At APUS, the esports major is not focused on playing competitive video games but on business and coaching, including marketing, sponsorships, player development and media production. Students are asked to specialize in either business administration or coaching and athletic development, requiring slightly different course loads. The university has offered the major since March 2022.
“COSMA recently adjusted its scope of accreditation to include esports management programs,” Heather Alderman, COSMA executive director, said in a public statement. “We are excited that APUS is the first program to organize itself in compliance with our accreditation principles.”
Colleges, universities and K-12 schools alike have responded to student interest in esports in recent years. According to the National Association of Collegiate Esports, a nonprofit membership association of institutions with varsity esports programs, over 260 colleges and universities now have competitive esports teams. Some have built arenas or labs with specialized computers, chairs and lighting to house team practices and contests.
The esports hype has caught on in classrooms, too. Syracuse University, Caldwell University and the State University of New York, to name a few, also offer bachelor’s degrees in esports. Other schools offer certificates, associate’s degrees or minors in the subject.
Brian Freeland, dean of the School of Health Sciences at APUS, said faculty and staff have helped the university's esports program stand out.
“This accreditation demonstrates the maturation and high quality of our esports program,” he said in a public statement.
