Program Overview

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Introduction to the Digital Humanities Certificate

The Digital Humanities certificate is designed to provide students with practical skills in the field of digital humanities, enabling them to pursue a career in academia or the non-academic job market. The certificate is offered to students enrolled in faculties 01, 02, 08, 09, and 10 at the University of M𤦂ster.

Objectives of the Certificate

The objective of the Digital Humanities certificate is to equip students with fundamental competencies in the area of digital humanities. Upon completion of the certificate, students will have acquired a range of skills, including:

• Basic knowledge of information technology
• Competencies in the practical application of digital humanities methods
• Proficiency in at least one programming language and its practical applications in digital humanities
• Understanding of the requirements, possibilities, and challenges of digital data processing in the humanities
• Ability to transcend disciplinary boundaries in interdisciplinary exchange

Admission and Organization

To be eligible for the certificate, students must be enrolled in a degree program at the University of M𤦂ster. Students should register with the coordinator, Prof. Dr. Angelika Lohwasser, to be added to the list of participating students. Since the certificate is not an accredited degree program, credits will be recorded in an analog study book. Students should discuss their planned courses with the coordinator in advance and arrange for individual credit recognition and certification with the respective instructors. The completion of the certificate will be confirmed by the coordinator.

Curriculum

The certificate program consists of three modules:

• Modul 1: Informationstechnik (IT) - 8-12 LP
• Modul 2: Digital Humanities (DH) - 13-17 LP
• Modul 3: Profilbildung & Praxis - 5 LP

Total: 30 LP

Modul 1: Informationstechnik (IT)

Content and Objectives:

The objective of this module is to acquire fundamental competencies in the area of information technology. Students will learn basic knowledge of IT and at least one programming language.

Courses:

Students will participate in several courses offered by the WWU IT department. In consultation with the certificate coordinator, credits from other institutions may be recognized.

Electives:

Students must learn at least one programming language, such as Python. Additional courses may be chosen from areas like research data management, databases (e.g., MySQL), statistics (e.g., data analysis with SPSS Statistics), visualization (e.g., vector-based illustration), or digital publishing (e.g., with LaTeX).

Module-specific Participation Requirements:

None

Modul 2: Digital Humanities (DH)

Content and Objectives:

The objective of this module is to acquire fundamental competencies in the area of digital humanities. Students will learn practical methods in digital humanities.

Courses:

Students will participate in several courses offered by the participating faculties. In consultation with the certificate coordinator, credits from other institutions or summer schools may be recognized.

Electives:

Students will choose several courses that cover at least two areas from the thematic and methodological spectrum of DH research and teaching at the University of M𤦂ster, such as:

• Text and language (e.g., digital editions according to the standards of the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI))
• Space and time (e.g., handling Geographical or Spatial Information Systems (GIS or RIS))
• Image and object (e.g., 3D scans, prints, and simulations)
• Semantic web (e.g., Linked Open Data)
• Digitization and society

Module-specific Participation Requirements:

None

Modul 3: Profilbildung & Praxis

Content and Objectives:

In this module, students will develop a profile by acquiring practical competencies in individualized areas. Students will choose a manageable project that builds on a previously attended course or is linked to a research project at the University of M𤦂ster. The independent design and processing of the project will train students' ability to successfully complete a project in the field of DH. A critical examination of the results, evaluated against the background of the applied methodology, is also desired.

Courses:

A student project.

Electives:

The student project can emerge from a research project in the student's field of study, build on modules 1 or 2, or be designed in connection with a qualification thesis in the field of study.

Module-specific Participation Requirements:

Knowledge of at least one programming language and basics in DH.

Introductory Literature

A selection of literature that provides an initial insight into digital humanities can be found under "Methods and Tools".