diff --git a/spec/controllers/conferences_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/conferences_controller_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ae364027
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/controllers/conferences_controller_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+#!/bin/env ruby
+# encoding: utf-8
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe Admin::ConferenceController do
+
+  shared_examples 'access as administration or organizer' do
+
+    describe 'PATCH #update' do
+      context 'valid attributes' do
+        it 'locates the requested @conference' do
+          patch :update, id: @conference.short_title, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, title: 'Example Con')
+
+          expect(assigns(:conference)).to eq(@conference)
+        end
+
+        it 'changes @conference attributes' do
+          patch :update, id: @conference.short_title, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, title: 'Example Con',
+                                          short_title: 'ExCon')
+
+          @conference.reload
+          expect(@conference.title).to eq('Example Con')
+          expect(@conference.short_title).to eq('ExCon')
+        end
+
+        it 'redirects to the updated @conference' do
+          patch :update, id: @conference.short_title, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, title: 'Example Con')
+
+          expect(response).to redirect_to admin_conference_path(
+                                              @conference.short_title)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'invalid attributes' do
+        it 'does not change conference attributes' do
+          patch :update, id: @conference.short_title, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, title: 'Example Con',
+                                          short_title: nil)
+
+          @conference.reload
+          expect(@conference.title).to eq('The dog and pony show')
+          expect(@conference.short_title).to eq('dps14')
+        end
+
+        it 're-renders the #show template' do
+          patch :update, id: @conference.short_title, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, title: 'Example Con',
+                                          short_title: nil)
+
+          expect(response).to redirect_to admin_conference_path(
+                                              @conference.short_title)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'POST #create' do
+      context 'with valid attributes' do
+        it 'saves the conference to the database' do
+          expect {
+            post :create, conference:
+                attributes_for(:conference, short_title: 'dps15')
+          }.to change(Conference, :count).by(1)
+        end
+
+        it 'redirects to conference#show' do
+          post :create, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, short_title: 'dps15')
+
+          expect(response).to redirect_to admin_conference_path(
+                                              assigns[:conference].short_title)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'with invalid attributes' do
+        it 'does not save the conference to the database' do
+          expect {
+            post :create, conference:
+                attributes_for(:conference, short_title: nil)
+          }.to_not change(Conference, :count)
+        end
+
+        it 're-renders the new template' do
+          post :create, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, short_title: nil)
+          expect(response).to render_template :new
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'with duplicate conference short title' do
+        it 'does not save the conference to the database' do
+          expect {
+            post :create, conference: attributes_for(:conference)
+          }.to_not change(Conference, :count)
+        end
+
+        it 're-renders the new template' do
+          post :create, conference: attributes_for(:conference)
+          expect(response).to render_template :new
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'GET #show' do
+      it 'assigns the requested conference to @conference' do
+        get :show, id: @conference.short_title
+        expect(assigns(:conference)).to eq @conference
+      end
+
+      it 'renders the show template' do
+        get :show, id: @conference.short_title
+        expect(response).to render_template :show
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'GET #index' do
+      it 'populates an array with conferences' do
+        con2 = create(:conference, short_title: 'dps15',
+                                   title: 'The dog and pony show 2015')
+        get :index
+        expect(assigns(:conferences)).to match_array([@conference, con2])
+      end
+
+      it 'renders the index template' do
+        get :index
+        expect(response).to render_template :index
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'GET #new' do
+      it 'assigns a new conference to @conference' do
+        get :new
+        expect(assigns(:conference)).to be_a_new(Conference)
+      end
+
+      it 'renders the :new template' do
+        get :new
+        expect(response).to render_template :new
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'administrator access' do
+    before(:each) do
+      @conference = create(:conference)
+      @admin = create(:admin)
+      sign_in(@admin)
+    end
+
+    it_behaves_like 'access as administration or organizer'
+
+  end
+
+  describe 'organizer access' do
+    before(:each) do
+      @conference = create(:conference)
+      @organizer = create(:organizer)
+      sign_in(@organizer)
+    end
+
+    it_behaves_like 'access as administration or organizer'
+
+  end
+
+  shared_examples 'access as participant or guest' do |success_path|
+    describe 'GET #show' do
+      it 'requires admin privileges' do
+        get :show, id: @conference.short_title
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(send(success_path))
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'GET #index' do
+      it 'requires admin privileges' do
+        get :index
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(send(success_path))
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'GET #new' do
+      it 'requires admin privileges' do
+        get :new
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(send(success_path))
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'POST #create' do
+      it 'requires admin privileges' do
+        post :create, conference: attributes_for(:conference,
+                                                 short_title: 'ExCon')
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(send(success_path))
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'PATCH #update' do
+      it 'requires admin privileges' do
+        patch :update, id: @conference.short_title,
+                       conference: attributes_for(:conference,
+                                                  short_title: 'ExCon')
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(send(success_path))
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'participant access' do
+    before(:each) do
+      @conference = create(:conference)
+      @participant = create(:participant)
+      sign_in(@participant)
+    end
+
+    it_behaves_like 'access as participant or guest', :root_path
+
+  end
+
+  describe 'guest access' do
+
+    before(:each) do
+      @conference = create(:conference)
+    end
+
+    it_behaves_like 'access as participant or guest', :new_user_session_path
+
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/factories/role.rb b/spec/factories/role.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6d56375f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/factories/role.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+FactoryGirl.define do
+  factory :role do
+
+    factory :admin_role do
+      name 'Admin'
+    end
+
+    factory :organizer_role do
+      name 'Organizer'
+    end
+
+    factory :participant_role do
+      name 'Participant'
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/factories/users.rb b/spec/factories/users.rb
index 0334d49e..5fe55ab8 100644
--- a/spec/factories/users.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/users.rb
@@ -6,5 +6,17 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     password 'changeme'
     password_confirmation 'changeme'
     confirmed_at Time.now
+
+    factory :participant do
+      after(:create) { |user| user.role_ids = create(:participant_role).id }
+    end
+
+    factory :admin do
+      after(:create) { |user| user.role_ids = create(:admin_role).id }
+    end
+
+    factory :organizer do
+      after(:create) { |user| user.role_ids = create(:organizer_role).id }
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 0df96be7..ec20a169 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -49,5 +49,8 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
   # As we start from scratch in April 2014, let's forbid the old :should syntax
   config.expect_with :rspec do |c|
     c.syntax = :expect
+
+  # Enables devise sign_in function
+  config.include Devise::TestHelpers, type: :controller
   end
 end