Program Overview
Fantastic conferences, powerful seminars, and special events don’t organize themselves. Professional event and meeting planning services are in demand. This certificate program will help launch you into this exciting and rewarding career. You will learn from well-known industry professionals as they share the practical “need to know” tools essential to ensuring your meeting or event is a success!
Participants who complete the six required core classes, three Career Perspectives and a project presentation will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Audience
Anyone who is interested in learning how to organize, manage and lead meeting & event planning services for corporations, non-profit organizations, small businesses and similar groups.
Attention HR and Training Professionals
This popular program can be offered on-site to companies and tailored to their specific organizational needs. For more information, call our office at 760-750-8706.
Continuing Education Units
Each course is approved for .7 CEUs.
This program fulfills 6.3 Meeting Management points toward initial Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) application. Please visit conventionindustry.org for additional information.
These program classes may also be applied toward Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) certification. Please visit ileahub.com for additional information.
Program Logistics
| Date: |
Mondays/Wednesdays
Temecula program begins Sept. 19
San Marcos program begins Sept. 12 |
| Time: |
6-9:30 pm |
| Location: |
Temecula Campus and San Marcos |
| Fee: |
$149 individual classes (plus textbook)
$1,490 entire Certificate (plus textbook) |
| Discount: |
CSUSM Students and Alumni, 15% Savings |
| Funding: |
WIOA Approved
MyCAA Approved
VA Approved |
| Required Textbook: |
Professional Meeting Management
6th Edition. ISBN #1932841970 |
| Website: |
csusm.edu/el/eventplanning |
Required Courses
- Fundamentals of Meeting and Event Planning
- Successful Logistical Planning
- Food and Beverage Essentials
- Legal Issues for Event Planners
- Best Practices in Event Budgeting
- Presentation and Communication Skills for Event Planners
- Project Presentations
Career Perspectives (select three)
- Event Marketing
- Hotel Operations and Destination Marketing
- Independent Meeting Professional
- Planning Nonprofit Events
- NEW! Understanding the Politics of Food
- Wedding Planning for Planners
Here’s what one of our students had to say about the program:
“Everyone was helpful and welcoming, and real life experts in the field brought the information to life. Don’t let fear stop you! It’s never too late to follow your passions, no matter what they are.”
LINDA ENGSTROM, OWNER, LINDA RAE EVENTS
Course Descriptions
Best Practices in Event Budgeting
This course provides you with a comprehensive plan for understanding, creating, selling, managing and living within the budgets set for each of your events. You’ll learn how to evaluate your budget for future success and provide solid information to your stakeholders to show their return on investment.
Event Marketing
This course will cover how to create and execute a successful event marketing campaign, and how to work with key stakeholders. Find out how to drive maximum attendance to your event, and keep your attendees talking about the event long after it’s over. Includes using social media as a tool to promote meetings and events.
Food and Beverage Essentials
Effectively managing food and beverage for an event means successfully working with many variables. Participants will discuss the process, beginning with knowing your group and its needs, understanding the different roles food and beverage can play within a program and creating a budget. Planners will also learn how to work with a hotel or off-premises caterer to create wonderful menus while staying within budget.
Fundamentals of Meeting and Event Planning
Participants will learn the critical considerations for planning a successful event, including establishing goals and objectives and program content development.
Hotel Operations and Destination Marketing
Learn the key job functions at hotels and how hotels evaluate your business when you are negotiating a contract, giving you greater insight in striking a win-win agreement. Learn the many ways CVBs, destination management company hotels and SEVs (special event venues) attract meeting and event business.
Independent Meeting Professional
This class will provide you with the important tools needed to launch a successful business. You will learn the obvious, and not so obvious, considerations for establishing a reputation as an industry professional who delivers quality events.
Legal Issues for Event Planners
Participants will utilize a variety of industry case studies to better understand critical contract clauses and employment disputes as well as how to resolve legal issues relating to alcohol, food and beverage, and what to do practically and legally if you do not get paid.
Planning Nonprofit Events
Nonprofit organizations are often asked to accomplish the near impossible—create a four-star event with a one-star budget. Learn how to make the most of every budgeted dollar and seek appropriate sponsorship and fundraising opportunities to offset the cost of an event. Acquire tips on how to find and manage valuable volunteers and how to stay organized amidst all of the chaos.
Presentation and Communication Skills for Event Planners
Good communication skills are key to your professional success. Learn how to construct an effective presentation that makes a positive impact on your client and how to strengthen nonverbal communication (gestures, facial expressions and eye contact) to enhance your message.
Project Presentations
Students will present highlights from their involvement in planning a meeting or event from beginning to end.
Successful Logistical Planning
Gain inside knowledge of how to create success by understanding the basic requirements of ROI, targeted questioning, staging, audio visual, labor, permits, and most important, how to create value for your client.
NEW! Understanding the Politics of Food
Explore why regions, religious guidelines and self-imposed cultural beliefs play a key part in both international and domestic events. Discuss the demand for sustainable local food that will highlight the region and relieve depleting food supplies. Be a better representative to your client by understanding how seasonally available foods can save on unexpected costs as well as how organic, free-range and trendy chicken can wreak havoc on a plated dinner budget.
Wedding Planning for Planners
Discussions will focus on the skills and challenges of this fast-growing niche industry. Learn how to work with vendors, incorporate ethnic wedding customs and traditions, industry terms and more.
Information Sessions
Temecula: Aug. 22, and San Marcos: Aug. 24, 6-8 pm
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