PRIVATE EVENT DESIGN - 2025/6

Module Overview

Private events are a diverse grouping of activities that can include, but are not limited to, weddings, parties, dinners, private dining, celebrations, family events and VIP events. They are not open to the general public and typically involve small numbers of people in intimate settings. Despite their small size, private events can hold immense significance for their participants, and designing and managing them effectively is crucial to their success. This module introduces this important sector of the events industry and supports students to plan and produce a small private event on campus.

Module provider

Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

KENNELL James (Hosp & Tour)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

• Typologies of private events


• The scale and value of the private events sector


• Private event audiences


• Private event stakeholders


• Principles of private event design


• Food and Beverage for private events


• Practical considerations for private events


• Customer service in private events


• Working with private event venues and spaces


• Evaluating private events

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

An individual reflective report, considering the student's experience of a private event

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate both the theoretical and practical skills they have developed in the module.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Coursework (individual) Students will write a report that explains the nature and importance of the private events sector, with a focus on one type of private event.


• Practical (group) Students will work in groups to design and produce a private event on campus

Module aims

• Develop students knowledge of the private events sector
• Develop students knowledge of the principles of private event design
• Develop students understanding of the practical aspects of private event management
• Support students to apply practical skills in private event management

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Facilitate the development of students' knowledge of how private events are designed and managed. Support students to develop their practical skills in event management.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• lectures and tutorials which may include a variety of team activities, discussions and presentations

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN1136

Other information

This module adopts the university curriculum framework, which aims to develop learners with strong capabilities in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module contributes to the development of all of these: 

Employability This module explores a sector of the event industry that features numerous opportunities for gaining practical experience and developing graduate careers. As such, the students will be required to demonstrate and apply practical and analytical skills of value in many different private event contexts. In addition, guest lecturers will present up-to-date insight from industry and provide an opportunity for students to directly learn from event management professionals.

Digital Capabilities Throughout this module, students will be exposed to the role of digital technologies in the design and delivery of private events, and the experiences of private event guests. Further, the preparation of their assignment will require students to use appropriate digital tools and methods, as well as engage with the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), SurreyLearn, and video conferencing platforms such as Microsoft Teams to facilitate learning.

Resourcefulness and Resilience The event industry requires resourceful and resilient professionals who can adapt and respond to fast paced change in the external and internal environment. Resourcefulness and resilience will thus be a thread running through the module and case studies will be used to demonstrate these values in practice. In addition, the module will provide the students themselves with opportunities to further develop these skills, as they learn in and contribute to the workshops and reflect on their own experiences and problem-solving abilities.

Sustainability Private event customers increasingly expect the events that they attend to be sustainable. The lectures and workshops on this modules will give students the opportunity to explore many dimensions of sustainability and to consider how these can be addressed by in private event settings.

Global and Cultural Capabilities Graduates in events who work on private events need to have excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills. This module will support students to develop these skills by encouraging students to apply their learning to real world case studies and examples. In addition, the workshops will require students to work in groups with other students from diverse backgrounds. This will broaden their world view, challenge their perspectives, and enhance their understanding of the values, norms, and behaviors, which exist in other cultures.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.