Created by the SDSU L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, in collaboration with Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the Master's in Meeting and Event Management program is the first graduate-level program in North America that's designed to elevate meeting professionals to business event strategists.
Application deadline: June 1 | Cohort begins Aug 2, 2020
To accommodate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we've temporarily extended or relaxed some of the application requirements for our graduate degree and advanced certificate programs. We want to ensure that all students can apply for our programs, even if they are currently unable to schedule tests or report transcripts.
Please review the official policy change notice from the Division of Graduate Affairs to learn how these changes may affect your application process.
About the program
The Master’s in Meeting and Event Management program is a graduate-level program designed to help you advance your career and your professional as a whole.
The coursework is designed and taught by passionate, experienced instructors dedicated to helping you succeed throughout the program and beyond. Many members of our faculty are high-level executives and leaders in the meetings and events industry. Our program is a community of driven leaders, and you’ll have the opportunity to connect and network with your classmates, instructors, and alumni throughout the program. You’ll even get to spend two weeks at San Diego State University’s beautiful campus.
Through one-on-one mentorship opportunities, frequent networking opportunities, and a personalized Leadership Development Plan, you’ll have the tools you need to become a stronger leader and an agent of change in your profession.
At a Glance
- Leadership program with personalized hands-on coursework
- Program includes 2 weeks in San Diego
- Real World Content
- Cohort based - students go through the program together
- No thesis required, students complete a capstone project
- Gain a mentor and expand your network
Tuition Cost
Min. Completion Time
Course FormatProgram is perfect for...
The Master’s in Meeting and Event Management program is designed for experienced professionals with around 5-15 years of experience in some type of meetings and events-related industry, such as:
- Certified Meeting Managers (CMMs)
- Certified Meeting Professionals (CMPs)
- Corporate Meeting Planning
- Third Party Planning
- Group Sales
- Convention Services
- Destination Management
- Audio Visual and Production
Our program is ideal for dedicated, driven professionals who envision themselves taking on a high-level leadership role in their profession, like a director, general manager, or CEO.
As many of our students are working professionals, all coursework is designed with flexibility in mind. Because the vast majority of the coursework is completely online, you can easily integrate your program into your busy schedule without putting your professional life on hold.
What you can learn
Our online meetings and events management program will help you become a leader in your industry. Our courses will help you take those next steps in your career by focusing on a variety of topics, including strategic leadership, stakeholder management, finances, business analytics, change management, and marketing. Students will learn about these topics from dedicated, experienced members faculty, many of whom also teach courses on SDSU’s main campus. Our courses are supplemented by frequent networking opportunities and on-site learning experiences with high-level meetings and events executives.
Application deadline: June 1 | Cohort begins Aug 2, 2020
To accommodate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we've temporarily extended or relaxed some of the application requirements for our graduate degree and advanced certificate programs. We want to ensure that all students can apply for our programs, even if they are currently unable to schedule tests or report transcripts.
Please review the official policy change notice from the Division of Graduate Affairs to learn how these changes may affect your application process.
Why Should You Choose Us?
Connections:
All of our students are paired with an experienced mentor at the beginning of the program. This mentor is a high-level leader with extensive experience in the meetings and events industry. Throughout the program, your mentor will help you with your coursework and your professional life by offering advice and guiding you towards success. You’ll gain a meaningful, professional connection with someone who has years of experience to share, and this connection is built to last well beyond your graduation.
Flexibility:
We designed our program with today’s professionals in mind. Other than two weeks spent on San Diego State University’s beautiful campus, the entirety of this 18-month program is completely online. This means that you can take your courses and complete your assignments without putting your professional life on hold. Best of all, the coursework is practical, which means that many of the lessons that you learn can be applied to your job the very next day.
Versatility:
This leadership degree is applicable to more than 100 hospitality and tourism-related industries and virtually any career path.
Proven Results:
Research shows that event managers with a graduate degree make $8,000 more per year than those with a bachelor’s degree (Burning Glass Technologies, 2019). This program incorporates facets that are proven to drive measurable return on investment, including networking with industry leaders, mentorship matching, and a career-changing capstone project.
Be one of the first to earn your master’s degree in meeting and event management. Work on your own schedule, advance your career, and shape the future of meeting and event planning.
Time Involved (in succession)
- 1 week of on-campus team-building projects and leadership exercises at SDSU. Week long immersion program, full-time and all day.
- 17 months of online instruction in 8 courses. The online courses are manageable 10-12 hours per week of readin, assignments, and forum discussions that can be completed on your schedule.
- 1 week of on-campus capstone experience at SDSU, full-time & all-day.
Labor Analysis
M.S. Hospitality Graduate — Nationwide
Job Postings
Last 12 months
15,762
Projected Growth
Over 10 years
+4.13%
Salary Range
Average
$47,000-$106,000
Prerequisites
In order to apply to the Master’s in Meets and Events Management program at SDSU World Campus, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Ideally, you should also have experience in the hospitality and tourism industry.
If you’re a domestic applicant, SDSU requires that you have a minimum 2.85 undergraduate GPA. International applicants are required to have a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA. Under special considerations, we may consider applicants with a GPA below 2.85 for admission.
If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, but you do have a track record of superior leadership, you may be accepted accepted into the program and receive a special certification upon completion.
All applicants are required to take either the GRE or the GMAT. These exams can be waived if you hold an advanced degree (such as an MBA, MS, MA, Ph.D., JD, etc.) from an institution that is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools.
Cost
While most master’s programs cost between $60,000-$120,000, our program tuition is just $29,250. Financial aid is also readily available, and with the vast majority of the program taught in an online format, you don’t have to worry about putting your professional life on hold. Plus books and travel expenses for the on campus weeks.
How to Apply
GRE/GMAT Update
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the requirements outlined below that applicants for graduate study at SDSU submit scores for the GRE or GMAT are suspended for the Spring and Fall 2021 admissions cycles.
In addition, a number of students were admitted conditionally for Fall 2020 without submitting standardized exam scores, an earlier accommodation to the pandemic. Conditions established at the time were that those students must submit official exam scores by the end of the calendar year. Those conditions have been waived.
The application process for both programs consists of a Cal State Apply application:
- Submit the formal application through Cal State Apply between Oct. 1, 2020—June 1, 2021 for Fall 2021 admission.
- Schedule a required GRE or GMAT test date at your earliest opportunity.
- Order official transcripts for all post-secondary education after completing the Cal State Apply application.
- International applicants may be required to take English language testing. Visit the SDSU Graduate Admissions page for testing and document requirements.
Application deadline: June 1 | Cohort begins Aug 2, 2020
To accommodate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we've temporarily extended or relaxed some of the application requirements for our graduate degree and advanced certificate programs. We want to ensure that all students can apply for our programs, even if they are currently unable to schedule tests or report transcripts.
Please review the official policy change notice from the Division of Graduate Affairs to learn how these changes may affect your application process.
SDSU also offers Master’s in Hospitality and Tourism Management. For more information on either program, please contact Nicole Williams at MShospitality.ces@sdsu.edu or (619) 594-3946.