Esports is competitive video gaming, but the industry around it is much bigger than simply playing games. Just like traditional sport, Esports relies on coaches, event organisers, content creators, broadcasters, analysts, marketers, managers and many other professionals. You may already be familiar with subjects such as Sport Science, Media, Business and Photography, all of which support major industries. 

Esports needs the same level of professional development. By studying Esports, you would explore both competitive gaming and the wider industry around it, while developing practical, academic and professional skills that could help prepare you for future study or employment.

Our Level 2 course gives you an introduction to the world of Esports and the different opportunities within the industry. You would explore popular games, professional teams, tournaments and the wider Esports ecosystem while beginning to develop your own ideas. 

During the course, you could create a business concept, plan an online Esports event and learn about the basic nutrition, health and wellbeing needs of competitive gamers. You would also develop important transferable skills including critical thinking, research, content creation and public speaking. This course could be a great starting point if you enjoy Esports and want to explore where that interest could take you.

Our Level 3 programme gives you the opportunity to explore the Esports industry in much greater depth across two years. You would investigate how the Esports ecosystem operates while developing realistic business concepts, launch strategies, live events and streamed productions. 

You could explore areas such as coaching, psychology, player performance, physical health, ethics and digital content creation, while considering what it takes to support some of the best competitive players in the world. Alongside your Esports knowledge, you would develop academic research and writing, content creation, leadership, communication and teamwork skills that could help prepare you for higher education or a future career.

The HNC is your first year of higher education and is equivalent to the first year of a university degree. At this level, you would take a more practical look at how real Esports organisations operate and begin thinking from the perspective of the businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals working within the industry. 

You could explore areas such as talent acquisition, organisational leadership, competitive research and finding new ways for organisations to gain an advantage. You would also continue developing your event management skills, reflecting the importance of live events, tournaments and entertainment within Esports. The course encourages you to start thinking and working more like an industry professional.

The HND builds on your first year of higher education and places a stronger focus on your own professional development, independent thinking and future career. You would complete your own research projects into current areas of Esports, which could include topics such as health and wellbeing, data analytics and wider industry development. 

You would also investigate emerging technologies and consider how new ideas could positively impact players, organisations and audiences. Throughout the year, you would continue developing practical and professional skills while producing high-quality work for your own portfolio. By the end of the course, you would have evidence of what you can do, not just what you have studied.

Our Year 10/11 Industry Programme gives you the chance to experience Esports at Burnley College before deciding on your next step. Over five weeks, you would join us for one evening each week in our dedicated Esports classrooms and take part in practical sessions based on the subjects we teach. 

You could explore areas such as live streaming and shoutcasting, Esports psychology, coaching, business, and health and wellbeing. You would also have the opportunity to meet other students with similar interests, experience our facilities and get a real feel for what studying Esports and college life at Burnley College could be like.