If you’re a fan of esports and are looking for a degree in said esports, Twitch and the University of Chichester in the UK are for you. Now, we understand that this is in the UK, so don’t worry if you’re in America. Harrisburg University already revealed an esports degree. But for those in the UK, who are curious about an academic degree in esports, Twitch and the University of Chichester have teamed up. This is the first degree in the United Kingdom to have an esports degree that is examined through scientific study.
It’s very difficult to find a path into esports. If universities can help find a path for young up-and-comers, that could be a serious boon. Especially if these programs help enforce that there’s more to esports than simply being good at video games. Sure, that’s important, but there’s more to the system. We need coaches, analysts, trainers, and so much more. That’s not even considering the production (video and audio) side of things. Esports is a huge business, and colleges helping develop it has got to be a good thing.
Now, the University of Chichester has had an esports degree program since 2019. However, now it’s officially partnered with Twitch. Perhaps this will lead to tuition aid/scholarships from the streaming giant owned by Amazon. Twitch partnering with schools like this that have an esports degree is pretty huge. Mark “Garvey” Candella, Director of Student and Education Programs at Twitch spoke about the announcement:
“We are proud to partner with the University of Chichester in bringing relevant and engaging education in emerging, new, and digital media through gaming and esports. We are very much looking forward to being of service to their faculty, educators, and student body.”
The esports degree at @chiuni is taught based on industry experience and knowledge.
Check out the interview with our programme co-ordinator @justR2K who talks about how he visions the degree for the future students at the university.
⬇️https://t.co/17w7sQ0c8n
— Chi Challengers (@Chi_Esports) April 8, 2021
This is more than classes on streaming though. This three-year program will take place at the University’s Tech Park and will cover the physical and psychological impact of esports. Nutrition, coaching, and strategy are all going to be covered, and that is what we need. Esports needs more people that understand how important these things are to the overall betterment of the sport.
Michael Holley, Chichester’s Head of Creative Digital Technologies seems pretty glad about this partnership:
“They are a world leader in broadcasting platforms across the gaming and esports sectors and have a real passion for enhancing digital skills in educational and community settings. This relationship will benefit University of Chichester students greatly in the coming years and complements our existing partnerships with DXRacer and HyperX.”
The program is overseen by Rams Singh, a European esports champion, who was once known as r2k. He competed in Quake, Trackmania, and Battlefield for Dignitas, so it’s being run by someone who understands the esports scene rather well. Rams also spoke about the move:
“Ever since taking this job, a goal of mine has been to bridge the gap between the endemic industry and academia for esports. Slowly but surely it’s coming together and with the help of Twitch, that goal is closer to where I want this to go.”
In addition to the aforementioned skills, thanks to the Twitch partnership of this esports degree, Chichester will also teach essential esports skills. These include public speaking, brand management, and giving them access to the gaming industry around the world. So they will learn the important stuff about maintaining a career, as well as how to build yourself up. It should hopefully also include something about ethics and morals. That way we have fewer issues with streamers and esports pros doing awful things and ending their careers early.
Applications for this BA (Hons) Degree in Esports at Chichester now has open applications, so if that’s your bag, don’t hesitate! They also have a Twitch site, which you can also follow.
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