This dissertation detailed the ways by which stakeholder interactions affected interdisciplinary curriculum development in the novel field of esports at Mideast State University. Due to the prevalence of esports in higher education, the sudden popularity of the esports field, and the role of esports in an already overloaded curriculum space, this study considered curriculum expansion and reform in the 21st century—especially interactions between faculty and administration in new areas of study. The problem is that esports as a new area of study requires curricular innovation in an overloaded curriculum space.To study the Esports and Game Studies program at Mideast State University, I utilized the following research question: How can an early experiment in designing an esports curriculum assist research in the novel field? The theoretical framework used interview data, Lattuca and Stark’s (2009) academic plan model, and Quinn et al.’s (1990) competing values framework to guide this dissertation toward an in-depth knowledge of the proposed program. To protect the anonymity of the university and interviewees, Mideast State University was the pseudonym for the actual university, Mideast was a pseudonym for the state name; Darter was a pseudonym for the city in which the university is located; Sparrows was a pseudonym for the university mascot; and all interviewees were given the title Referee, along with a number. Due to the unfinished nature of the Mideast State University Esports and Game Studies program, conclusions about the program emphasized doubt regarding the process of interdisciplinary curriculum development at the institution. Due to (a) the polarizing nature of competitive video games, (b) the COVID-19 global pandemic forcing the university to prioritize its current programs over its future programs, (c) a lack of funding, or (d) a combination of these possibilities, inconsistent notions of programmatic control and responsibility turned a groundbreaking program into an unused curriculum.
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