University of Chichester launches Psychology in Esports course

15 November 2024

The rising popularity of esports in the UK, and its recognition as a burgeoning industry that offers plenty of career opportunities, is especially prominent in the educational world. More and more schools, colleges and institutes in the United Kingdom are creating specialised esports and esports-related programs and courses. Coleg Cambria in Wales, for example, revealed a brand-new esports arena earlier this year.

Another good, recent example is the launch of the new “Psychology in Esports” degree at the University of Chichester, in southern England, the first in the world, according to the university itself. The goal of the degree is to bridge the gap between psychological science and the world of competitive gaming, and it will be available from September 2025 onwards.

Extensive focus on esports

While the new Esports in Psychology degree is new for the University of Chichester, and according to them for the entire esports industry, the university is definitely no stranger in the field of esports in the UK. They already offer an esports degree and they employ various former pro gamers as lecturers, and they organise live esports events every year as well. Earlier this year, for example, students from the University of Chichester organised a VALORANT LAN event for students from across the United Kingdom.

The introduction of the Esports in Psychology degree is meant to broaden the esports offering at the institute even further. According to its founder, the degree is the first of its kind, not only in the United Kingdom but in the world, and will delve much deeper into the psychological side of esports and competitive gaming.

“Psychology helps us decode human behaviour, motivation and interpersonal dynamics,” explains Dr. Benjamin Sharpe, the founder of the new course, leader of the programme and senior lecturer in Cognitive Psychology, “Our programme will apply these psychological frameworks to understand the complex world of competitive gaming, from individual player performance to team dynamics. Through practical experiments, students will connect theoretical knowledge to the multifaceted esports landscape, including international competitions, global audience engagement and the industry’s full spectrum from grassroots to professional levels.”

Potential official recognition

The new Psychology in Esports degree at Chichester University will include modules on topics like cognitive psychology, developmental psychology and human interaction, but also on topics such as esports ethics and critical research. As a result, in February of next year, the course will also be assessed by the British Psychological Society (BPS) to see if it can be recognised as an official Psychology course. Should that happen, then students will be able to use the course as a first step to becoming a professional psychologist.

“The BSc (Hons) Psychology of Esports programme invites students into a profound journey of enquiry, empowering them to critically engage with the complex psychological dimensions of esports”, says Prof. Antonina Pereira, Director of the Institute of Psychology, Business and Human Sciences at the University of Chichester, “Through this dialogue, students are equipped not merely with knowledge but with the tools to foster resilience, mental well-being, and transformative change within competitive gaming spaces.”