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Esports

Undergraduate Certificate

Level up your passion into a profession — earn a certificate in esports and turn your game into your career!

Do you want to work in the world of esports while earning your degree in another major? Or simply broaden your knowledge beyond your personal experiences in esports?

Program type:
Certificates/Programs - Undergraduate
Format:
On Campus or Online
Est. time to complete:
1-2 years
Credit hours:
12
  • Requirements
  • Tuition & Fees
  • How to Apply

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Why pursue an undergraduate certificate in Esports at UND?

Application Deadlines
Fall:
Aug. 15
Spring:
Dec. 15
Summer:
May 1

 

If you're an international student, refer to the international application process for deadlines.

UND offers the complete package for esports in our region. You will have the support of a dedicated faculty, a strong varsity esports program to participate in and work alongside, and high-quality facilities in which we host the biggest esports events in the state. You will have all the flexibility of an online education if you are a remote student while retaining all the benefits of a traditional institution for you if you want to study on campus.

Wtih an Esports undergraduate certificate you will develop key skills:

  • Game Knowledge: Understanding the mechanics, strategies and competitive scene of various games. 
  • Global Significance:  Gain a better understanding of the wider context around our local practice of esports. 
  • Sports Psychology: Reivew perspectives of healthy gaming and online citizenship and addiction.
     

College with Esports Teams

Studying at UND will provide you with opportunities to learn and/or compete across multiple levels in the Esports space.

If you want to compete at a higher level, look into our varsity Esports program, which fields rosters across multiple titles and competes regionally and nationally. The state-of-the art competitive facilities include a practice room, classroom, competitive space, nutrition station, dry locker room for storing competitors’ peripherals and lounge where students can unwind. Digital competitions open up new forms of sport to players with a broad range of abilities.

Or if casual gaming is more your speed, the Esports Nexus Lounge is a space located at the Wellness Center designed to provide recreational Esports gaming for students. It puts on recreational tournaments in which students can play for fun with fellow esports fans.

Esports certificate at UND

  • Get jobs around the world! The gaming is expected to reach $340 billion by 2027.

  • Work in an industry resilient to shutdowns and economic downturns. 

  • The Esports degree program is housed in the Kinesiology department, but draws on a variety of departments to create an all-inclusive approach.

Careers with an Esports Certificate

5.9Billion

Anticipated Esports market value by 2029.

Statista

Esports is an immense industry, with more than 500 million people playing esports worldwide and another 200 million who watch Esports. While the core viewership group is made up primarily of young adults ages 24 and under, the growth of the industry within education, professional competitions, organizations, broadcasting, media and more is creating demand for individuals trained in these fields.

There are both national and international job opportunities for esports in various settings. These jobs can include full-time and part-time; some are in industry, while others are in K-12 settings and some are in higher education.

An esports certificate can open doors and get your foot in the door in the growing esports industry in areas such as:

  • Esports Coaching: An esports coach helps players or teams get better at video games. They teach strategies, lead practice sessions and help players stay focused and work together.
  • Esports Streaming Media Production: This job involves making and sharing live videos of people playing games. You set up cameras, lights, and microphones and make sure the video looks and sounds good during live streams or recordings.
  • Esports Social Media Management: Social media managers post news, photos, and videos about games, players, and teams. They use apps like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to connect with fans and grow followers.
  • Esports Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurs in esports start their own business, like a gaming team, company or streaming channel. They make plans, find money to start and manage how things run.
  • Esports Translation: Translators change words from one language to another for players, teams or fans. This helps people from different countries understand each other during games, events or in videos.
  • Esports IT: Esports IT workers take care of the technology used in gaming. They fix computers, set up networks and make sure games and systems run smoothly without problems.
  • Esports Graphic Design: Graphic designers make cool images for teams, events and streams. They design logos, posters, stream overlays and social media posts to catch people’s attention.
  • Esports Event Management: Event managers plan and run esports tournaments. They choose the place, set up equipment and make sure players, fans and staff know what to do and where to go.
  • Esports Marketing: Esports marketers help people learn about a team, event or product. They make ads, videos and online posts to get fans excited and bring in sponsors or sales.

