Program Overview

Esports Degree

ճEsports Management Associate degree curriculum draws on faculty expertise throughout the university to offer students an interdisciplinary experience in the esports industry, sport management, information technology, and digital media production.

After developing skills in these areas, students can explore career options within the esports arena, collegiate esports, major esports teams, and affiliated organizations.

This curriculum involves studying management, game design, audio and video production, marketing and incorporates the computer and interpersonal skills essential for initial employment in the esports industry in business administration, event, and esports positions.

Courses incorporate a blend of technical, analytical, and people skills necessary for real-world success. Students will also enjoy opportunities to practice typical job duties, developing lifelong learning habits to ensure continued career growth.

Reflecting today’s workplace, the associate degree in Esports Management combines primarily face-to-face instruction with online learning experiences. Hands-on training is key to the esports management program.

Graduates of this program can continue their education with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management.

Read More

Full Description

What is Esports Management?

Esports is a worldwide entertainment realm that involves competitive video gaming. Esports management deals with other supportive aspects of esports. This covers operations including  management of a varsity esports program, esports event management, strategic planning, content development, social media management, and more.

Career Prospects in Esports

Over the years, esports has become a significant part of the global sports domain. It has emerged as a separate area of expertise, where an esports player showcases their video games talent and competes against international counterparts in competitive worldwide video games contests.

Esports management deals with managing esports games competitions, players, and a range of other tasks associated with the esports business.

The growth of esports companies along with growing public interest make esports management a promising mainstream career alternative. Esports professionals can work with video game companies in various positions that deal with operational, administrative, marketing, and strategic aspects of the business.

Associate in Science Degree in Esports Management (MGEA)

The Associate in Science Degree in Esports Management (MGEA) is a comprehensive associate degree program and a promising opportunity for budding esports professionals to enter the field of esports management. The course prepares you for careers in the esports field, especially in administration and management.

The six-term course hones your esports business administration skills. It qualifies you to handle multiple areas such as esports event management, finance, accounting, and human resource management.

After completing the course, you are likely to develop an innovative and strategic thought process, agility, problem-solving abilities, and the capability to manage tasks efficiently.

We offer the program in a hybrid model, which means on-campus meetings and online synchronous conferencing, such as Zoom, or asynchronous online instruction and assignments through our learning management system. You can also take 100% of your general education courses online.

The associate degree does not strictly resolve around textbook learning. Videos and team assignments also contribute to class instruction. If you are a working student, you will have to carefully plan the completion of all assignments.

To successfully earn your esports college degree, it is important to maintain cognitive abilities, adaptive abilities, as well as interpersonal and effective communication skills.

Unique Program Features

The associate degree program offers unique features, including:

  1. Integrated and comprehensive curriculum
  2. Experiential learning
  3. Exposure to live events
  4. Focus on developing hands-on experience

Potential Career Opportunities

The Associate in Science degree program in Esports Management helps develop capabilities that turn students into professionals, ready to take on the challenges of the esports space. The associate graduate program may qualify students to work in various positions across the esports industry, including:

An esports earnings event in action


Esports marketing representative

Esports business development executive

Esports operations coordinator

Social media content creator

Esports events coordinator or promoter

Fan engagement or client relations representative

Communications coordinator

Esports manager

Varsity esports team organizer

FAQ

  • I Have Not Earned My High School Diploma or GED: Can I Enroll in an Esports Associate Degree Program?

     

    You must be a high school graduate or a recognized equivalency diploma (GED) or meet the federal homeschool requirements to enroll in an esports associate degree program.

  • How Long Will It Take Me to Complete My Esports Program?

    To finish your degree requirements in the shortest time possible, you should take the courses listed in the advised curriculum. A student may complete a typical six-term curriculum requirement in just 18 months.

    You can be sure to fulfill your degree requirements in this 18-month window if you take at least one liberal arts class every term. Those who require more time may selectively defer courses until the completion of their technical requirements.

    Two additional study terms are available to complete general education requirements with no extra tuition assessment costs. Students must pay these additional costs in full.

    During Intersession, a four-week term scheduled between Spring and Summer Quarters, students may choose to complete select liberal arts requirements.

    We will assess additional tuition costs for students who choose to extend the number of hours of course time needed for completing a certificate in technical subjects.

  • Can I Transfer the Esports Credits That I Earn at 91ֱ to Another College?

    The ability to transfer credits depends on the new institution. Students who want to transfer their credit hours should connect with the Office of Teaching and Learning for further information.

  • How Important Is Attendance for the Esports program at 91ֱ?

    According to recent data, missing two or more class meetings of a course during a term often results in failing the course. Except for emergencies, 91ֱ expects you to attend all classes, whether they are conducted on campus or virtually.

    It is especially important to be present during your first class to understand the course expectations and schedule.

