‘Grand Theft Auto’ Inspires College History Course: What …
Grand Theft Auto is the impetus behind a new American history course at University of Tennessee, Knoxville that’s certain to draw nationwide attention from prospective students.
Close-minded naysayers might argue that the wildly popular Rockstar Games franchise is, on its face, an unlikely choice for the collegiate experience. Professor Tore Olsson, however, has made it clear that his upcoming course is designed to give students an examination of “the major social, cultural, political, and economic transformations that remade the United States since Ronald Reagan’s election in 1980” through the lens of GTA.
Below, we take a closer look.
Grand Theft Auto-inspired course coming to Tennessee
Olsson’s course, set for Spring 2026, carries the title “Grand Theft America: U.S. History since 1980 through the GTA Video Games.” In a recent interview with Wesley Yin-Poole for IGN, the professor detailed his vision, revealing the “fictional representation” of the U.S. featured in the video game franchise will be used as a “framing device for a serious history class.”
Per Olsson, the aim is for students who take the course to “never look at these games, or modern America, the same again.”
Professor previously taught course inspired by Red Dead Redemption
In the past, Olsson has used Red Dead Redemption in his course work, all part of a larger strategy to “make serious history accessible and relevant” to a wide audience. He has also written about the topic, publishing the book Red Dead’s History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America’s Violent Past in 2024.
As we told you back in May, a great tragedy befell GTA fans when Rockstar announced that GTA VI, previously expected this year, wouldn’t arrive until May 26, 2026.
“With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception,” a Rockstar rep said at the time. “We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve. We look forward to sharing more information with you soon.”
Days after the announcement, Rockstar made an effort to ease fans’ pain by rolling out a new trailer.