Universities in U.S, U.K. Launch Esports Degrees
Several universities in the U.S. and U.K. have recently launched degree programs focused on the booming esports industry, according to a recent report from the Associated Press.
Last year, the University of Staffordshire in England began offering bachelor’s and master’s esports programs. Students in the programs mainly learn marketing and management skills tailored to the industry. This fall, the university expanded the program to London.
Other schools that have recently launched esports degrees include Britain’s Chichester University, Virginia’s Shenandoah University, Becker College in Massachusetts and The Ohio State University.
It is expected that the global esports market will grow to more than $1.1 billion this year, up $230 million from 2018. That growth is being pushed by expanded sponsorships, merchandise and ticket sales, according to research firm Newzoo.
Esports leagues now have franchises in North America, Europe and Asia. The best players can earn millions in prize money and livestreaming deals. Tournaments are also now a cultural phenomenon, and rival traditional sports events in size and scale. Large competitions are held in arenas where thousands of fans watch professional gamers compete for high-dollar prize pools.
Colleges in the U.S. have offered varsity level esports competitions for some time now. But, some schools are taking it a step further by adding courses as the industry’s boom drives demand for esports professionals.
Becker College officially launched a bachelor’s degree in esports management this year after a test launch last year.
“It’s no longer kids playing games in their basement,” Alan Ritacco, dean of Becker College’s School of Design and Technology told the AP. “The top esports players now earn almost as much as the highest paid stars in traditional sports like golf or tennis.”
Chichester University hired former professional gamer Rams Singh as a senior lecturer for its program, which includes playing games like FIFA and League of Legends as part of the course.
Ohio State will soon launch an esports and game studies undergraduate major that will include the application of games to health and medicine.
“People are unaware of the industry that goes behind esports,” Matt Huxley, a lecturer at Staffordshire University’s Digital Institute London told the AP.
Huxley teaches a class on organizing tournaments, and said that learning about esports was similar to studying sports management.
Standard tuition for esports degrees in Britain are set at 9,250 pounds ($11,430) per year. Esports programs in the U.S. charge as much as $36,000 per year.
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