University of Tennessee Announces College Course on Grand Theft Auto, Using Games to Teach American History

In a major development for the academic world and the gaming industry, the University of Tennessee in Knoxville has revealed it will be offering a new history course titled “Grand Theft America: U.S. History Since 1980 through the GTA Video Games.” The course, set to begin in January 2026, marks a significant milestone in the increasing recognition of video games as a serious medium for historical and cultural analysis. While the class was initially planned to include content from the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6, the game’s recent delay means the curriculum will primarily focus on past titles like GTA: Vice City, GTA: San Andreas, and GTA V.

The course will be taught by history professor Tore Olsson, who is no stranger to using video games as a teaching tool. Olsson previously taught a similar, highly-praised course that used the Red Dead Redemption series as a lens to explore late 19th and early 20th-century American history. This new class is designed to use the Grand Theft Auto series, known for its satirical and hyper-realistic depictions of American society, as a framework for understanding the social, political, and cultural transformations that have shaped the United States over the last four decades. Olsson has stressed that the class is “much more about American history than the games themselves,” and that students will not be required to own or play the games, as all relevant content will be showcased in class.

The Curriculum: A Deep Dive into Grand Theft America

The course will be a deep dive into the historical context of the Grand Theft Auto series, examining how the games’ fictional worlds are a funhouse mirror of real-life events. Here’s a look at some of the topics the course is expected to cover:

• GTA: Vice City (1980s): Students will use the game’s depiction of a fictional Miami to explore the real-life themes of the 1980s, including the rise of the drug trade, the influence of Latin American culture, the “greed is good” era of corporate America, and the cultural shifts driven by music and fashion.
• GTA: San Andreas (1990s): This section of the course will likely be a major focus. The game’s setting, a fictional Southern California, will provide a framework for discussing the major events and cultural phenomena of the 1990s, including the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which are directly alluded to in the game’s storyline. Students will also analyze the rise of hip-hop culture, the crack cocaine epidemic, and the social tensions of the decade.
• GTA V (2010s): The game’s satire of modern-day Los Angeles and American life will be used to discuss topics such as the 2008 financial crisis, the growing divide between the ultra-rich and the working class, the ubiquity of technology and social media, and the anxieties of a post-9/11 world.

Olsson’s approach is not about a “lore quiz” but about using the games’ well-researched worlds as a starting point for serious academic discussion. This pedagogical method is a refreshing take on traditional history classes, making complex topics more relatable and accessible to a generation that has grown up with gaming as a dominant form of media and entertainment. The course aims to teach students to critically analyze the media they consume and to see the historical and political context woven into popular culture.

The Growing Field of Video Game Studies

While a course specifically on the Grand Theft Auto series is a first, it is part of a larger, global trend in academia. Universities worldwide are beginning to recognize the cultural and historical significance of video games, offering degrees and classes in “Game Studies” and “Game Design.” These programs go beyond the technical aspects of game development and delve into the sociological, historical, and artistic elements of the medium. Courses on video game history, game as a form of art, and the cultural impact of gaming are becoming more common, signaling that video games have moved from a niche hobby to a legitimate subject of academic inquiry. This shift is a key part of the modern gaming industry‘s evolution, as video games continue to shape and reflect our society.

The University of Tennessee’s course is a significant step forward in this movement. It demonstrates a willingness to engage with pop culture on its own terms and to use it as a powerful educational tool. The class’s announcement has already generated a significant amount of press and will be a major topic for both academic and gaming news outlets. It serves as a testament to the cultural staying power of the Grand Theft Auto series and the ever-growing influence of video games as a mirror of our modern world. The high-profile nature of this news is a source of powerful high-CPC keywords for the education and gaming sectors alike.