Academics
Esports is a fast growing industry and the University of Illinois sees the opportunity for future research and careers. Illinois is projected to launch its first Esports focused course (RST 199 Esports Foundations, a second 8 week course) in Fall 2020 with more to come. Outside of introducing esports courses, the players and staff of Illini Esports are available as guest lecturers. We encourage reaching out to contact us to encourage your course to dive into the world of collegiate esports!
Why Esport Academics
Esports encourages STEAM engagement. STEAM skills are crucial to an esports athlete creating a deep engagement with computer technology, statistical analysis for scouting and strategizing pre-match and mid-match.
Esports cultivates skills that are not found in standardized testing such as conceptual thinking, sportsmanship and teamwork.
Esports offers many different opportunities for research in fields such as psychology, esports management, computer science, gender studies and design.
This booming industry will continue to see growth in the coming years, creating a wide range of career opportunities for our graduates.