University of Tennessee Launches Groundbreaking Grand Theft Auto History Class

In a move that perfectly encapsulates the shift of video games from a subculture to a mainstream academic tool, a U.S. university is set to offer a history course focused on the Grand Theft Auto series. The University of Tennessee in Knoxville has officially announced “Grand Theft America: U.S. History Since 1980 through the GTA Video Games,” a new course that will use the critically acclaimed franchise as a lens to examine real-world American history, politics, and culture. The class, set to begin on January 20, 2026, is a testament to the cultural impact of Rockstar Games’ work and a sign that the gaming industry is now a legitimate subject of academic study.

The course will be taught by history professor Tore Olsson, who is no stranger to using video games as a teaching tool. He previously taught a similar, well-regarded class that used Rockstar’s Western epic, Red Dead Redemption, to explore American history from 1899 to 1911. Professor Olsson has clarified that this is a serious history class and not a fandom meeting. Students will not be required to own or play the games themselves, as the course will use curated clips and academic readings to facilitate discussions. The games, with their satirical and often exaggerated depictions of American life, will serve as a framework for understanding complex historical events and cultural shifts.

Unpacking the Curriculum: What Will Students Learn?

The course curriculum is designed to use the various GTA titles as a springboard for exploring key moments and themes in modern U.S. history. By analyzing the games’ fictional cities and storylines, students will gain insight into real-life events. Here’s a breakdown of the key topics to be covered:

• The 1980s and Deregulation: Using the backdrop of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, students will examine the economic and cultural shifts of the 1980s, including the rise of consumerism, deregulation, and the “greed is good” mentality that defined the era.
• The 1990s and Urban Tensions: The narrative of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will be used to explore the complexities of the 1990s, particularly the Los Angeles riots of 1992. The class will delve into the causes and effects of the riots, including issues of police brutality, racial inequality, and the “war on drugs.”
• Post-9/11 Security Culture: The fictionalized Liberty City of Grand Theft Auto IV will provide a context for understanding the cultural and political shifts that occurred in the U.S. after the September 11 attacks, including the rise of surveillance and national security concerns.
• Modern America and Media Satire: The course will use Grand Theft Auto V to analyze contemporary American life, with a focus on its sharp satire of media, politics, and technology. Students will study the game’s in-game radio stations and news broadcasts as a way to understand how pop culture shapes our view of the world.

Professor Olsson stated that the class is “much more about American history than the games themselves,” with the goal of helping students “never look at these games, or modern America, the same again.” The course will be assessed through academic readings and essays, not through gameplay or a knowledge of GTA lore.

The Cultural Significance of a GTA College Course

The introduction of this class is a significant milestone for the gaming industry. It validates the idea that video games, much like literature, film, and music, are a rich medium for social commentary and historical analysis. Fifty years ago, a college course on the “history of rock ‘n’ roll” would have been unthinkable, but today, such a class is a common part of university curricula. This GTA-focused class is a similar moment, signaling that the public perception of gaming has moved from a fringe hobby to a serious form of artistic and cultural expression.

The timing of the course’s launch, a few months before the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, is a coincidence due to Rockstar Games’ release schedule. While the initial plan was to include the new game in the curriculum, the delay to May 26, 2026, means the class will focus on earlier titles. However, this has not diminished the excitement. This news has generated a massive amount of attention online, serving as a source of high-CPC keywords and sparking a global conversation about the power of video games to reflect and shape our world.