Digital Humanities

Overview

Our course in Digital Humanities brings digital theory and practice to the study of human culture: from history, English and music to museums, digital publishing and more.

Digital technology provides many new opportunities and challenges to those working with textual, visual or multimedia content. Using critical theory, case studies and hands-on project-based exercises, our course studies the history and current state of digital knowledge production, exploring theoretical and practical challenges in modelling, curating, analysing and interpreting digital representations of human culture in all its forms, past and present.

Leads to careers in cultural heritage, publishing and web- based businesses.

Key Benefits

This course in a world-leading department is highly multidisciplinary and draws on a wide range of expertise in data-driven research, web technologies, digital publishing, open software and content creation, digital cultural heritage, coding in humanities/cultural contexts and maps, apps and the Geoweb.
The course provides opportunities to scope, build and critique practical experiments in digital research with an arts, humanities, social sciences or cultural sector focus.
Through the optional internship module students can have direct access to some of the world’s most important culture and media institutions.
The MA can lead to further research or to careers in cultural heritage institutions (such as museums, libraries, and archives), in the creative and cultural sector, in multimedia and new media companies, in internet companies, in publishing houses, and in web-based businesses in London and overseas.

Key information

Application status Open

Duration One year FT, two years PT, September to September.

Study mode Full-time, Part-time

Credit value UK 180/ECTS 90

Course intake 20-25 per annum

Course leaders

Paul Spence: paul.spence@kcl.ac.uk;

Admissions Tutor: Marta Musso: marta.musso@kcl.ac.uk

Further details

Course contact for further information

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/enquiry-form.aspx

Postgraduate Admissions Team, Admissions Office tel: +44 (0) 20 7848 7000 fax: +44 (0) 20 7848 7200

Course contact form Postgraduate admissions

Awarding institution King's College London

Faculty Faculty of Arts & Humanities

Department Department of Digital Humanities

Locations

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In the heart of London

Find out more about the programmes on offer in the Digital Humanities Department at King's.

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Course detail

Description

In an age where so much of what we do is mobile, networked and mediated by digital culture and technology, digital humanities play an important role in exploring how we create and share knowledge. On this course, we will develop and enhance your awareness and understanding of a range of subjects that are relevant to the digitally mediated study of human culture, including:

How we model human culture using computers and how we can create memory and knowledge environments which facilitate new insights or new ways of working with the human record.
How the ethos of openness that the internet encourages – open access, open data – influences the knowledge economy.
The role of digital culture in changing concepts of authorship, editing and publication.
The potential application and limitations of big data techniques to further the study of human culture in an era of information overload.
The place of coding in our digital interactions with culture and cultural heritage.

We will give you a broad understanding of the most important applications of digital methods and technologies to humanities research questions and what they do and don’t allow us to do. You will be able to scope, build and critique practical experiments in digital research with an arts, humanities and cultural sector focus, and you will learn to provide critical commentary on the relationship between creativity, digital technology and the study of human culture.

Course format and assessment

Teaching

If you are a full-time student, we will provide 120 to 180 hours of teaching through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 1674 hours of independent study.

If you are a part-time student, we will provide 90 hours of teaching through lectures and seminars in your first year, and 50 hours in your second. We will expect you to undertake 720 hours of independent study in your first year and 954 hours in your second.

We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Assessment

Your performance will be assessed through coursework. Forms of assessment may typically include essays, project work and reports. Coursework contributes 100% to your final mark.

Location

This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand Campus.

Our location in the heart of London means that you will have easy access to the wealth of cultural opportunities that one world’s most vibrant and dynamic cities offer. You will also benefit from our own extensive facilities and resources.

Regulating body

King’s College London is regulated by the Office for Students.

Structure

Year 1

Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 180 credits.

