WKU is proud to offer a new Undergraduate Certificate in Esports Management.
Students will gain the latest knowledge of the operations, design, production, marketing, and distribution of a high demand and rapidly growing business environment evolving around the esports industry. This unique program is offered at a very limited number of universities. Our goal is to give students a competitive advantage to meet or exceed the expectations of employers in a thriving industry.
What is Esports?
Esports, short for electronic sports, brings video game participants together to compete. These competitions are one-on-one or team-based, but the player(s) are competing against humans, not a computer.
“Esports is organized competitive play of video games. It looks pretty simple, but the esports athlete trains just as vigorously as a traditional athlete,” said Dr. Patricia Todd, Co-Coordinator of the Esports Management Certificate and Faculty Advisor for the Varsity WKU Esports program. Much like traditional athletes, esport coaches and players study, analyze, and strategize different ways to beat the competition.
According to 2021 Newzoo’s Global Esports Market Report, global esports revenues will grow to $1,084 million in 2021, a year-on-year growth of +14.5%, up from $947.1 million in 2020.
Newzoo.com
Esports Management Certificate
The Esports Management Certificate is a 15-credit hour certificate that combines sport management with marketing principles and exposes students to topics that will help them succeed in their future esports management career.
“This new certificate is a multidisciplinary collaboration to meet the needs of a growing industry,” said Dr. Stacey Forsythe, Co-Coordinator of the Esports Management Certificate.
Course subjects are based around meeting the growing needs of employers in the career field. Students will focus on applying knowledge of marketing and sport management to ensure success in their chosen career within the esports industry.
How Will This Benefit Students?
According to 2021 Newzoo’s Global Esports Market Report, global esports revenues will grow to $1,084 million in 2021, a year-on-year growth of +14.5%, up from $947.1 million in 2020. The esports employment site Hitmarker cites that the growth in global esports industry jobs during 2019 increased by 87% from 2018. This rapid growth has resulted in a shortage of qualified college graduates to meet the industry’s needs. Graduates will be qualified and prepared to step into these positions, which include event and league management, youth and high school development, coaching, legal aspects, finance, marketing and branding, and more. Because this is a rare certificate, our students will have a competitive advantage throughout the job search.
To learn more about the WKU Esports Management Certificate, visit our website.