Students at the University of Tennessee will soon be able to study American history through the lens of Rockstar’s iconic open-world series. On January 220, 2026, the university will be the first Grand Theft Auto College class.
The course is titled Grand Theft America: U.S History since 1980, as the GTA Video Games, was created by history professor Tore Olsson. It also follows the previous Red Dead Redemption historical course, which is also inspired by the book Red Dead history, and it is accompanied audiobook, which is narrated by Arthur Morgan actor Roger Clark.
Olsson originally planned to launch the GTA course with Grand Theft Auto 6 included in the curriculum. Rockstar’s delay of the highly anticipated title to May 2026 means which students will begin the semester just before the game release.
How GTA will be used in Class
Olsson told IGN the class will examine the social, cultural and political history of the United States from 1980 to the present. Each GTA, which will enter as a framework, with the titles Vice City Stories(1984), San Andreas(1992), and GTA 5(2013), reflects distinct times.
The franchise is known for its satire. Olsson also said that GTA offers a useful entry point into the real-world issues, which the immigration, inequality, media polarisation and policing, like the San Andreas storyline referencing the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which will be used to discuss the deeper historical context of the event.
The best part is that students do not need to buy or play the game, but the class sessions will include gameplay footage and screenshots. Olsson also added that the goal is to use the series to fictionalise America as a way to engage with contemporary history in a new way.
Read More: GTA 6 update indicates no extra release date delays.