Launching in fall 2024, the esports communications and management major provides a holistic esports education based in experiential learning that will prepare you for an exciting career in esports and other industries. You’ll learn event management and marketing, broadcasting/production, communications, content creation, entrepreneurship, strategic communications, and esports experience and design.
This first-of-its-kind esports degree program is housed in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and offers three tracks:
Tracks of Study
Esports Business and Management
In the esports and business management track, you’ll learn promotion, venue management, and finance for emerging enterprises related to esports and entertainment. You’ll learn about sponsorship contracts, business and analytics, and the financial and managerial aspects of working with players, organizations, teams, and companies. You’ll understand the resources required to produce and manage everything from events and products to a successful team.
Esports Communications
In the esports communications track, you’ll learn about public relations and social media tactics in the esports world. You’ll learn the ins and outs of content creation and strategy, and how to stream a competition for the public. The program includes event production, directing, shoutcasting, and promotion.
Esports Media and Design
In esports media and design, you’ll learn how to produce a game with enticing visuals and develop skins and other attributes that impact the gamer experience. You’ll have classes in 3D animation, game experience design, and virtual production, and you’ll learn how to create visually dynamic and creative games, influenced by psychology, statistics, broadcasting, and marketing.
Sample Courses
- The Business of Esports
- Esports and Event Management
- Topics in Communications for Esports
- Design and World Building for Esports
- Race, Gender, and Diversity in Sport Organizations
- Esports Event Production
Experiential Learning
As an esports major, you’ll learn in state-of-the-art production and gaming facilities, where the esports program will host events for the campus community and with other colleges and organizations. You’ll have the opportunity to meet and learn from industry professionals; intern at prominent companies; and explore the esports industry around the world, including potential experiential learning trips to cities such as London, Seoul, and Amsterdam.
Competitive Esports
The esports program works closely with the Syracuse University Esports teams, giving you the opportunity to be involved with event production and management for esports competitions. These competitive teams currently compete at different levels of competition, including varsity, club and recreational. Whether it’s shoutcasting and player interviews, or event advertising and social media promotion, you’ll learn all aspects of producing an esports broadcast and event. SU competitive teams will give esports students a place to practice their craft. Teams have staff roles such as managers, statisticians and casters that can be filled by students in the program. Students acting as esports analysts will also work with the SU teams.
Community Esports
Students will have the chance to engage in professional development and community building as part of the Syracuse University Esports program. There are Esports Club opportunities to organize their own events, engage with professionals in the industry, travel to work professional esports events, and so much more as part of this program. Students will also be able to host local community events on campus, especially working with the Smash Bros. community on campus and helping to grow offerings across campus and the Syracuse community for new efforts in chess, iRacing, and anything else the students want to work on.
State-of-the-Art Gaming Facilities
The Barnes Center at the Arch features a professional grade gaming facility, which includes computers that are four times faster than most gamer computers. Gaming desktops with top graphics cards, ultra-fast refresh rate monitors, blazing fast direct network connections give a competitive edge to Syracuse University students.
Newhouse Sports Media Center
You’ll broadcast esports events from the same studios used to produce live broadcasts on the ACC Network. The studio, sets, green screen, and other equipment are industry standard, allowing for live interviews and replays.
In 2018, the Newhouse School collaborated with social video service Twitch to launch the Esports and Media course, the first class of its kind. Offered through the Sports Media Center, the course invites industry partners to serve as case studies for students, enabling them to develop skills to enhance a company’s social media strategy, content, and brand management. Some recent partners include ESL, Microsoft, and Super League. Learn more about facilities at Newhouse.
Careers
You’ll gain transferable skills through the lens of esports and be prepared to excel in several fields in and outside of the esports industry. A degree in Esports Communications and Management can set the foundation for a career as a/an:
- Broadcast director
- Social media manager
- Digital marketing specialist
- Product manager
- Event director
- Business developer
- Technical producer
- Graphic designer
Or pursue graduate-level education; students often choose the areas of business administration, law, or design.
Testimonials
“It’s refreshing and inspiring to see Syracuse University invest in esports. There is a lot of effort going in to doing this [program] right. We want to lead the way for universities to form esports programs athletically, socially, and academically. … We have so much already, and we are just at the tip of this virtual iceberg.”
–Braeden Cheverie-Leonard ’26, President of ESSU
For admissions information, contact the Office of Admissions at falk@syr.edu.
Apply Today!