University of Tennessee Announces Groundbreaking ‘Grand Theft America’ History Course

In a powerful testament to the cultural and historical significance of video games, a major U.S. university is set to offer a college-level history class centered on the Grand Theft Auto series. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has announced a new course titled Grand Theft America: U.S. History Since 1980 through the GTA Video Games, which will use the satirical and detailed worlds of Rockstar’s iconic franchise as a lens to examine real-world American history, politics, and culture. The class, which is scheduled to begin in January 2026, marks a significant step forward in the academic world’s recognition of video games as a legitimate medium for historical study.

The course will be taught by Professor Tore Olsson, a respected historian who previously gained recognition for a similar class that used the Red Dead Redemption series to teach students about American history from 1899-1911. Olsson’s innovative approach has been praised for its ability to engage a new generation of students by using a medium they are intimately familiar with. In an interview with IGN, Professor Olsson emphasized that the class is “much more about American history than the games themselves,” with the GTA games providing the framework and context for discussions on real-world events. Students will not be required to own or play the games themselves, as the curriculum will use curated video clips, academic readings, and lectures to facilitate the learning process.

Curriculum and Core Themes of the GTA History Class

The course’s curriculum is meticulously designed to connect the fictional, satirical worlds of Grand Theft Auto to the social, political, and cultural shifts that have reshaped the United States since 1980. The syllabus will use the different settings of the games—Liberty City, Vice City, and Los Santos—to structure the exploration of various historical topics. Key themes to be covered include:

• The 1980s and Deregulation: Using Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as a backdrop, the course will explore the economic boom of the 1980s, the rise of consumer culture, and the policies of the Reagan administration.
• The 1990s and Urban Tensions: The class will heavily utilize Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to discuss the a href=”https://www.google.com/search?q=Los+Angeles+Riots” class=”high-cpc-keyword”>Los Angeles Riots of 1992, the “War on Drugs,” and the complex relationship between police and minority communities.
• Post-9/11 and the War on Terror: The world of Grand Theft Auto IV’s Liberty City will be used to analyze the rise of security culture, media panics, and the complexities of immigration in the post-9/11 era.
• Modern-Day Satire: The class will examine Grand Theft Auto V‘s Los Santos to discuss contemporary issues such as Wall Street greed, the opioid crisis, and the role of social media in modern life.

Professor Olsson noted that the course will not be a “lore quiz” on the games but a serious academic inquiry into how pop culture, even in its most satirical forms, can reflect and shape our understanding of history. The focus will be on analysis, critical thinking, and the ability to connect the fictional worlds to real historical events.

The Cultural Shift: Video Games as Academic Subjects

The introduction of this GTA history class is a clear indicator of a major cultural shift in academia. For decades, video games were dismissed as a niche hobby or a source of moral panic. However, as the medium has matured, its ability to tell complex stories, build intricate worlds, and reflect social realities has become undeniable. This course is part of a growing trend in higher education to recognize the historical and cultural value of games. It follows a path forged by similar courses that use other forms of pop culture, such as the history of rock and roll or the study of film. The timing of the course, which will begin months before the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI, further highlights the franchise’s enduring relevance and its position as a cultural touchstone.

The decision to launch this class is a calculated risk, but a necessary one to bridge the gap between traditional history and the modern student’s life. By using a subject that students are passionate about, Professor Olsson hopes to demystify academic history and show that the past is not just found in textbooks but can also be explored through the media we consume every day. The success of this course could pave the way for a new wave of academic studies on video games, solidifying their place as a powerful tool for education and a reflection of our ever-evolving society.