Esports and Gaming Administration Bachelor’s Degree
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Overview
It’s the era where the gaming, sports and entertainment industries are all rolled into one—yes, esports has exploded into one of the hottest and most lucrative industries. Are you ready to take your passion and put it into action?
The global esports industry is estimated to grow at a rate of 400% in the next seven years to $4.28 billion by 2027, according to Data Bridge Market Research. The world’s 2.7 billion gamers are expected to spend nearly $160 billion on games in 2020, and projections surpass $200 billion by 2027. With such tremendous growth, the demand for professionals with the education and experience to oversee esports events, manage esports teams, excel in esports business, and more are inevitable.
People spend more time playing video games than they do participating in real-world physical sporting activities, and esports are projected to become bigger than the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL combined. Additionally, the NFL, NBA and many professional athletes are investing in the esporting industries as they see the lucrative growth potential.
The BA in Esports & Gaming Administration at William Peace University provides an esports program that gives students an opportunity to expand their knowledge and experience in the business and administrative side of esports as well as meet the technology needs in the industry. Available in Fall 2021, this bachelor’s degree program will prepare students to manage and launch a conference, convention, or large scale esports competition. They will also be well versed in the technology and logistical needs to support an interactive competitive gaming event. Learning about the IT integration, bandwidth, server connectivity, and more that is required in combination with event management and event planning will ensure graduates can leverage their knowledge to be leaders in this lucrative, global industry.
Don’t stand on the sidelines and watch. Expand your future with an esports degree — a BA in Esports & Gaming Administration from William Peace University.
The Simulation and Game Design Lab provides the technology and tools needed for students to expand their knowledge and application of gaming technology. -
Courses
The courses listed below are for the Academic Catalog and are subject to change. Please reference the Academic Catalog for further information and course descriptions for your academic program. If you are a current student, please reference the catalog in which you enrolled under.
Bachelor of Arts in Esports & Gaming Administration
*While the majority of the coursework is taught by WPU faculty, note that a small number of courses will be taught online through our consortium partner, LCMC. LCMC offers a convenient way for students to gain access to specialized courses not taught at their home institution, helping them stay on track to graduate.
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Faculty
Assistant Professor of Simulation and Game Design
Department Chair of Art, Communication, and SGD; Associate Professor of Art, Communication, and SGD -
Careers
Esports is one of the hottest industries with promising salaries and career opportunities
An Esports and Gaming Administration major focuses on learning the creative, analytical, and business aspects of this exciting new field. While some of the coursework overlaps with fields like business administration, public relations, and digital marketing, a degree in esports or video gaming includes the specialization required to ensure esports students succeed in their chosen field. Esport events, collegiate esports competitions, esports arena venues and league organizations are growing at a phenomenal rate. Demand for talent to support this expanding market is growing as well. A higher education degree that encompasses these areas from a students’ first year through their last, will prepare them for leadership roles.
According to Talent.com, entry level positions with esports organizations start at $41,050 per year, while an Esports Manager salary in the USA is $96,250. North Carolina salaries average $65,000 per year (ZipRecruiter). Job postings on Indeed for full-time esport positions rose 43% during the first three months of 2020.
The esports workforce can include content creators, analysts, game designers, social media specialists, journalists, marketers, partnership managers, advertising and sponsorship, event managers, venue operators, technical support and more.
Insider Intelligence estimates that esports viewership will grow from 454 million in 2019 to 646 million in 2021 — that is almost double the 2017 audience of 335 million. The social component of esports with live streaming and gaming have elevated the interest and participation globally. The explosive revenue growth will lead to opportunities in career potentials.
Forbes has ranked Raleigh as the second-hottest city in the US for tech jobs and a tech hub to watch by VentureBeat. The Greater Raleigh Esports Local Organizing Committee (GRELOC) is supported and led by an expansive group of local civic, sports and business leaders who envision Raleigh becoming a part of the growing esports and gaming industry. With top video game and esports companies headquartered in the area, Raleigh is poised to provide a robust job market for talent in esports.
Potential internship and employment sites include:
- Epic Games
- IBM
- Icarus Studios
- Lenovo
- Red Storm Entertainment
- Ubisoft
- Insomniac Games
- Imangi Studios
- Limited Run Games
- Horizon Productions
- Lucid Dreams VR
- Raleigh Convention Center
- PNC Arena
- Pharaoh’s Conclave (Atlanta)
- Front Row Fantasy Sports (Charlotte)
- Scuf Gaming (Atlanta)
- CLT Sports (Charlotte)
