Esports Production and Gaming BA (Hons)

Undergraduate

programmers sitting in a row focusing on screens

Develop industry-ready skills for Esports, gaming and digital content production

Year of entry

2026-27 2027-28

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years sandwich

Course code

W286

Start date

September 2026
November 2026
January 2027
March 2027
May 2027
July 2027

How to apply

Book an Open Day

Download a prospectus

Your UCAS Guide

Course overview

Step into the fast‑moving world of esports and gaming by learning how to create live broadcasts, produce digital content, shape game concepts and build communities that players genuinely care about.

You’ll develop practical production skills across streaming, esports event creation, games design, branding, marketing and community engagement, all through hands‑on projects that mirror the industry. Every brief is intended to help you grow your creativity, confidence and technical ability.

You may have opportunities to collaborate with students from games, animation, digital media and creative technologies on industry-style projects. These experiences can help you develop practical skills and gain insight into how esports and gaming projects are created and delivered. By the time you graduate, you should have built a portfolio that demonstrates your strengths and interests across Esports, gaming and digital entertainment.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2026

Why you should study this course

Produce esports and gaming experiences: learn how to plan, produce and share esports and gaming content, and build skills in live production, streaming, content creation, branding and audience engagement.
Build a broad creative and technical skillset: develop capabilities across esports production, broadcast, streaming, games design, content creation, branding, marketing and community engagement, helping you explore different routes into esports, games and digital media.
Learn through hands‑on projects: make, test and refine your ideas through live briefs, collaborative projects, simulated industry scenarios, prototypes, presentations, broadcasts and public facing creative outcomes.
Collaborate like you would on a real production team: work alongside students from other creative technology courses, gaining experience of the interdisciplinary teamwork undertaken in production studios, digital agencies, games teams and creative organisations.
Create work that strengthens your portfolio: create practical work from prototypes to broadcasts and campaign materials that showcases your skills, interests and creative direction through portfolios, presentations, reflective work and project documentation.
Study close to a major UK games cluster: learn in a region near Leamington Spa, widely known as Silicon Spa for its concentration of games companies and studios. This places you close to a recognised games and creative technology ecosystem and helps you understand how esports, gaming, production and digital creativity connect to real industry activity.

About the School of Arts and Creative Industries

Our learning and teaching mirror the needs of the creative industries, so you have the opportunity to develop the skills and attributes needed to become an industry specialist, leader and innovator.
Our studio culture seeks to ensure you are socially responsible in our creative community and develop critical thinking in research and making processes.
Our global initiatives aim to give you skills to become collaborative communicators and make you culturally competent.
Our excellent industry links typically enable us to host an exciting programme of guest speakers covering topics such as Shape the Future: Creative industries EXPO in Coventry with Create Central, Future Innovation: Creativity, Inclusion, Technology and Collaboration with Hollywood Gaming and guest talks such as Lauren Stone from Ubisoft Massive (subject to availability).

What you'll study

This course shares some modules with courses including Animation BA (Hons), Digital Media BA (Hons), Games Design and Development BA (Hons), Games Art BA (Hons) and Computer Games Programming MSci/BSc (Hons).

Shared modules include:

Level 4: Hack Lab and Creative Play Concept Development, Prototyping and Design.
Level 5: Experimental Games Project, Digital Marketing and Content Creation.

Modules

Esports: Evolving Contexts – 30 credits

Explore the esports and gaming landscape, including its history, cultures, audiences, technologies and future trends. You’ll begin to understand how esports operates as a creative, commercial and global industry, while developing research, analysis and communication skills.

Compulsory

Hack Lab and Creative Play – 30 credits

Experiment, play and hack your way through exciting projects designed to help you develop skills in creative technologies across games, animation, digital media and more. This module explores experimental approaches to design and development, allowing you to understand creative play as a methodology. You will work in interdisciplinary teams to develop prototype projects using rapid prototyping.

You should learn to:

apply problem-solving capabilities to define, develop and refine creative ideas
recognise and respond creatively to real-world challenges within creative technologies
engage with creative thinking techniques and experimental processes to develop personal understanding and practice.

Compulsory

Concept Development, Prototyping and Design – 30 credits

In this module, you will work collaboratively in a team to develop an engaging concept into a minimum viable product prototype for exhibition and promotion. You will explore concept development and prototyping in animation, games, film and digital media. You will refine ideas through prototypes, engage with audiences and build on your ability to communicate your creative practice.