Required Modules

You are required to take:

Introduction to Digital Humanities (40 credits)
Coding and the Humanities (20 credits)
Dissertation (60 credits)

Optional Modules

In addition, you are required to take four modules totalling 60 credits from a list of options that may typically include:

· Curating & Preserving Digital Culture (20 credits)

· Communication & Consumption of Cultural Heritage (20 credits)

· Digital Storytelling (20 credits)

· Music and Sound in Digital Societies (20 credits)

· Artificial Intelligence & Society (20 credits)

· Web Technologies (20 credits)

· Global Digital Audiences (20 credits)

· Digital Innovation (20 credits)

· Digital Publishing (20 credits)

· Data Journalism (20 credits)

· Social Media, Marketing and Platforms (20 credits)

· Digital Asset And Media Management Technologies In Practice (20 credits)

· Management for Digital Content Industries (20 credits)

· Digital Media, Digital Marketing (20 credits)

· Up to 20 credits from master’s modules offered in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, subject to approvals

If you are a part-time student, you will take Introduction to Digital Humanities and Coding and the Humanities in your first year, and your dissertation in your second.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Entry requirements & how to apply

Digital Humanities MA Entry Requirements
Minimum requirements	2:1	Bachelor’s degree with 2:1 honours in any Arts or Humanities subject. No prior computing experience is required beside basic digital literacy: email, web browsing and word processing. In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme.
International requirements		Visit our admissions webpages to view our International entry requirements.
English Language requirements	Band C	Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.

Application procedure

Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £70 applies.

Your application will be assessed by two members of staff. We normally interview applicants, either in person or by phone if overseas, and you are welcome to call the department to arrange a visit. We aim to process all applications within four to six weeks although this may take longer in February and March, and over holiday periods.

Personal statement and supporting information

You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

Digital Humanities checklist
Personal Statement	Yes	A personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages).
Previous Academic Study	Yes	A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
References	Yes	One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago. In some cases, we may request an additional reference from you.
Other	Optional	Applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application.

Application closing date

We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible. Our first application deadline is the 26^th March 2021. After this date, the programme will remain open only if places are still available and will be closed as soon as it is full.

For programmes that remain open beyond this date, the final application deadlines for the following fee statuses are listed below:

EU or overseas (international) fee status: 30^th July 2021
Home fee status: 27^th August 2021

Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if you apply after the first application deadline in March, and we are unable to process more offers as places are filled before the final application deadlines above.

Help and support

If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, or if English isn't your first language, our academic preparation courses can help you get ready for study in the UK.

Preparation courses

Fees and funding

Full time Home fees: £10,500 per year (2021/22)
Full time overseas fees: £27,900 per year (2021/22)
Part time Home fees: £5,250 per year (2021/22)
Part time overseas fees: £13,950 per year (2021/22)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Deposit

When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.

The UK deposit is £500.

The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000.

If you receive an offer on or before 31st March, payment is due by 30^th April 2021.
If you receive an offer between 1st April and 30th June, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
If you receive an offer between 1st July and 31st July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
If you receive an offer on or after 1st August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
If you receive an offer from late August onwards, payment is due within 2 days of receiving the offer.

If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Additional costs/expenses

In addition to your tuition fees, you can also expect to pay for:

books if you choose to buy your own copies
clothing for optional course related events and competitions
library fees and fines
personal photocopies
printing course handouts
society membership fees
stationery
travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
graduation costs

Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

Financial help and support

Visit the fees and funding webpages to find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans and other financial help available at King's.

Career prospects

Employers are looking for skilled professionals with knowledge and expertise in applying digital methodologies to the study of human culture. Our MA responds to a demand for highly digital literate professionals in educational and heritage sectors, as well as in publishing, digital media and creative/cultural sectors.

Research managers and other professionals in cultural industries work with a wide variety of data, technologies and methodological approaches. A critical perspective, adaptability to change and the ability to get familiar with new technologies quickly are greatly valued skills.

Graduates of Digital Humanities have followed a number of different routes. Some have pursued careers in the academic and research sector, some have undertaken PhD studies, and some have found work in the cultural heritage industries, in publishing houses, and in web-based businesses in London and overseas.

Testimonials

Hannah

I was honored to study with leaders in the field of digital humanities, from whom I gained considerable knowledge of not only humanities computing but also the field of digital humanities itself. I draw on and build upon this knowledge every day, putting to use both practical skills and critical techniques. The course in Digital Humanities changed forever my understandings of computation and scholarship, giving me the ability to continue advancing my digital knowledge in productive ways that have greatly impacted my career.

Digital Humanities MA Alumna

Blue box with King's College London rankings. Starting with, 7th in the UK for research quality. Followed by, 6th in the UK for research power. Concluding with, 4th among multi-faculty universities for research Impact. The source is research excellence framework 2014

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Digital Humanities MA

Overview

Key Benefits

Key information

Further details

Locations