University of Tennessee Announces ‘Grand Theft Auto’ College History Class

In a move that signals the growing recognition of video games as a serious academic medium, a university in the United States has announced a new history course built entirely around the Grand Theft Auto series. Starting in January 2026, students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will have the opportunity to enroll in a course titled Grand Theft America: U.S. History Since 1980 through the GTA Video Games. The class, which will be taught by history professor Tore Olsson, has already generated a significant buzz online and in academic circles, as it represents a major shift in how pop culture is integrated into higher education. This development places the popular Grand Theft Auto franchise at the center of a serious historical discourse, a far cry from its controversial beginnings.

Professor Olsson, who has previously used Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption series to teach American history, sees the GTA games not as a history textbook but as a “framework” for understanding real-world events. The curriculum will use the games’ satirical and fictionalized worlds—from the neon-drenched Vice City of the 1980s to the gang-ridden Los Santos of the 1990s—as a lens through which to examine major social, political, and cultural transformations in the U.S. since 1980. This includes complex and often misunderstood events like the L.A. Riots of 1992, which are directly referenced in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The professor’s goal is to use a familiar and engaging medium to help students explore and understand some of the most significant turning points in contemporary American history.

Unpacking the Curriculum: A Deep Dive into a Controversial Franchise

The course is designed to be a serious academic endeavor. Professor Olsson has clarified that students will not be required to own or play the games themselves, alleviating any potential financial burden. Instead, he will use carefully curated gameplay clips, screenshots, and in-game radio stations as case studies for discussion. The syllabus is expected to cover a wide range of topics that the games satirize and comment on, including:

• The Rise of Modern Capitalism: Examining how the games’ depictions of Wall Street greed, rampant consumerism, and the shift from manufacturing to a service-based economy reflect real-world trends from the 1980s onward.
• Racial and Political Tensions: Using the events of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to discuss the history of racial profiling, police brutality, and the urban revolts of the early 1990s.
• Media and Culture: Analyzing the satirical talk radio shows and news channels in the games to explore how media has become more polarized and how it shapes public opinion.
• The War on Drugs and Its Consequences: Looking at the games’ storylines and settings to understand the real-world impact of drug policy and mass incarceration on American society.

The professor acknowledged that while the games are a satirical parody, they often get enough details right to serve as a useful starting point for a deeper historical inquiry. For example, he points to how the games’ ports and industrial areas reflect the real-life outsourcing of American industry facilitated by the shipping container, a detail most people wouldn’t notice. This is a clear demonstration of how a seemingly fictional world can contain layers of historical and economic truth.

The Future of Gaming and Academia

This is not the first time a major university has incorporated a video game into its curriculum. However, the use of a franchise as controversial as Grand Theft Auto for a history course is a significant step forward. It signifies a growing acceptance among academics that video games are a legitimate form of cultural and historical expression, on par with film, literature, and television. For the gaming industry, this is a major victory, as it moves the public perception of games beyond simple entertainment and into the realm of high art and serious cultural commentary.

Interestingly, the course was originally planned to include the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6. However, due to the game’s recent delay to May 2026, the initial semester of the class will focus on previous installments. Professor Olsson has stated that he plans to update the course in the future to incorporate GTA 6 once it is released, which will provide a contemporary snapshot of American society. The class will also be a great source of high-CPC keywords for the university, as it has already been covered by major news outlets and gaming sites like IGN and Gamespot. This groundbreaking course is a testament to the cultural impact of the Grand Theft Auto franchise and its ability to serve as a mirror reflecting the complexities of modern American society.