The world of game design programs was on fire in 2017, with schools such as Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Loyola University New Orleans, University of Texas at Austin, Bellevue University, and even Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University launching a string of exceptional new degree programs covering everything from Simulation, Games and Animation to ESports. Well, 2018 is here and two schools would like to tell you about their plans to launch several new programs that are sure to make history.
We are pleased to announce that Staffordshire University will be the first university in the UK to launch a degree for ESports. We are also happy to report that the University of Utah Board of Trustees has approved a new Bachelor of Science in Games for students interested in a career in game design. Read on.
Staffordshire University – Staffordshire, England, UK
Staffordshire University has launched the UK’s first ESports degree. The three-year BA program will focus on the business side of eSports, at what is considered to be one of the largest and best games universities in the UK. The school says “students in the program will learn how to host small and large scale events for single player and multi-player teams, create business plans to develop teams, create online communities and promote your events through digital marketing.” Students will also have the opportunity to “explore the culture of eSports, its audience and fan base and different game genres that make up the most popular in current times.”
Sample courses for the program include Competitive Gaming Culture, ESports Ecosystems, Big Data, ESports Expo, Business Simulation Project, Streaming Layouts and Set-Up, Esports Events Experience, Driving Digital Traffic, and Numeracy for Managers. Students will work through the program and classes in a “dedicated Esports Lab and Pro Gamer training facility with all the latest industry standard software and hardware.”
They will also take part in UK and International varsities, study digital marketing and take Google Garage Exams as part of the course, visit Esports events in the UK and take part in an International residential, and plan, develop and implement an Esports event. Students will have the opportunity to join one of Staffordshire’s six competitive societies including League of Legends, DOTA2, Hearthstone, Counter Strike, Overwatch and Super Smash Bros, and compete in events in the UK and overseas.
The academic year for the new BA (Hons) in Esports begins September 17, 2018 and ends June 9, 2019 at the Stoke-on-Trent campus. Applications for the programs inaugural year are being accepted now.
About Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University was established in 1992, but the institution traces its roots back to 1906. The schools predecessor, North Staffordshire Polytechnic, was established in 1971 as a result of several local mergers. Today, Staffordshire University is home to more than 11,000 students and it is one of the few schools in the UK to offer undergraduate degree on the fast-track system. Students can complete a degree here in just two years instead of the traditional four years common in the U.S. Undergraduate degree options include BA, BSc, BEng, and LLB. Graduate options include Master’s and PhD degrees.
Staffordshire University has 20 industry partners and accreditations including the National Association for Higher Education in the Moving Image, Institution of Engineering and Technology, the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science, and the British Kinematograph, Sound and Television Society, to name a few.
University of Utah – Salt Lake City, Utah
Beginning Spring 2018, University of Utah will offer a brand new Bachelor of Science (BS) in Games. Offered through the School of Computing, the program will include a core curriculum in game design and development courses. Students in the program will work with an advisor to focus on a specific area of interest. Options include Game Design, Game Arts, Technical Art, and Game Production.
The 122 credit hour program will consist of 12 semester hours of prerequisites, 53 hours of general education requirements, 45 hours in the major, and 12 allied hours. Sample courses include Survey of Games, Digital Content Creation, Programming, Extended Applications, Ethics in Games, Traditional Game Development, Alternative Game Development, Videogames and Storytelling, Rapid Visualizations, Architectural Graphics, Storyboarding/Visual Storytelling, Physics of Audio and Video, Digital and Internet Marketing, and Design Thinking.
The BS In Games is the latest edition to University of Utah’s current undergraduate games offerings including a BS in Computer Science with an Entertainment Arts & Engineering (EAE) Emphasis, a BS in Computer Science with a Games/EAS Emphasis, a BS Minor in Computer Science and a BS in Computer Engineering. A BS/MS combined degree is available as well with MS options such as Computer Science, Graphics and Visualization, Robotics, and Computer Engineering.
Applications for Fall 2018 admissions are now open.
About University of Utah
Founded in 1850, the University of Utah serves more than 32,000 students from across the U.S. and around the world. With campuses in Salt Lake City and Korea, the school offers nearly 100 majors at the undergraduate level and more than 90 major fields of study at the graduate level.
Besides a campus in Korea and close to 200 program offerings, University of Utah is one of the few schools to have an official ESports team. It (Utah Esports) is a school sponsored amateur program.
University of Utah has maintained its accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) continuously since 1933. More than 35 academic departments and degree programs throughout the school maintain specialized accreditation credentials.