You should learn to:

articulate intentions through a range of creative outcomes in creative technologies
record and reflect on project experiences and activities in the development of personal practice
reflect interpersonal skills and capabilities when engaging with stakeholders, project negotiation and development.

Compulsory

Esports: Broadcast – 30 credits

Modules

Digital Marketing and Content Creation – 30 credits

Want to create digital campaigns that grab attention and drive real impact? Learn to craft powerful marketing strategies, engage audiences and be part of the marketing world using your digital media skills. Explore social media strategies, viral content and persuasive messaging while working on real projects for actual clients. Learn market research, audience targeting, consumer behaviour and the psychology behind persuasion. Understand the conceptual framework for marketing content in the context of the digital. Gain the expertise to launch successful marketing campaigns for top brands, your personal brand or something new.

Compulsory

Experimental Games Project – 30 credits

Extend your understanding of playful experimentation in game development by engaging in challenges with new and emerging technologies. This module encourages you to experiment with evolving technologies, apply iterative processes and develop creative outputs. Embrace change and challenge preconceptions in the games industry as you prepare to operate within an uncertain and evolving professional landscape.

You should learn to:

organise and apply problem-solving approaches to define, develop and refine creative ideas and outcomes in games
formulate discipline-relevant creative responses to real-world challenges
challenge ideas through experimental processes to extend personal understanding and practice.

Compulsory

Esports: Communities and Fandom – 30 credits

Creative Direction and Narratives – 30 credits

A placement year² provides optional first-hand industry experience and helps you discover where your skills and interests truly lie. Taken between your second and final years, it allows you to step into a professional environment, apply your learning and gain valuable insight into your chosen sector.

By spending an extended period in industry, you should develop confidence, build professional networks and strengthen the transferable skills that employers value most. This experience offers a powerful way to explore career paths and return to your final year with real-world expertise and a clearer sense of direction.

Key opportunities

Complete an approved work placement: gain practical experience aligned with your course and career ambitions, typically lasting at least 26 weeks.
Reflect on professional development: recognise and document the specific skills, knowledge and experience you gain during your time in industry.
Broaden your global perspective: optionally undertake an international work or study placement to experience a different professional or cultural context.

While this optional year is non-credit-bearing, successful completion ensures your experience is formally recognised on your final degree certificate to showcase your expertise to future employers.

Students sponsored by the University who opt for an international work placement must ensure they comply with the UKVI immigration regulations and should contact us for further guidance.

Modules

Esports: Professional Practice – 30 credits

Prepare for the next stage of your career by developing your professional identity, portfolio and understanding of industry expectations. You’ll reflect on your skills, refine your creative direction and consider how to position yourself for employment, freelance work or further study.

Compulsory

Indie Gaming and Emerging Markets – 30 credits

Esports: Start-Up – 60 credits

Develop a substantial self-directed esports or gaming project that reflects your interests, ambitions and professional direction. You’ll research, plan, prototype and present a venture, product, service or production concept, supported by business planning and critical reflection.

Compulsory

We regularly review our course content to keep it relevant and current for our students. Consequently, we may update modules to reflect the latest industry standards.

How you'll learn

Teaching and learning methods may include:

group projects: build teamwork and collaboration skills while tackling real-world challenges
workshops: apply knowledge hands-on, enhancing practical skills and problem-solving abilities
practical sessions: gain hands-on experience and experiment with techniques
lectures: gain expert insights and a structured overview of key concepts and research shaping your field today
seminars: engage in discussion and debate, deepening understanding and critical thinking
tutorials: receive personalised guidance to solve complex problems and consolidate learning
presentations: develop communication skills and the ability to convey technical ideas
online learning: access flexible resources for self-paced study and reinforcement of key concepts.

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 30-credit module requires 300 hours of study. Study hours are made up of teaching contact hours and guided and independent study.

Teaching hours

Teaching hours may vary, depending on where you are in your studies, but on average, you will have between 12 and 15 teaching and learning hours each week. You will also have the option to attend additional sessions, including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You will be digging deeper into topics, reviewing what you’ve learnt and completing assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress to the end of your studies, you’ll spend more time on independent learning.

Online learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods, including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.

Assessment

This course is assessed using methods that vary by module.

