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The Reed College of Media and College of Creative Arts will merge to form the new WVU College of Creative Arts and Media as of July 1, 2024. Get details.

West Virginia University Reed College of Media

Esports Management

Minor in Esports Management

Esports, the gaming spectator sport, is a billion-dollar global industry. This cross-disciplinary minor prepares you to market and manage large arena events for organized, multiplayer video game competitions.

Esports Minor Requirements

Students may earn a minor in Esports Management by completing the following courses and meeting the requirements as stated below. Students should also consult the WVU Undergraduate Catalog for course descriptions and information.

Required Coursework

  • SM 321 - Esports Governance, 3 hours
    Get an in-depth look at the governance and structure of esports. Students will examine esports leagues, teams, gaming publishers, and current events happening in esports with a focus on the law and ethical adherence to rules governing these competitions.
  • SM 322 - Esports Marketing, 3 hours
    Get an overview of the esports industry and its connections to the broader entertainment and communication industries. The course will explore the relationship between individual talent (from players to influencers) to professional organizations and the esports companies and how promotions, sponsorship, and marketing strategies can be developed to the benefit of all the stakeholders.
  • BCOR 310 - Esports Business, 3 hours
    Learn about the esports market as a sub-set of the larger gaming industry. The course will explore the different roles of the developer, publisher, esports organizations, and the esports teams, what kinds of investments are relevant to each of those stakeholders, and what their financial concerns are.

Electives, Choose Two

  • JRL 433 – Social Media Applications, 3 hours
    Can be taken on campus or online. As a social institution, advertising plays a critical role in our daily lives. This course examines the social, economic and legal aspects of advertising.
  • PR 436 – Event Planning, 3 hours
    Explore of the foundations of event planning including the uses and purposes of events to clients.
  • PR 437 – Event Promotion, 3 hours
    Examine the issues facing events and the promotional tactics used to ensure they are successful.
  • PR 438 – Event Execution, 3 hours
    Apply your knowledge of how events operate and discover which tactics can lead to success.
  • SEP 272 – Psychological Perspectives of Sport, 3 hours
    Examine the personality and behavioral factors as they affect participation in sport. Topics such as stress and sport, body image, aggression and the sport participant, and the licensure of sport psychologists highlight the course.
  • SM 425 – Sport Facility and Event Management, 3 hours
    Learn the principles and practice of planning, funding, and managing sport facilities and event management.
  • MKTG 475 – Social Media and Marketing, 3 hours
    Explore and learn how to integrate social media platforms into product and organization marketing efforts.

To earn a minor in Esports Management, a student must earn a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in all courses required for the minor and have 9 distinct credit hours in the minor not shared with other degree requirements. The Esports minor is a cross-disciplinary program between the WVU Reed College of Media, John Chambers College of Business and Economics and the College of Applied Human Sciences.

To register for these courses or to pursue a a double-minor, triple-minor or the College’s Multidisciplinary Media Studies (MDMS) major, contact Aaron Hawley at 304-293-3133 or aaron.hawley@mail.wvu.edu.