UND to offer North Dakota’s first Esports bachelor’s degree

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Valley News Live) - This fall, the University of North Dakota will be the first among North Dakota’s colleges and universities to offer a Bachelor of Science in Esports, following recent approval by the State Board of Higher Education.

This undergraduate degree program, which focuses on competitive gaming, arrives after two years of Esports activity and development at the University, including the establishment of North Dakota Varsity Esports – which features students competing against peers across multiple game titles – as well as the introduction of an Esports Coaching minor in fall 2020.

Both the Esports major and minor are housed in the College of Education & Human Development’s Department of Kinesiology. UND says the new program has a core focus in sport performance, but is ultimately interdisciplinary between kinesiology, public health, sport business, computer science and communication.

“Esports is a booming industry,” said Sandra Moritz, program director and professor of kinesiology and public health education. “Competitive gaming is something that is here to stay, and there are many career areas in the field – everything from playing to coaching to broadcasting. Our program is drawing from a variety of departments to create an all-inclusive approach for this degree.”

The major will be offered online and on-campus following its fall semester launch.