Esports Certificate Courses at UND

ESPT 201. Introduction to Esports. 3 Credits.

Introduction to esports and their place in our modern society. Topics include the history, participants, platforms, and future of esports as a global phenomenon with a consideration of opportunities for involvement. On demand.

ESPT 330. Introduction to Game Studies. 3 Credits.

This course introduces students to the critical study of videogames, the medium surrounding esports. Gaming in a broad sense influences the ways esports make meaning and produce culture. In this class, students read, write about, and discuss scholarship on the medium of the video game and its cultural practices. F.

ESPT 410. Global Issues in Esports. 3 Credits.

This course examines the global significance of esports. Esports are playable and accessible across the globe with many professional teams bringing together people of multiple nations, and yet esports are also subject to geopolitical influences that limit accessibility and direct the flow of capital away from the Global South. We will read from perspectives around the globe to better understand the wider context around our local practice of esports. F.

ESPT 340. Esports and Healthy Gaming. 3 Credits.

This course provides an overview of contemporary esports focusing on physical and mental health, including using sport psychology techniques for behavior change. Special topics related to online citizenship behaviors, addiction, and women in gaming are also covered. F, odd years.

Online Esports Certificate

#1

best online college in North Dakota

Forbes

160+

online programs

Certificate in Esports Online Courses

UND's undergraduategraduate certificate in Esports online is delivered 100% online. You never have to come to campus.

The online Esports undergraduate certificate courses are offered asynchronously giving you maximum flexibility to complete the degree in the style you prefer.

With asynchronous classes, you do not attend class at a set time. If you need to balance work, family and other commitments, this flexible format allows you to learn anywhere at any time.

Depending on your instructor, you’ll learn online through:

  • Lesson modules
  • Streaming video content
  • Virtual libraries
  • Posted lectures
  • Online simulations

There will be times when you interact with your instructor and classmates through online discussion boards, polls and chat rooms.

Your learning revolves around materials that can be accessed on your own time within a set time frame. However, this is not a self-paced course. You’ll have structure and deadlines.

Resources for Online Students

Over a third of UND's student population is exclusively online; plus, more take a combination of online and on-campus classes. You can feel reassured knowing you won't be alone in your online learning journey, and you'll have resources and services tailored to your needs.

No matter how you customize your online experience, you’ll get the same top-quality education as any other on campus student.

  • Same degree: All online programs are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Your transcript and diploma are exactly the same as our on-campus students.
  • Same classes: You’ll take courses from UND professors, start and end the semesters at the same time and take the same classes as a student on campus.
  • Real interaction: You can ask questions, get feedback and regularly connect with your professors, peers and professionals in the field.
  • Your own academic advisor: As an invaluable go-to, they’re focused on you, your personal success and your future career.
  • Free online tutoring: We're here to help you one-on-one at no cost. Plus, get access to a variety of self-help online study resources.
  • Unlimited academic coaching: Need support to achieve your academic goals or feeling stumped by a tough course? We'll help with everything from stress and time management to improving your memory to achieve higher test scores.
  • Full online access: Dig into virtual research at UND's libraries. Improve your writing skills with online help from the UND Writing Center. Get online access to career services, veteran and military services, financial services and more.
  • 24/7 technical support: UND provides free computer, email and other technical support for all online students.
  • Networking opportunities: Our significant online student population means you’ll have a large pool of peers to connect with. UND has numerous online events and activities to keep you connected.

Best Online College

Our high alumni salaries and job placement rates, with affordable online tuition rates make UND a best-value university for online education. UND's breadth of online programs rivals all other nonprofit universities in the Upper Midwest making UND one of the best online schools in the region.

UND ranks among the best online colleges in the nation for:

  • Affordability
  • Student satisfaction (retention rate)
  • Academic quality (4-year graduate rate)
  • Student outcomes (20-year return on investment per Payscale.com)

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