The global esports industry is worth billions – and it's growing fast. In the UK, competitive gaming plays out to packed arenas, with audiences eager to see their favourite teams and players go head-to-head live on stage. All of this means that a lot of jobs are being made in the field, and that high-quality courses are needed to train people for them. Whether you are interested in management, media or becoming a star player yourself, explore the available options with our list of top UK universities with esports degrees.
Nottingham Trent University
This university has strong esports credentials. Its state-of-the-art Confetti X facility is not only the place where you will study its Esports Production degree, but also an established esports venue. Events including the international Amazon University Esports Masters finals have been held there.
Nottingham Trent also distinguishes itself with the only esports master's degree in the UK. This is fitting for a city with deep ties to the video game industry. Several development companies are based in the area, including Sumo Nottingham and Dambusters Studios.
If you would rather study in another city, the university makes it possible. In addition to Nottingham, its esports courses are run at the Confetti London campus.
University of Chichester
If you have ambitions to become an esports pro, the undergraduate Esports degree at Chichester could be the right option for you. Unlike many university courses in the area, this one pays close attention to your own playing ability. Throughout the course, you will develop your skills with learning from sports science and performance analytics, which you will apply in competitive gameplay.
Beyond this, the course will give you a wide view of the esports industry, helping you decide which part of it would suit you best from a career perspective. Coaching and event production are just two of the areas you will explore.
In addition, the university runs a joint Esports and Sports Media degree, which combines gaming with broadcasting and journalism. All of this is supported by partnerships with key players in the industry, such as HyperX and Twitch.
Keele University
The immense growth of the esports industry is fully recognised by Keele, whose Esports Business Management degree gives you the inside track on the economics of competitive gaming. At this rural university – ranked 70th in the UK by QS – marketing, consumer research and team management are all prominent.
This highly career-focused course takes place at Keele Business School, and offers the option of a placement year. That means the chance to get invaluable professional experience in a highly relevant setting. Whether you take it or not, the degree will teach you commercial skills that will drive you forward in the games arena and beyond.
Falmouth University
Cutting-edge broadcast technology goes hand-in-hand with esports, and this is something you can explore with Falmouth's unique Esports & Livestreaming degree. On this course, you will get hands-on experience of broadcasting real esports events. Alongside your fellow students, you'll have the chance to get to grips with filming, presenting and directing live matches.
Whole productions will be student-led, from event planning to post-match content creation. This will prepare you well for the worlds of Twitch, YouTube and beyond, combining specific esports knowledge with widely applicable media skills. You can even put this into practice on an optional placement year.
University of West London
If you want to study esports in London, this university is a prime option. The Esports Management with Event Production course here focuses on what it takes to pull off a big esports show. You'll explore the nuts and bolts of finance, risk management and promotion as they relate to the field.
The University of West London can also prepare you for a career in various other parts of the games industry. Its degree courses in game design, technology and music can all help you develop the techniques required to make a big impact. If you choose the last of those three, you will be taught by award-winning composers.
Sheffield Hallam University
The new Esports Lab at this huge university, in walking distance of the UK's National Videogame Museum, is where you will study its Esports Management degree. The facility is complete with top-of-the-range equipment, including a green screen studio and an editing suite.
The course itself will give you the opportunity to explore esports from a business perspective – event manager and talent agent are just two of its suggested roles for graduates – as well as a media one. A newsroom plus TV and radio studios make Sheffield Hallam a great place for anyone with a journalistic mindset. With top esports team Endpoint contributing to the course delivery, you may well be first to the story.
De Montfort University
Placing among the top 75 UK universities in the Times Higher Education rankings, and inside the top 25 of the British University Esports Championships, De Montfort is a place to take games seriously. On its Esports Production course, you will explore everything from data analytics to broadcast technology, setting you up for a professional role in esports events.
The course focuses particularly on careers in the media. As part of De Montfort's well-developed Leicester Media School, it offers access to first-class facilities, as well as industry experts. Graduates from the school have gone on to work for major media outlets across TV, radio and beyond – and with your esports expertise, you may have the perfect niche to follow them.
University of Sunderland
Part of its well-regarded School of Hospitality, Events, Aviation and Tourism, the University of Sunderland's Esports Event Management course provides you with a broad introduction to the live esports industry. You will not only think about how to put on an event, but also how one is experienced by an audience. The wider cultural context of esports is brought to life here.
Notably, the university offers an esports scholarship – and you don't even need to study it to apply. Students on a range of courses are eligible, providing that they have a passion for the subject. If you are one of the five selected, you will receive GBP 1,000 annually for up to three years, and up to GBP 750 to help you attend UK esports events.
If our rundown of these great UK universities with esports degrees has captured your interest, the game doesn't have to end here. Get more technical with our guide to studying computer science, or more imaginative with our list of creative subjects you can pursue. Then, think ahead to all of the friends you could make in esports with our advice on choosing a university society.
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