Assessment methods may include:

portfolios
practical projects
prototypes
live production projects
presentations and pitches
written reports
reflective writing
video essays, podcasts or digital blogs
campaign materials
project documentation
coursework
group work.

There are no formal invigilated examinations on this course.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

Requirement	What we're looking for
UCAS points	112
A level	BBC
GCSE	GCSE English at grade 4 / C or Functional Skills Level 2, or other equivalent Level 2 awards.
BTEC	DMM
T level	Overall grade of Merit in the T level qualification in any subject.
IB Diploma	29 points
Access to HE	The Access to HE Diploma. Plus GCSE requirements as above.

Portfolio

We value creativity and potential just as much as academic results. If you meet our minimum entry requirements for the course, you will be invited to take part in a portfolio review, either on campus or online. This is an opportunity to share your work and discuss your creative ideas with our academic team. Applicants who are successful in their portfolio review may be made an offer with no academic requirements in recognition of their creative potential.

Each application will be considered on its merits.

For more guidance on preparing a portfolio, please see our advice page.

Other qualifications and experience

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique story. We recognise a breadth of qualifications. If your qualifications differ from the above, contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to discuss your qualifications and routes into your chosen course.

Contextual/Fair Access Offers

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Offer, you could automatically receive a contextual offer which is 16 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Offer.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

Portfolio

Each application will be considered on its merits.

For more guidance on preparing a portfolio, please see our advice page.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.0 overall (with at least 5.5 in each component area)

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

Fees and funding

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man	TBC per year	Not available
EU	TBC per year with EU Support Bursary TBC per year without EU Support Bursary	Not available
International	TBC per year	Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement² or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee³ to cover your academic support throughout your placement year. Students commencing their professional placement in the academic year 2028/29 will pay £1,575 if they are paying UK fees, or £1,900 if they are paying international fees.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement, the University will charge the tuition fees stated above for those on a placement during Academic Year 2028/29. The University will review professional placement tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study, but such that it will be no more than 5% above inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.

How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?

We assess your fee status using the information in your application. This status determines your tuition fees and the scholarships or financial support you can get. The Department for Education sets the rules for who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees in England.

The regulations list which students can pay the home fee rate. Because these rules are complex, the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides fee status guidance to help you find the right category. If you meet all the criteria for one category, your institution must charge you the home rate.

Facilities

Delia Derbyshire Building

The Delia Derbyshire complex offers more space to learn, design and make, including a hyperstudio for students across all disciplines to collaborate on projects together, a gallery space and an events atrium.

Bugatti Trust Hyperstudio

This multi-purpose studio serves as your blank canvas – a spacious environment ideal for ambitious, cross-disciplinary projects, encouraging collaboration among students and external partners from the community.

Media loan service

Borrow specialist equipment to support your projects and assignments. Whatever you need for your audio, video or photography requirements, we probably have it. We can also offer technical advice and help with using equipment.

Take a virtual tour

Facilities are subject to availability⁴. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Careers and opportunities

This course is designed to help you build creative, technical and professional skills for a range of roles across esports, gaming, digital media, content production and creative technology.

You’ll develop experience in areas such as production, broadcasting, streaming, content creation, games design, branding, community engagement, marketing, project development and professional communication. By building a portfolio throughout the course, you can begin to shape your own creative identity and explore where your skills could take you.

Potential career paths include:

esports production assistant
broadcast technician
content creator
streamer or streaming production assistant
community manager
games marketing associate
creative producer
junior games designer
digital media producer
events or live production assistant
social media or audience engagement assistant
freelance creative practitioner
postgraduate study in areas such as virtual and augmented reality, game studio development or related creative technologies.

The graduate destinations listed above illustrate potential career paths. You may need to gain additional qualifications or practical experience, pass professional examinations, complete training, cover associated costs or meet specific visa or immigration requirements to secure employment in these fields.

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How to apply

View our courses on UCAS

Visit UCAS

UK students

Full-time students can apply for this course through UCAS. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

Apply via UCAS

If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 6565

ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form

International students

International codes:
CASU047

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.

You can also download our International mini guide for an overview of study options and why you should study with us.

Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.

+44 (0)24 7765 6565

ioadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form

Disclaimers

¹Accreditations

The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.

²UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

³Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

⁴Facilities

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. The current 2025/2026 contract applies to students starting between September 2025 and July 2026. Students starting between September 2026 and July 2027 will be covered by the 2026/2027 Student Contract. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.