Experience Prague, Czech Republic the Awesome (AESHM) Way, students will compare and contrast the event and hospitality industry to that in the United States, and have the opportunity to learn about historical, social, cultural, geographical, economic, and tourism aspects within the country.

Careers and internships

Graduates from this program are prepared for careers in event planning (corporate events, celebrations, education, promotions, commemorations, trade shows, weddings, conferences, association events, exhibitions, festivals, philanthropies, entertainment, fundraising, conventions, and sport events) and small business development (entrepreneurship). Graduates demonstrate leadership characteristics and make decisions based on integrating knowledge of financial, human resources, promotion, and event management principles.

Career services
Prepare for your next job or internship with Career Services, where staff help you with job and internship searches, career fairs, interview preparation, and resume/cover letter reviews.

Look at a list of career possibilities inside the event planning industry. See where other students have interned at Career Connections.

Internships
Various internships are available within event management. Students research potential internships and employers in two classes, AESHM 111: Professional Development for AESHM and AESHM 311: Seminar on Careers and Internships.  Talk to your internship coordinator for more information.

To apply for internships and full-time positions, use CyHire, on-campus career fairs, career services, and talk to your internship coordinator.

See where other students have interned. Visit Career Connections.

Get Involved

Academic policies

University academic policies and procedures can be found on the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost website.  Class specific policies can be found in their respective syllabi.

Looking to continue your education?