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Digital Studies

Faculty

Professors Edwards, Goldsmith, Kozusko; Associate Professor McShane (co-coordinator); Iannicelli, LIT (co-coordinator)

Digital Studies is an interdisciplinary minor that introduces students to the approaches and mindsets they need to engage in digital work within and across disciplines. The minor provides students with curricular opportunities to develop the technical, analytic, and improvisational skills crucial to digital work. The minor invites students to explore questions closely linked to the Ursinus Quest, such as: “What should matter to us in an increasingly and inequitably digitized world?”, “how can disciplinary and cross-disciplinary approaches help us understand the digital world?”, and “what will I do to build and be a member of more equitable digital communities?”. With a focus on ethics and collaboration, the minor prepares students to be productive, engaged citizens in an increasingly digital world.

Requirements for Minors

To complete a minor in Digital Studies, students must complete 16–20 credits, distributed as follows:

  • DIGS-200 (four credits)

  • One course that provides practical knowledge of and experience with the skills necessary for success in digital environments: ART-107; CS-170Q, 173, 174; ENV-244; IDS-110 (Digital Marketing or Analytics), 301 (Problem Solving and Analysis with Python); MCS-210, 225, 327; MUS-226; special topics courses as appropriate (two – four credits)

  • One applied course that situates digital tools and theories within a disciplinary focus: BIO-425W, 428W; BIO/BCMB-429; BIO/NEUR-435W; ENV-003, 004, 005, 006, 338; HIST-175, 176, 200W; HIST/GWSS-375; MCS-208, 220, 318, 319, 335, 358, 363; POL-300, 358, 359, 452; SOC-255, 258; special topics courses as appropriate (four credits)

  • One applied, project-based course: DIGS-250, ENGL-250 (Podcasting Literature); ENV-332, 366; HIST/ENGL-212; HIST/MUS-203; CS-375; special topics courses as appropriate (four credits)

  • An additional applied experience, such as a second, project-based course or an XLP in digital studies: This may or may not be credit-bearing. It may include an approved internship; an independent study or honors in Digital Studies; participation in the Digital Spark program; at least one year of work as a Digital Liberal Arts fellow or a digitization assistant; or an approved Summer Fellows experience (zero – four credits);

  • A reflective activity: To complete the minor, students will complete a reflection to be reviewed by Program Coordinator(s) and/or supporting faculty. This is required for students who wish to use the minor to fulfill the LINQ requirement (zero credits).

To complete the minor, students should take courses from at least three disciplines.

Courses

DIGS-200. Introduction to Digital Studies

This course cultivates foundational knowledge in digital studies, providing students with an understanding of central questions in the field. In this course, students will examine what it means to be digitally literate. The course will address questions of power, privilege, and access that shape the digital world. Beginning with an historical overview, students will explore issues such as digital security and privacy, digital identities, and copyright and fair use. Along with this theoretical grounding, students will be introduced to key principles for project management and development, data analysis, visualization, and curation. While gaining familiarity with and thinking critically about a variety of tools and platforms, students will build projects that help them develop a context for informed, ethical choices about the use of technology. Required for the digital studies minor. Offered every other year. Three hours a week. Four semester hours. (LINQ.)

DIGS-250. Introduction to Game Studies

What is the role of games in our society? Can a game motivate social change? What makes one game more engaging than another? In this course, students will explore the game industry, game culture, and the purpose and effects of games. They will gain considerable experience with gameplay and evaluation and ultimately design and market their own game. Three hours per week. Four semester hours. (A. SS, LINQ if concurrently enrolled in CS-476 or ENTR-101.)