Skip to content

Esports

Course Code: UF9023
  • Level: 4
  • Qualification: Higher National Certificate
  • Awarding body: Pearson
  • Duration: One year
  • Course type: Full-time
  • Time of day: Daytime
  • When you'll study: Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm
Apply now Career Coach
image

What's it all about?

Are you prepared to transform your passion for gaming into a thriving professional career? Developed to align with industry expectations, the Esports Higher National Certificate (HNC) at City College Plymouth provides a strong foundation in the rapidly expanding competitive gaming sector.

Taught within our advanced Babcock Esports Arena at Foulston Park, this one-year programme combines technical skills with essential business acumen. Key areas covered include:

  • broadcasting and event technology: practical experience in live tournament production, streaming setup, and event management
  • sector operations: operational strategies and logistical execution within the broader gaming industry
  • team management and strategy: analysis of gameplay, tactical planning, and player coaching techniques
  • marketing and media: content creation, brand positioning, and public relations strategies for gaming audiences.

Course information

You will study eight 15-credit level 4 units (120 credits).

  • Unit 401 Esports Ecosystem: the unit introduces the esports ecosystem, including publishers, teams, leagues, tournaments, and governing bodies, which remains in an early stage of development. You will analyse industry stakeholders and future trends to research existing enterprises, explore potential job pathways, and build a strategic personal career plan.
  • Unit 402 Skills and Tactics Analysis: the unit will equip you with the tools to evaluate and improve both individual skill and team tactical performance in competitive esports. The evidence-based performance analysis skills developed in this unit prepares you for roles such as an esports athlete, coach, analyst, team manager, and game developer.
  • Unit 403 Event Planning and Delivery: the unit gives you hands-on experience in planning, budgeting, delivering, and evaluating an esports event tailored to a target audience. This unit equips you with practical skills directly applicable to careers in event planning, management, and operations within the esports industry.
  • Unit 404 Planning an Esports Project (Note: this is a Pearson-set unit): the unit is assessed through a Pearson-set assignment based on an annually changing theme, where the centre sets a brief exploring a topical business aspect of esports. The unit builds foundational skills in research, project planning, and professional decision-making, preparing you to evaluate concepts and solve problems in a real-world business environment. 
  • Unit 406 Branding and Sponsorship: explores how esports organisations manage their brand identity and build strategic, mutually beneficial sponsorship partnerships to boost visibility, attract fans/investors, and drive long-term sustainability. This work prepares you for industry roles in esports marketing, brand strategy, sponsorship coordination, and event management.
  • Unit 408 Audio-Visual Production: audio-visual (AV) production is crucial to esports growth, enhancing live event experiences, shaping industry image, attracting sponsors, and engaging viewers. Provides practical, hands-on expertise for technical and production roles in esports live broadcasting, stage production, and event media operations. 
  • Unit 409 Streaming and Broadcasting: live streaming and broadcasting have transformed esports into a global, interactive phenomenon, matching traditional sports through multi-angle feeds, real-time audience engagement, and on-demand content. Equips you with technical and operational skills for specialist roles such as broadcast engineer, director, producer, camera operator, sound engineer, content strategist, and broadcast technician.
  • Unit 411 Coaching Practice: explores the essential knowledge and skills needed for esports coaches to guide, mentor, and maximise the performance of individual players and teams in competitive environments. Equips you with the practical and analytical skills required for direct employment or progression in professional esports coaching, player management, and player development.

In order to be successful on this course, you will need:

  • a level 3 qualification – a BTEC National Diploma/Extended Diploma, A Levels (minimum 48-64 UCAS points), or T Level in a related discipline (media, IT, business, sports, or games design) 
  •  adult students – relevant industry experience or non-traditional qualifications will be considered on an individual basis via an interview and portfolio review 
  •  English and maths – GCSE grade 4/C or above in English language and mathematics (or equivalent level 2 functional skills).

You will complete your work in a classroom environment. The work will be assessed on an internal, unit-by-unit basis.

Upon successful completion, you may progress onto the level 5 Higher National Diploma.

Please note fees are quoted for one year only.

Download course PDF

Future careers

What you could earn:

IT Business Analysts, Architects and Systems Designers

£111,232.09

Potential salary

£38,215.96

Entry level salary

£66,327.00

Average salary

14

Annual openings in Plymouth

View career details

Related courses

Games Development

  • Level: 2
  • Qualification: BTEC Diploma
  • Awarding body: Pearson
  • Duration: One year
  • Course type: Full-time

Esports

  • Level: 2
  • Qualification: Diploma
  • Awarding body: Business & Technology Education Council (BTEC)
  • Duration: One year
  • Course type: Full-time

Game Design and Production

  • Level: 5
  • Qualification: Foundation Degree
  • Awarding body: University of Plymouth
  • Duration: Two years (full-time) or three years (part-time)
  • Course type: Full-time, Part-time
View all courses

Book an open day and come visit us!

Come and visit us on one of our college open days, where you can find out more about our courses, check out our facilities and speak to current students and staff.

Book an open day
image