Developing & Proposing an Esports Undergraduate Academic Program

The purpose of the creative work is to support the sport administration program advisor/faculty member in an effort to develop an Esports Management undergraduate academic program proposal that will be reviewed by the Provost’s Council and the General Education Committee prior to being approved for implementation. A global rise in interest in the topic of Esports supports our research, to date, that the University would widely benefit from offering an undergraduate (if not also a graduate) academic program that is dedicated to the topic. With Valparaiso University’s addition of a successful Esports competitive team in the fall of 2019, Dr. Rolling and I see great potential in an influx of interested students for the academic program(s). The Esports curriculum will prepare students to gain positions post-degree as Esports coordinators, coaches, and game developers by teaching event management, marketing, and public relations skills in communication & visual arts, business, and kinesiology courses. The creative work will begin with intense market research (both qualitative and quantitative in nature) to establish solid background information to include in the program proposal. The work will address the process in writing a successful proposal that includes, but is not limited to, a description of similar programs, a detailed description of the proposed program, and a business plan that dotes on market strategy and details regarding the program implementation. The creative work will conclude with releasing the proposal to the Provost’s Council to review and determine if the academic program is worth implementing at Valparaiso University