    Absences have an even more severe impact in courses that use learning teams. You must communicate all absences to the professor and any team member as soon as possible.

  • Where Will Esports Job Opportunities Exist?

    Graduates have found employment in the local esports sector. The program also helps students develop abilities to look for global employment opportunities and international experiences.

    Esports participants in action

Related Programs

Program Mission, Goals, and Outcomes

Program Mission

The mission of the Esports Management Program (MGEA) is to provide a specialized associate degree program to prepare students to work as entry-level professionals in the esports field. The course work emphasizes integrating content and knowledge along with hands-on learning experiences.

In addition to developing management, technical, and interpersonal skills, students will practice the latest applications and technology used in esports tournaments and esports events.

The skilled MGEA graduate can work in various aspects of esports organizations or related industries.

Program Goals

  1. To provide learning opportunities for students to acquire and practice the management knowledge and skills needed to function as entry-level professionals in esports and various organizations.
  2. To allow students to develop technical, interpersonal, and analytical knowledge and skills utilized in the esports industry.
  3. To prepare students for entry into a Business Management baccalaureate degree program.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Understand and demonstrate collaborative professional behaviors in diverse team environments.
  2. Develop a range of leadership skills and abilities, such as motivating others, leading changes, and resolving conflict.
  3. Demonstrate fundamental technical skills, including office productivity applications, video and audio recording and editing, and basic game development.
  4. Apply current business management practices and technologies and develop skills for related lifelong learning.
  5. Identity, interpret and use oral, written, visual, and nonverbal communication skills that are effective in diverse contexts.
  6. Examine, appraise, and execute ethical best practices in gaming and esports.

Courses Offered

The Associate in Science Degree in Esports Management (MGEA) covers a range of courses students require to execute various aspects of esports management and succeed as esports professionals.

You must complete 94 to 96 credit hours per quarter to graduate from this program. We expect all associate degree students to take 32 credits of liberal arts and science/math courses as opted from the liberal arts core.

Depending on the amount of pre-or post-lab work involved, each lecture hour and each 2-4 laboratory hour amounts to one credit. You need a minimum of 32 credits for an associate’s degree, with at least 28 credits continuing towards a bachelor’s degree.

Graduates of our esports program will enjoy courses including: Introduction to Digital Shooting and Editing, Introduction to Esports Management, Introduction to Business, Introduction to College Writing (COM Core), Business Analysis with Spreadsheets, Digital Editing, Field Shooting/ Lighting, Introduction to Game Development, Principles of Management, etc.

To get at least eight courses (32 credits), students can choose from the following course options:

  1. 2 courses (minimum) from the Communications Core
  2. 2 courses (minimum) from the Math/Science Core
  3. 1-2 courses from the Humanities Core or 1 course from the Humanities Core and/or
  4. 1 course from the Arts/Foreign Language Core and 1-2 courses from the Social Sciences Core

View the latest listing of courses offered here.

Q&A and Technical Standards

Questions & Answers

  1. When do my classes meet?
    Day Classes:  Technical classes normally meet for three hours a day five days a week. Classes normally begin in the early morning (7:45 a.m.), late morning (usually 11:25 a.m.), or mid-afternoon. The time slot for your program may vary from term to term.Evening Classes: Technical classes meet on an average of three nights a week, although there may be times when they will meet four nights a week. Classes normally begin at 5:45 p.m.In addition, to achieve your associate degree, you will take a total of approximately eight liberal arts courses, which will be scheduled around your technical schedule over the course of your entire program. Each liberal arts course meets approximately four hours per week. Liberal arts courses are offered on days, evenings, and Saturdays.At the beginning of each term, you will receive a detailed schedule giving the exact time and location of all your classes. The College requires that all students be prepared to take classes and receive services at any of 91ֱ’s locations where the appropriate classes and services are offered.When a regularly scheduled class falls on a day that is an 91ֱ observed holiday (Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and Memorial Day), an alternate class will be scheduled as a make-up for that class. The make-up class may fall on a Friday. It is the student’s responsibility to take note of when and where classes are offered.
  2. How large will my classes be?
    The average class size is approximately 20 to 25 students; however, larger and smaller classes occur from time to time.
  3. How much time will I spend in lab?
    Almost half of your technical courses consist of laboratory work. In order for you to get the most out of your laboratory experiences, you will first receive a thorough explanation of the theory behind your lab work.
  4. Where do my classes meet?
    Students should be prepared to attend classes at any of 91ֱ’s campuses: either at the Post Road, Access Road, or East Greenwich campus.
  5. I have not earned my High School Diploma or GED, can I enroll in an Associate Degree program?
    A candidate for admission to an associate degree program must have a high school diploma, have earned a recognized equivalency diploma (GED), or meet the federal home school requirements.
  6. How long should it take me to complete my program?
    To complete your degree requirements in the shortest possible time, you should take the courses outlined in the prescribed curriculum. For a typical six-term curriculum, a student may complete the requirements in as little as 18 months.To complete all your degree requirements in the shortest time, you should take at least one liberal arts course each term. Students who need more time to complete their curriculum may postpone some of the liberal arts courses until after the completion of the technical requirements. Students are provided up to two additional terms of study to complete the liberal arts requirements without any additional tuition assessment fee. During these additional terms of study, students are required to pay all applicable fees.Students may also elect to complete some of their liberal arts requirements during Intersession, a five-week term scheduled between Spring and Summer Quarters. Students will not be assessed any additional tuition for liberal arts courses taken during the Intersession but may be assessed applicable fees.Students wishing to extend the number of terms needed to complete the required technical courses in their curriculum will be assessed additional tuition and fees.
  7. Is 91ֱ accredited?
    91ֱ is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Accreditation by NECHE is recognized by the federal government and entitles 91ֱ to participate in federal financial aid programs. Some academic departments have specialized professional accreditations in addition to accreditation by NECHE. For more information on accreditation, see 91ֱ’s catalog.
  8. Can I transfer the credits that I earn at 91ֱ to another college?

