University of North Dakota offers esports bachelor’s degree

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — The University of North Dakota says it will be the first among the state’s postsecondary schools to offer a bachelor’s degree in competitive gaming. The State Board of Higher Education recently approved the Bachelor of Science degree in esports at UND. The university has been developing esports for a couple years, including establishing varsity level competition. The school also introduced an esports coaching minor in the fall of 2020. Both the esports major and minor are offered in College of Education and 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.