Beginning in the fall of 2023, Stockton University will become the first public institution in New Jersey and one of a handful of schools in the country to offer undergraduate degree in esports.
The Bachelor of Science in esports management degree through the university’s School of Business will offer a distinctive program that includes business fundamentals, professional work experience, a hands-on internship requirement and educational work experience opportunities for those seeking to enter the esports industry.
“As Stockton University has grown, so have its offerings related to hospitality, tourism, event management and business studies,” Warren Kleinsmith, the dean of the School of Business, said. “As a school, we strive to provide programming that is relevant and timely. This is one example of existing talent in our hospitality, tourism and event management programming seeing synergies between industries and building the necessary networks and curriculum to offer a highly competitive and academically rigorous degree.”
The degree will offer esports-specific courses such as “Esports and Events Industry” and “Esports Event Production” to prepare students for a variety of esports-related careers, including event production, digital media and event marketing, and project management.
Kleinsmith said students who graduate from this program will have 300-plus hours of experience.
Stockton has already made a name for itself in the esports community thanks to the success of its “Rocket League” team, which finished second in the Collegiate World Championship last year and will compete again this year June 2-4.
Noel Criscione-Naylor, the interim esports program chair, said, “Our Bachelor of Science in esports management builds the transferable skills necessary to fill the esports ecosystem talent pipeline.”
Criscione-Naylor added that the esports team is part of a robust community at Stockton that will support students in the program.
“Students enrolled in this program gain hands-on experience within the university’s esports student community, local professional esports organizations and business partners including the Atlantic City Esports Innovation Center located in Stockton’s residential complex,” she said.
“We have designed courses where students consistently engage with the esports student community from mixer events, competitions and recruiting activities. We are one
community.”