    The transferability of a course is always up to the institution to which the student is transferring. Students interested in the transferability of their credits should contact the Student Affairs Office of the institution that they are transferring to for further information.

  9. Can I transfer credits earned at another college to 91ֱ?
    Transfer credit for appropriate courses taken at an accredited institution will be considered upon receipt of an official transcript for any program, biology, science, and mathematics courses in which the student has earned a “C” or above within the past three years and for English or humanities courses in which the student has earned a “C” or above within the last ten years. An official transcript from the other institution must be received before the end of the first week of the term for transfer credit to be granted for courses to be taken during that term. Students will receive a tuition reduction for the approved technical courses based on the program rate and will be applied against the final technical term of the curriculum’s tuition amount. No tuition credit is provided for courses which are not a part of the technical curriculum.
  10. What is the “Feinstein Enriching America” Program?
    New England Institute of Technology is the proud recipient of a grant from the Feinstein Foundation. To satisfy the terms of the grant, the university has developed a one-credit community enrichment course which includes hands-on community enrichment projects. The course can be taken for a few hours per term, spread over several terms. Students who are already engaged in community enrichment on their own may be able to count that service towards course credit.

  11. How many credits do I need to be eligible for Financial Aid?
    In order to be eligible for the maximum financial aid award, you need to maintain at least 12 credits per academic term.

  12. What does my program cost?
    The cost of your program will be as outlined in your enrollment agreement, along with your cost for books and other course materials. Students who decide to take more terms than the enrollment agreement describes to complete the technical courses in their curriculum will be subject to additional fees and possible additional tuition costs. Students who elect to take the technical portion of the degree requirements at a rate faster than the rate prescribed in the curriculum and the enrollment agreement will be assessed additional tuition.Students who require prerequisite courses will incur additional tuition and fees above those outlined in their enrollment agreement.If a student elects to take a course(s) outside of the prescribed curriculum, additional tuition and fees will be assessed.Remember, students who withdraw and re-enter, one time only, pay the tuition rate that was in effect for them at the time of their last day of attendance for up to one year from their last day of attendance. Second re-entries and beyond pay the tuition rate in effect at the time they re-enter. The most economical way for you to complete your college degree is to begin your program now and continue your studies straight through for the six terms necessary to complete your degree requirements.
  13. What kind of employment assistance does 91ֱ offer?
    The Career Services Office assists 91ֱ students and graduates in all aspects of the job search, including resume writing, interviewing skills, and developing a job search strategy. Upon completion of their program, graduates may submit a resume to the Career Services Office to be circulated to employers for employment opportunities in their fields. Employers regularly contact us about our graduates. In addition, our Career Services Office contacts employers to develop job leads.A strong relationship with employers exists as a result of our training students to meet the needs of the industry for over fifty years. No school can, and 91ֱ does not guarantee its graduates employment or a specific starting salary.
  14. Where will job opportunities exist?
    Graduates have obtained employment in the local area. However, one of the most exciting aspects of this program is the ability to look nationally for employment opportunities.
  15. What kind of jobs will I be qualified for?
    You will find some of your best opportunities in smaller firms or in corporate settings, which typically offer more entry-level jobs. However, since this is a fast-growing and developing field, job opportunities may be found in many different industries seeking esports knowledge and support for traditional business activities.The following lists only a few of the positions for which an Esports Management graduate may be qualified: esports marketing representative or social media content creator, event coordinator or promoter, fan engagement or client relations representative, communications coordinator, or esports team organizer. Graduates of this program may decide to continue for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management to expand their resumes to be qualified for higher-level positions.Esports Management provides a dynamic opportunity to start a career as a professional whose skills are always in demand in a variety of fields. A degree in management allows students to work in many areas of organizations affiliated with the rapidly growing esports industry.The position and the salary that the graduate commands are always dependent upon the graduate’s past experience, his or her computer skills, his or her success in academics at 91ֱ, his or her job search and interviewing skills, and his or her ability and willingness to comply with all employment requirements (e.g., any assessments, background checks, drug testing).
  16. How important is attendance?
    Recent data show that missing two or more class meetings of a course in a term often results in failing the course. Barring a serious emergency, you are expected to attend all classes, whether they are held on campus or virtually. It is especially important to be at the first class, as course expectations and schedule are discussed. In courses which use learning teams, absences have an even greater impact. Except for serious emergencies, all absences should be communicated to the professor as soon as possible and to any student team of which you are a member.
  17. How much of my coursework will be online?
    Most of our courses are scheduled for on-campus meetings, as explained in Question 1 above. However, some courses will include “hybrid” delivery, which means some meetings during the term may be held using online synchronous conferencing, such as Zoom, or asynchronous online instruction and assignments through our learning management system. This may happen when the class is unable or not planning to meet on a particular day, such as holidays, snow days, field trips, or other reasons. In addition, students occasionally have the option to take some of the general education courses 100% online.
  18. How much work will I have outside of class and lab time in my courses?
    The design of our courses requires you to do work outside of class to be successful, including, but not limited to reading course texts and other materials, watching videos, completing homework assignments, completing major course projects, and team assignments. You will be expected to work outside of class in all classes every week. As a working student, whether full-time or part-time, consider carefully how you will complete this required work.
  19. Are there any professional behavior standards in the Business Management program?
    Students are expected to exhibit professional behavior in all interactions with faculty and other students. Besides the technical skills you will be learning, you will practice appropriate interpersonal skills that are valued in the workplace. This includes attendance, participation and preparation for class, and ability to work in a team. Development of professional values and attitudes is inherent in the curriculum, and students will be expected to exhibit such behavior.

