Esports

Esports is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing industries globally, and this Foundation Degree aims to help you become part of it.

Applications will open for our September 2026 start date shortly.

Based at our London campus at Here East in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the course enables you to take your first steps into higher education in a way that feels familiar and supportive.

You'll build confidence, develop practical skills and prepare for exciting careers or further study within Esports and many other related fields.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: FdA Esports

Duration

University of Staffordshire undergraduate courses are usually 3 years for full-time study.

Courses which offer other study options have longer durations:

Full-time with a placement year, 4 years
Full-time with a foundation year, 4 years
Part-time, 4-9 years

Course content

This course shows how different areas like business, events, marketing and production come together in the esports world. You’ll explore each of these through practical projects and flexible assignments that let you focus on what interests you most. From producing tournaments to working in teams, you’ll build a professional portfolio that showcases your skills.

You’ll get lots of support, especially in your first year, with regular sessions to help you plan your future and make the most of your course. As you progress through the course, you’ll be encouraged to take on volunteering, placements or short courses to boost your experience. You’ll also learn from guest speakers and work on live industry briefs, giving you real insight into the fast-moving esports industry.

The course is closely linked to our full BA (Hons) Esports degree at our Stoke-on-Trent campus, so when you're ready you'll have the opportunity to progress further with confidence. You’ll learn from expert staff, work on real industry projects and develop critical thinking, teamwork and communication skills. The course also helps you understand the wider impact of esports, including ethical and social issues, and prepares you for a range of career paths.

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 1 compulsory modules
Digital Media Platforms	20 credits
Esports In Context	40 credits
Marketing Esports	20 credits
Multidisciplinary Teamwork	20 credits
Tournament Production	20 credits

Year 2 compulsory modules
Year 2 compulsory modules
Community Management	20 credits
Esports Governance	20 credits
Event Development Workflows	20 credits
Industry Professional Skills & Practice	20 credits
Making Media Matter	20 credits
Managing In A Digital World	20 credits

Entry requirements

You'll need a minimum of 64 UCAS points. Other combinations of qualifications and experience will also be considered on an individual basis, as will Level 3 qualifications not currently listed on the UCAS tariff.

Facilities

Esports Arena London

Get to grips with the modern world of digital technologies in our bespoke Esports Arena. Become familiar with the industry that's taking the world by storm, and hone your technical, events organisation and planning skills. Read more

Our setup includes:

6v6 PC gaming
Six Seat Presenter Desk with integrated monitors for live monitoring of gaming feeds
Four ceiling suspended TV’s for audience viewing
Three Panasonic studio cameras with Autocue teleprompter’s
PTZ (Pan, tilt, zoom) remote controllable studio camera for arena coverage
Professional custom designed lighting rig
Portable green screen kit

Watch video View virtual tour

Reload Café

‘Reload' is the showpiece retro-gaming café with innovative touch-screen tables to order your food and drink as well as get live updates on activities and events as well as being able to play games whilst socialising.

Digital Loft

A cross between a digital and natural environment, the Digital Loft brings the outside in with new and dynamic teaching spaces, state-of-the-art facilities and workstations, and a Reload retro gaming café with innovative touch-screen tables. Read more

Teaching and collaboration zones for all subject areas, a dedicated presentation space, a downtime reflection quiet area known as ‘Recharge’ and a faith room. This area of campus also houses the academic staff and student support teams, as well as a number of bookable meeting spaces for all. Fully integrated virtual conferencing is embedded throughout, and there are private pods for all to use for work or online meetings.

View virtual tour

The Den

Everyone needs a space to relax, wind down, and take a break from study, and we have just that. In our den you'll find all the things you need to help chill you out including lockers, comfy booths, food prep space and more. Read more

The Den includes:

Lockers to store your personal items
Comfy booths to sit, chat and eat in
Electrical sockets to plug in your devices
Wireless pads that charge the latest smartphones
A prep area for food and drinks
Fridges to keep snacks in
Low, soft seating for kicking band and unwinding

View virtual tour

Careers

This course is designed to prepare you for a wide range of career paths both within the esports industry and beyond. You’ll gain real-world experience through live industry briefs, guest lectures and practical projects that mirror professional environments. Whether you're interested in event management, marketing, the production or business side of esports, the course helps you build the skills employers are looking for.

