Bachelor of ScienceEsports Management, Production and Performance
This Bachelor of Science degree program provides students with the skills needed to become a media content creator, event manager, specialized coach, organizational/team manager, marketing manager, analyst and more in a cutting-edge, exploding industry.
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The program is not a training ground for players; it’s a path to turning a passion into an exciting career in the promising world of Esports. It places students on the cusp of an industry eager to build its workforce.
Harrisburg University is one of only a handful of universities across the U.S. to offer an Esports Management, Production and Performance bachelor’s degree program. Students enrolled in the program will gain real world, hands-on experience by working with collegiate teams and professional Esports organizations in industry event venues.
The program combines three of Harrisburg University’s strengths – business administration, interactive media and technology integration – to build an industry pipeline for the next generation of Esports decision-makers in management, production entrepreneurship and innovation. Students will learn how to manage, produce and contribute to the Esports market by building unique skills and insights applicable to new and established organizations.
The program allows students to follow their passions to lucrative careers in a $1 billion industry that continues to grow. Students who graduate from this program will have the skills and know-how to succeed in this exciting industry.
Program Goals
Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Esports are able to:
- Evaluate the esports ecosystem and its operation as a performance and commercial entertainment activity;
- Analyze how esports organizations are managed and governed;
- Select appropriate business principles to enhance esports production, performance and engagement;
- Design real world and theoretical methods to address current industry issues; and
- Research, plan, organize and produce various types of live events, activities and services.
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Program Leads
Full Time Faculty
Charles Palmer
Program Lead & Associate Professor of Interactive Media, Executive Director, Center for Advanced Entertainment & Learning Technologies
Corporate Faculty
Program Courses
This program requires a total of 49 semester hours: 1) 40 semester hours from the core courses listed below and 2) 9 semester hours of elective courses. The semester hour value of each course appears in parentheses ( ).
ANLY 400 –
Analytics Tools and Techniques
(3 credits)
The use of analytics is a common practice in modern business settings. This course introduces the basic concept and practice of analytics and its role in modern businesses. The emphasis is on the tools and techniques of analytics with case studies and examples. Topics include: data querying and reporting; data access and management; data cleansing; statistical programming; data mining introduction; relational databases; and, statistical analysis of databases. The student is introduced to Business Intelligence (BI) and statistical methodology (i.e. clustering, decision tree, etc.) using popular analytics packages such as SAS, Google Analytics, Business Objects, Aginity, and others.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
ESPT 110 –
Competitive Gaming Seminar
(1 credit)
In this introductory course the student will explore the esports ecosystem; from its history to a review of current industry trends. The student will receive a broad understanding of various topics of esports through lectures, guest speakers and case studies. Offered Fall Semester, annually.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
ESPT 120 –
Introduction to Esports
(4 credits)
This course is an overview of the esports industry. The student will explore financial, legal, ethical, marketing and operational issues surrounding esports. The goal is to gain insight and knowledge in esports as it relates to academic specializations and career opportunities.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
ESPT 210 –
Contemporary Issues in Esports
(4 credits)
The student will use inquiry skills to examine the issues that influence the esports industry. We will explore issues such as the history of esports, the political, social economics implications of a global industry. Further, we will explore the role that socio-cultural issues such as race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, (dis)ability and age play in the understanding and practice of esports. The student will engage in research, discussion and problem solving in order to better understand and assess significant current issues.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
ESPT 310 –
Live Event Management
(4 credits)
This course focuses on the essential components needed for planning, building, managing, and closing of live events and projects. The student will gain general knowledge of techniques and strategies used for successful planning, promotion, implementation and evaluation of live events such as concerts, esports competitions and conferences.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
ESPT 320 –
Esports Field Studies
(3 credits)
This experiential learning course is designed to provide extensive exposure to the roles, responsibilities, and challenges of planning, managing, and producing live events. The student will gain practical experience by taking on production roles at one of several esports events. Course assessments will be based on individual pre-event planning assignments, field notes, and final experiential summary paper and presentation.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
ESPT 410 –
Fan Engagement Strategies
(4 credits)
Events like the Super Bowl, Olympics and World Cup that rally the country around a national team generally drive heavy fan engagement. For regular season play, however, pro teams are increasingly challenged to find new ways to connect or retain fans in an era where in-arena attendance is down. Today, fans have countless ways to watch games, check scores and keep up with teams and players, be it via broadcast television, social media or streaming services. In this course, the student will use this digital shift to explore new opportunity for sports brands to leverage data to boost engagement and revenues.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
ESPT 420 –
Leadership
(4 credits)
This course offers a comprehensive review of contemporary issues and perspectives on esports leadership, including current trends and classical leadership theories. The emphasis is on application of concepts in actual leadership settings and situations. Topics include development of leadership theories, personal assessment and development, values and ethics, motivation, power, followership, group dynamics, multiculturalism in leadership, conflict resolution, performance excellence, and the change process. Through a process of readings, self-discovery, group observations, and case studies, the student will identify, observe, analyze, and apply new leadership behaviors.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
IMED 170 –
Visual Design Fundamentals
(3 credits)
This course introduces the basic concepts of design or print and time-based digtial media. The principles of composition and color theory, and how these are affected by movement, duration and display, are covered. Vector and bitmap manipulation tools are explored in relation to graphic rpoduction across the design fields. Offered Semester I (Fall), annually.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
MEBA 110 –
Introduction to Business and
(3 credits)
The goal of this course is to introduce entrepreneurship concepts by providing insight into entrepreneurial processes-from finding and evaluating good business opportunities to new venture start-up and growth issues-and entrepreneurial behavior, a critical success factor in new venture creation. The student will learn how businesses are structured and study data from business operations. The student will analyze and evaluate business data to make decisions. The student will learn how to use spreadsheets for analysis to make informed decisions, use written communication to justify those decisions, and deliver oral presentations to communicate those decisions.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
MEBA 220 –
Prin Business Mgmt
(3 credits)
The student is provided with analytical tools to understand and synthesize the most current applications of theories and concepts in business management and is exposed to the debate on the dynamic of busniess environment, evolving business models, economic systems, and scale of domestic and global competition in the market place.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
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