Syracuse University Announces Esports Communications and Management Degree

• Syracuse's esports communications and management degree program will launch in fall 2024.
• The new degree is a partnership between Syracuse's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.
• Syracuse has a well-established esports club and dedicated gaming room with computers, virtual reality stations, and video game consoles.

Syracuse University will help equip students with the skills needed to manage and develop the blue-light, pixelated world of esports through a new communications and management program.

Syracuse last week announced that it will be the latest university to dive into video gaming with a new esports communications and management degree program launching in fall 2024.

"This new academic offering is particularly exciting because it leverages the University's key areas of strength, distinction and excellence to embrace an emerging, fast-growing field and provide our students with the tools to enter that field," said Gretchen Ritter, vice chancellor, provost, and chief academic officer.

"Investment in our sport-related academic disciplines will be one of the keys to our success moving forward."

The program is a joint operation by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. The program has three tracks:

• Esports Business and Management — Covers sports promotion, venue management, and finance for emerging enterprises
• Esports Communications — Offers coursework in virtual reality storytelling, esports and advertising, public relations principles, and sports in the metaverse
• Esports Media and Design — Covers 3D animation, game experience design, and virtual production

"This pioneering esports degree will focus on an emerging sector of the global and domestic sport industry," said Michael Veley, Falk College chair of the Department of Sport Management. "It combines the strengths of Falk and Newhouse programs in sport communications, media production, technology, business and event management to offer a cutting-edge degree."

The program adds to a well-established esports club and gaming room on campus. Syracuse has already begun looking for an executive director of esports.