Digital Entertainment, Esports, and Game Development, Nexus

The Digital Entertainment, Esports and Game Development Nexus will give students a broad understanding of the digital entertainment aspects of the market sector. Academic institutions, along with practitioners have embraced Esports’ commercial, educational, and research potential as a sport. Students will deepen their knowledge and practice in action-oriented curricula designed to meet the needs of the increasingly competitive gaming industry. That knowledge and practice also apply to the career path in Esports. In order to support the process, UWG provides Esports-focused curricula to deliver unique features within the Esports industry. This Nexus degree is based on content in digital entertainment, Esports, and game development. The Georgia Film Academy (GFA) launched the specific courses within the proposed Nexus Degree in 2021. The GFA “is a collaboration between the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia. GFA has now certified over 10,000 students who were trained on Antman, Thor, Godzilla, Spiderman, Walking Dead, Insatiable, Zombieland 2, The Originals, Ozark - over 100 major Feature film and TV productions. This same approach to workforce development via industry partnerships is now being applied to Digital Media, Gaming and Esports” (Harris, 2021). The Nexus in Digital Entertainment, Esports and Game Development will have the flexibility to be applied to many bachelor’s degrees at UWG giving students multiple pathways for degree completion. This could include Bachelor’s degrees in Computing, Interdisciplinary Studies, Marketing, Mass Communication, and Sport Management. The three, six-credit hours courses (GFA 1500, GFA 3510, and GFA 3520) in digital entertainment, Esports, and game development provide students with high-impact experiences through the partnership with GFA, and industry partners (Skillshot Media). The Nexus degree will allow students to gain an Associate’s Degree and a valuable GFA Certification in an effort to be equipped and employable after just two years of course work. All credit hours can be applied to multiple Bachelor’s degrees at UWG and students will be encouraged to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in their area of interest after completing the Nexus degree. Program Location : Carrollton Campus and Skillshot Media - 2470 Lindbergh Ln NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate professional skills in the fields of digital entertainment, esports, and game development.

2. Demonstrate knowledge of digital entertainment industry standards, organizational structure, professional equipment, and event procedures.

3. Demonstrate knowledge of digital entertainment industry competencies and work habits including standard procedures and protocols.