The rise of esports (electronic sports) has created a wide variety of workforce opportunities but few universities offer training in those subject areas. The Esports Industry & Entertainment Experience (E.I.E.X.) Certificate of Undergraduate Study (C.U.G.S.), an interdisciplinary program housed within the College of Communication and Creative Arts, will meet the rising academic demand for esports training. The certificate offers students opportunities to acquire and develop critical communication, collaboration, problem-solving, critical reflection, and leadership skills that are necessary for success in the esports workforce and beyond. It is anticipated that students in this C.U.G.S. gain industry-specific knowledge requisite to positive career outcomes. Additionally, students will gain expertise with the technologies and across the media used by professionals on the cutting edge of this burgeoning field.
The esports field is increasingly relevant to numerous disciplines of study because the topical area has significant overlap with already existing programs in Sports Communication & Media, Journalism, Sports Management, Radio Television Film, and Public Relations. Concurrently, the burgeoning esports industry has spawned numerous new professions for which there is a dearth of academic training and scholarly research. It is anticipated that the certificate program will be attractive to professionals along the career continuum, aspiring professionals seeking to gain entry to the profession, and seasoned professionals pursuing upward mobility as an accelerated, flexible pathway to certificate completion.
