University of Staffordshire – A degree in eSports?

Students seeking a career in esports are being urged to sign up to a new degree – the first of its kind in the UK – dedicated to the rapidly growing global gaming industry.

esports is the practice of playing video games competitively over the internet or via networked computers in venues and stadiums and many top European football clubs are now making esports player signings to represent them in Fifa.

Staffordshire University is building on its reputation for computer games by launching a BA (Hons) esports, set to start in September 2018, which combines learning and teaching from business and computer games.
Rachel Gowers, Academic Dean for Recruitment in the Business School, said: “Over 73 per cent of those employed within esports are under the age of 35 and their skills are in demand. Companies are looking for people who are entrepreneurial and tech savvy and the industry is driving the creation of new jobs.

“The course focuses on the business and culture of esports from developing teams, communities and a fan base to hosting esports events. All students will get to visit an esports arena and we are also offering a number of exciting scholarship opportunities for competitive players.”

Staffordshire University has already responded to the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment’s (ukie) white paper on esports by introducing a module on esports which will run from September.

Dr Bobbie Fletcher, Head of the Games and Visual Effects, said: “The module, which is available to students on our Games Studies course, is a fascinating branch of cultural studies. It looks at the national, and international market for esports, and the cultural aspects that drive it as well as the darker side of cheating and doping by esports players. Games designers are growing up and that brings with it new trends in gaming which comes with its own set of ethical dilemmas.”

“Plans to grow the UK as an esports hub brings huge opportunities in job creation and we are well placed as a University to explore that.”
Staffordshire University is continuing to invest in new computer games facilities as part of a digital transformation of its Stoke-on-Trent campus.
Bobbie added: “Universities are seeing significantly greater number of attendees at Open Days in these subject areas because games are big business and parents and teachers no longer try to steer prospective students away from degree courses. Parents are the generation that have grown up playing computer games and there’s now acknowledgement that it is a viable career route.”

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