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Esports Management

The explosive growth in esports - and the attendant growth within the games industry that it has fueled - has created a demand for business professionals with a solid understanding of the nuances of the industry.

This eSports Management program gives students to insight and experience necessary to succeed in this growing field.

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Esports Highlights

Your parents probably never thought this could be a major in college, but the gaming industry is real business these days. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of industry jobs grew by 85%!

We worked with Capcom, Riot, and other industry leaders to understand the gaps in the current business curriculum and created a specialized program that would dive into:

  • The process of developing games.
  • How go-to-market strategies work in gaming.
  • The logistics and business of Esports leagues and competition.

Developed with Unity

Unity is the world’s most-used game engine. It powers 50% of Mobile games and 60% of  Augmented-Reality and Virtual Reality content.

85% Job Growth

The gaming industry is one of the fastest-growing in the world and provides a unique opportunity for business-minded students looking to specialize.

Hybrid Learning Options

Some courses in this program are taken online & powered by Rize. The core curriculum will be taken on-campus, giving students the best of student life with the flexibility of some online learning. 

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Program Details

Information on what you'll learn, how the degree is built, and the careers that are possible after graduation.

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Why Esports Matters

For business students, this program provides the nuance and insight into the gaming industry that will make them extremely competitive when seeking careers in that field. For Game Development students, adding Gaming Administration gives them a better understanding of the business process behind games and puts them into position to one day open their own studio.

  • Esports focused - This is one of the few programs in the country that prepares students for roles in esports
  • Real-world experience - Students in this program will have the opportunity to intern at game development studios and corporations in business roles, and work hands-on with Esports companies
  • Connected - Due to the IGDA’s network, students will have the opportunity to make contacts at big-name studios like Nintendo, Bungie, EA, and Valve

Experts & Contributors

Renee Gittins, Executive Director- IGDA, Forbes 30 under 30 - Renee Gittins is the Executive Director of the International Game Developers Association. Because of her dual roles as chair of a developer’s association, and studio head (Stumbling Cat), Renee has a sharp understanding of the tensions that often exist between business and development roles within the games industry. Her understanding of this tension directly informed the managerial skills conveyed throughout this curriculum.

Thomas O’Connor, Studio Director - PlayEveryWare, Thomas O’Connor is the studio director of PlayEveryWare, a game studio in Seattle best known for their work porting games between systems. Tom’s expertise in understanding the business side of the games industry was vital in determining which learning objectives to include in Convention, Event, and Trade Show Planning, as well as Production in the Games Industry and Distribution of Games.

How does this degree align with the real world?

Unity - Unity is the world’s most-used game engine. It powers 50% of Mobile games and 60% of  Augmented-Reality and Virtual Reality content. The Unity engine is intended to be readily accessible, low-cost, and powerful. The Introduction to Games Course was developed using materials provided by Unity.

IGDA - The IGDA (International Game Developers Association) is a nonprofit professional association whose stated mission is to “support and empower game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers.” The Esports & Gaming Major was developed with significant input from the IGDA’s Game Education Chair, Suzanne Freyjadis, and conforms to the IGDA 2020 curriculum framework as closely as possible.

Career Outlook

Students who complete this program will also have completed most of the standard business coursework at their colleges. As such, it is recommended that students who do not wish to work in Esports or Gaming pick an alternate focus area in business, such as Digital Marketing or Supply Chain Management.

For those that want to pursue a career in Esports & Gaming, common careers include: 

  • Director of Ecommerce
  • Live Events Producer
  • Product Manager
  • Business Operations Analyst
  • Integrated Marketing Manager
  • Content Production & Marketing

Curriculum Highlights

The program includes most of the core business classes, plus a few specialty classes like:

  • Introduction to Esports Management
  • Convention, Event, and Tradeshow Planning
  • Distribution of Games
  • Introduction to Games

About the Partnership

For more information on the innovative partnership that allows us to offer this program, visit this page.

Built in Collaboration With

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Esports & Gaming Administration.

No, but you may need one to get hired, and having a degree in Esports & Gaming Administration provides a massive advantage in earning potential and salary. People with a bachelor’s degree also have a 50% lower rate of unemployment, and on average they make an additional $630,000 to $900,000 over their lifetime, even more in high growth fields like this one. 

Yes! The only way to make sure our program gives you the skills you need to get hired and teaches you to work through real-world problems that actually matter is to partner with the people out there who are actually doing it. Our collaboration with Unity means that their multi-billion-dollar expertise is reflected in everything you’ll study here. 

Esports & Gaming are huge, so you’ll have tons of options, but most students discover which piece of the puzzle they have a passion for by their 2nd or 3rd year. If you have a passion for Esports tournaments, it may be launching leagues or managing teams to victory. If you want to create the next gaming megahit, you may point to gaming administration. As an Esports & Gaming Administration grad, the high-paying possibilities available to you are essentially endless. 

A flipped classroom is one where the focus is not on lectures, but on discussion, projects, and problem-solving. Students in flipped classrooms get the chance for more instructor feedback, and as a result have been found to learn much, much faster. 

If you have a passion for gaming, if you want to work with people to build awesome projects, if you are looking for a degree that opens a ton of doors to different high-growth careers, if you have a knack for creativity , and if you’re looking for a way to take part in shaping the future of gaming and Esports, you should consider this major.  

Flexibility. Optional Synchronous means our Esports & Gaming Administration courses can be attended together at one time with other students, or on your own schedule. Many students prefer the learning that comes with live interactions, while other students love the flexibility of doing them whenever they fit into their schedule. 

This major is part of an exclusive partnership between Adrian College and Rize Education, which means you’ll be learning with students from your campus, as well as students from a selective consortium of schools across the country. The goal is to help you begin building a national network of people in your industry before you’ve even graduated.