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Aug 23, 2024
The widespread influence of digital media and tools in almost every aspect of contemporary life requires new literacy skills for understanding and using digital technologies. Regardless of their specialized major program, students will work and evolve in environments that increasingly rely on digital tools and platforms to create and share information. To address this need, the Digital Studies Minor provides ways for students from all disciplines to develop essential digital literacy skills by exploring the role of digital tools and becoming productive and ethical digital citizens.
Students must earn 21 credits to complete the minor. Focused on theory and practice, the Digital Studies curriculum helps students gain experience using digital tools and develop a complex understanding of digital cultures. The curriculum covers topics such as:
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Artificial intelligence
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Ethics and digital culture
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Multimedia production
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Data design and data literacy
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Social media
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Digital preservation
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Digital identity and representation
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Digital games and culture
With its focus on learning how "to use, create, evaluate, and engage critically with digital technologies to complete tasks safely and ethically in professional and civic contexts" (Digital Literacy Definition, Provost's office) and its relevance for and connections to all disciplines, the Digital Studies program plays an essential role in the advancement of digital literacy for all students.
You can find more information about the program and its requirements using the links at the top of this page. Contact us if you have any questions ([email protected]). The Digital Studies minor is a program in the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies.
What Students Say about the Program
"The Digital studies minor introduced me to resources that I can use creatively and professionally. It is a minor that you can curate to complement yourself in whatever profession you choose. In addition to my ENS major, it has helped me discover opportunities to incorporate design within the natural world." (Erica LaBar, 2022)
"The Digital Studies minor has given me new ways to use my skills to tell stories for communities and nonprofit organizations that I care deeply about. Understanding the tools and practices of our shared digital experiences is a condition for compassionate design." (Kathryn Atkinson, 2019).
"I can now inspect code to gain a basic understanding of how a site is built through programming language, which has allowed me to start thinking more about how websites but also the Internet operate on a deeper level." (Chelsea Best, 2019)
"Through the minor, I have learned how to operate a camera, code with HTML and CSS, implement proper web design, and much more. Not only have I learned different tools that will help me in my future career, I also learned how to use them ethically." (Hunter Burin, 2019)
"The minor has led me to become a more responsible digital citizen. We do not owe it to anyone to be easily reached and easily connected to. No one is entitled to our connectivity or our attention." (Taylor Lampar, 2019)
"Being introduced to diverse perspectives and learning new digital tools has enabled me to remain open-minded and empathetic on digital platforms." (Hailey Pieprzyk, 2019)
"The Digital Studies program encouraged me to pursue all of my varying passions at a time when I thought they only existed at odds with each other. I love writing, graphic design, web design, programming, art, sociology, history, and philosophy. The program’s focus on production and culture gave me not only the tools to shape the digital world, but the knowledge to understand how the digital world shapes us.” (Sarah Wood, 2019) (More Alumni stories)
Digital Skills Consultants
Digital Skills Consultants are trained to help students with a variety of software, programs, and technology. Visit the Digital Creator Lab webpage to make an appointment.