Esports Curriculum Loading…

By next spring, there could be as many as three eSports-related classes offered at CSUDH, which would put this school on the list of about 50 forward-thinking schools that realize the potential that eSports and the larger industry it is part of, video games, have in terms of future employment, for Toro graduates.

Dr.Mitch Avila, the dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, is in charge of selecting what classes will be offered, a process that began with a February email asking faculty members to submit proposals for possible classes. Those whose proposals made the cut have until August 15 to submit a course syllabus and curriculum to Avila.

You could say Avila is designing the nascent program; but, just like any decent game, there’s an artificial intelligence behind the scenes–except it isn’t artificial. Avila sent the first email Feb. 24 asking for proposals, to support an initiative by the President’s office for more eSports participation on campus. 

That’s CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham whose last job before coming to CSUDH was vice-chancellor of student affairs at UC Irvine. That’s UC Irvine, which in 2016 became the first university in the country to offer video game scholarships. Parham was part of the initiative that created the scholarships, as well as its 3,500-square-foot gaming area.

This article originally appeared on csudhbulletin.com – Esports Curriculum Loading… by Ulises Rodriguez, Staff Reporter

Photo Credit: Ulises Rodriguez