Texts and Technology (PhD)

Program Overview

The program requires 57 total credits, including core courses, procedural literacy, an area of specialization, and elective courses. Graduates can pursue careers in academia, industry, or research in fields such as communication, digital media, and technical writing.

Program Outline

• Objectives: The program aims to:
• Support engagement with digital practices in dialectical, rhetorical, procedural, and critical-cultural fields.
• Consider literacy in a broad sense, encompassing traditional writing and communication as well as computational and procedural literacy (e.g., using programming and new media installations for production, critique, and analysis).
• Description: The program emphasizes a rigorous curriculum delivered in a friendly environment, supported by an internationally recognized faculty.
Students bring their knowledge from a specific discipline and deepen their understanding through a digital lens.

Outline:

• Program Prerequisites: Applicants must hold a master's degree from an accredited institution recognized by UCF or a recognized foreign institution.
Fields with a technological and/or textual theory component, such as digital humanities, public history, technical communication, digital media, cultural studies, philosophy, rhetoric, or linguistics, are particularly relevant.
• Degree Requirements:
• Required Courses (57 Total Credits):
• Core (18 Credits):
• ENG6800 - Introduction to Texts and Technology (3)
• ENG6801 - Texts and Technology in History (3)
• ENG6810 - Theories of Texts and Technology (3)
• ENG6005 - Dissertation Research Design in Texts and Technology (3)
• ENG6812 - Research Methods for Texts and Technology (3)
• Procedural Literacy (3 Credits):
• Choose at least 1 from:
• DIG6836 - Humanistic Data Analysis (3)
• ENG6819 - Critical Making for Humanist Scholarship (3)
• Area of Specialization (12 Credits):
• Choose 1 from:
• Digital Humanities:
Earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in Art History, Digital Media, English, History, Philosophy, Theatre, and Women and Gender Studies.
• Digital Media: Earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in Digital Media, English, History, and Philosophy.
• Editing, Publishing, and Interdisciplinary Curating (EPIC): Earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in Art History, Creative Writing, Digital Media, English, History, Linguistics, and Literature.
• Public History: Earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in American History, English, History, and Philosophy.
• Rhetoric and Composition: Earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in English, History, and Philosophy.
• Scientific and Technical Communication: Earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in English, History, Linguistics, Literature, and Philosophy.
• Elective Courses - Interdisciplinary Electives (9 Credits):
• Earn at least 9 credits from any Area of Specialization or other university departments, subject to approval.
• Admission to Candidacy (3 Credits):
• ENC 7919 Doctoral Research (3)
• Students must pass a written candidacy examination with three parts.
• Dissertation and Oral Defense (15 Credits):
• ENC 7980 (15)
• Students must write and defend a dissertation proposal (prospectus) and a dissertation.
• Students must submit at least one scholarly article to a peer-reviewed journal or conference proceedings.

Assessment:

• Candidacy Examination: A written examination with three parts:
• One part based on a reading list reviewed biennially by the Texts and Technology faculty.
• Two parts based on reading lists prepared by each student and approved by the examination committee.
• Dissertation Proposal (Prospectus): Submitted during the first year of dissertation.
• Dissertation: A written dissertation that explains and defends a significant original contribution to the field of Texts and Technology.
• Oral Defense: The dissertation committee administers the candidate's oral defense of the dissertation.

Teaching:

• Faculty: The program boasts an internationally recognized faculty.
• Teaching Methods: The program emphasizes a rigorous curriculum delivered in a friendly environment.
• Unique Approaches: The program encourages students to maintain an interdisciplinary approach to their doctoral education.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Faculty member in Communication
• Faculty member in Digital Media
• Faculty member in Media Design
• Faculty member in Technical Communication
• Grant Writer
• Startup founder
• Technical Writer
• UX Designer

Other:

• Program Details: The program details section provides a more in-depth description of each Area of Specialization, including recommended methods courses and a list of suggested courses within each specialization.
• Internship: The program offers an internship option (ENG6947 - Internship in Texts and Technology) for students to gain practical experience.