The University of Tennessee will launch a new class in 2026 which teaches American history through the lens of the Grand Theft Auto series.
‘Grand Theft America: U.S. History Since 1980 through the GTA Video Games’ will be taught by professor Tore Olsson, and use the various portrayals of modern America in the GTA games to present a narrative of recent history that includes pop culture and other countries’ perceptions of the US.
Videogames to Feature in More Academic Work
Olsson will be treading somewhat familiar ground in teaching U.S. history using videogames, having previously done the same using Red Dead: Redemption. He had planned for the new course to take place after the launch of GTA 6, but the delay means it will start on January 20, 2026, several months before the game’s May 2026 release.
“Video games have by now moved from the margins to the mainstream. Other forms of pop culture have made the same journey before,” said Olsson in an interview with IGN. “50 years ago, it would have been unthinkable to find a ‘history of rock’n’roll’ class at a college or university, thanks to the music’s edgy and risqué reputation.
“Today, that exact course is one of the most popular at my institution. Perhaps a generation from now we’ll see many more courses built around the digital fiction of games.”
GTA Course Will Be Serious Work
Students will also not be obliged to own or play the game to complete the course, with Olsson stressing that it would not be an exam on the game itself.
“I don’t require students to own or play the games during our semester. I’d be anxious asking cash-strapped students to buy a pricy console or gaming PC plus the games themselves.”
“I’ll make clear that my classroom is a professional environment for students, nothing like their friend’s basement where they may have played GTA for the first time.”