From day one, you’ll be supported to develop a personalised career plan, with access to academic mentors, career services and volunteering opportunities. You’ll also build a professional portfolio that showcases your achievements and helps you stand out when applying for jobs or further study.

As you progress, you’ll explore specialised modules that let you focus on areas that match your interests and career goals. You’ll also learn how to position yourself for freelance work or employment in related industries like sport, hospitality and digital media.

By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped with:

Transferable skills in teamwork, communication and critical thinking
Industry insight from professionals and real-world projects
A clear pathway to progression into a full honours degree
The confidence and experience to launch your career in esports or beyond

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

You’ll learn in a flexible and supportive environment that’s built around your needs and interests, with personalised teaching and plenty of hands-on experience. The course connects esports with areas like events, hospitality, sport and tourism, giving you a broad understanding of how the industry works. As you progress, you’ll take more specialised modules, hear from guest speakers and work on real-world projects that prepare you for university or a career.

Assessment

We use a mix of creative and practical ways to assess your progress, so it’s not just about writing essays! You’ll get to:

Work on real industry briefs and pitch ideas to professionals
Create video essays, content and practical projects
Take part in teamwork challenges and personalised tasks based on your interests
Receive regular feedback to help you improve as you go

This approach helps you build skills that employers really value and shows how your work connects to the real world, and not just the classroom.

Learning support

In addition to the excellent support you will receive from your course teaching team, our central Academic Skills team provides group and one-to-one help to support your learning in a number of areas. These include study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills); written English (including punctuation and grammatical accuracy); academic writing (including how to reference); research skills; critical thinking and understanding arguments; and revision, assessment and examination skills (including time management).

Additional support

Our Student Inclusion Services support students with additional needs such as sensory impairment, or learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

Staff

Joshua Lindsey

Lecturer

Joshua is a lecturer in computer science, focusing on engagement, mentoring, and commercial opportunities. He also contributes to the Esports course at Stoke-on-Trent by leading modules on emerging technology, digital media, and governance.

Dr Ying-Ying Law

Course Director - Esports

Ying-Ying is a sociologist and an active researcher in digital cultures. Her main area of interest includes video gamer culture, communities, play, esports, research methods and gender studies from a sociological perspective.

Ying-Ying's profile

Philip Cooke

Senior Lecturer

Phil is a Lecturer on the Esports course at Staffs. Specialising in Marketing, Broadcasting & Events, Phil has experience working on a variety of events globally before moving on to the lecturer team.

Philip's profile

Joshua Jarrett

Senior Lecturer

Josh is a Senior Lecturer specialising in Esports, who joined Staffordshire University in September 2019. Josh’s ongoing research interests include co-creative player relations, free-to-play monetisation, grassroots esports and platform governance.

Joshua's profile

Fees

UK and Channel Island students: This tuition fee is agreed subject to UK government policy and parliamentary regulation. If the UK government passes appropriate legislation, the fee for subsequent years of study may increase in each academic year. But this increase will not exceed the rate of inflation as measured by RPIX**. Any change in fees will apply to both new and continuing students. The University will notify students of any change as early as possible. Further information about fee changes would be posted on the University’s website once this becomes available.

**RPIX is a measure of inflation equivalent to all the items in the Retail Price Index (RPI) excluding mortgage interest payments.

Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.

Sources of financial support

If you receive funding from Student Finance you may be eligible to apply for additional benefits. Details can be obtained by visiting: www.gov.uk

Scholarships and additional funding

As an undergraduate student at Staffordshire, you may be eligible for additional financial support through one of our scholarships and bursaries. You can visit our funding page to find out more and check your eligibility.

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Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at University of Staffordshire, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of University of Staffordshire enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.