Technical Standards

These technical standards set forth by the Business Management Department establish the essential qualities considered necessary for the students admitted to the program. The student must possess the following skills and abilities or be able to demonstrate that they can complete the requirements of the program with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Cognitive Ability

  • to reason and think critically.
  • to proofread and edit using standard proofreaders’ marks.
  • to learn and recall detailed information and to use it for problem solving.
  • to break information into its component parts.
  • to understand spatial relationships.
  • To perform basic math skills through addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of numbers and fractions.
  • to perform tasks by observing demonstrations.
  • to perform tasks by following written instructions.
  • to perform tasks following verbal instructions.

Interpersonal and Communications Skills

  • to speak in understandable English in a classroom situation, in a one-on-one interaction, as well as before a group.
  • to express thoughts clearly through writing (English).
  • to read English sufficiently to read equipment manuals, installation instruction, and technical service bulletins.
  • to actively and clearly communicate with faculty, staff, and students.
  • to demonstrate the knowledge acquired during the classroom training process.
  • to be able to work cooperatively and collaboratively on in-class and assignment/project teams/groups.

Adaptive Ability

  • to remain calm in the face of computer lab equipment and/or software failure.
  • to maintain emotional stability and demonstrate the maturity necessary to interact with other
  • members of the faculty and students in a responsible manner.
  • to follow instructions and complete tasks under stressful and demanding conditions.
  • to adapt in a positive manner to new and changing situations with an open mind and flexibility.

Professionalism Skills

  • to demonstrate professional and socially appropriate behavior, dress and grooming
  • to be able to interact appropriately with others
  • to work independently or as part of a group/team during class and lab time
  • to maintain academic integrity in all courses
  • to attend all class meetings and student team meetings and communicate in advance of absences that are not the result of a serious emergency

Responsibility for Learning

  • to actively use and be responsive to others through the learning management system (Canvas) and 91ֱ email
  • to manage and complete both online and face-to-face assignments, and proactively seek assistance when needed
  • to manage your course workload and your other life and paid-work responsibilities so that you have sufficient time to prepare for class, complete assignments, and be successful in the program

Physical Ability

  • to read with or without corrective lenses or adaptive equipment.
  • to possess ample hand-eye coordination in order to learn the skill of touch typing.
  • to sit during regularly scheduled lab classes at a personal computer or stand in radio or television
  • studios, radio production booths, and editing booths in order to perform essential courses
  • to participate in both group and individual lab activities in a professional and safe manner
  • to perform tasks in confined spaces (i.e. edit booths).
  • to perform learned skills, independently, with accuracy and completeness within reasonable time
  • frames in accordance with classroom and business procedures.
  • to perform tasks requiring bending, stooping, kneeling and walking.

Manual Ability

  • to coordinate hands, eyes, and fingers in the operation of computers and business equipment including cameras and edit controllers.