As of the 2016-2017 academic year, a new Graduate Certificate in Textual and Digital Studies will be available to UW graduate students. The Certificate builds on a program that has existed since the late 1990s, and seeks to provide greater accessibility to students from various schools and disciplines. FIS Associate Professor Geoffrey Turnovsky, co-director of the Certificate, spoke to the importance and relevance of textual and digital studies: "We are living in an era of rapid technological change that affects how we communicate," he said. "To understand that, we have to look at the larger historical background. Rather than studying different contexts separately to understand the transmission of texts, we are interested in the interactions between these technologies and how they impact one another."
The coursework involved in the Certificate will give students an in-depth look at the historical layers of manuscript and digital technologies with which humans communicate. The program is open to many different students, from those in MA and Professional schools to those seeking design degrees in the Art School. "There are many aspects for students to study, such as typography, information layout and the history of text," Turnovsky said. "The Certificate provides both practical and historical orientation, and is a credential that may expand the range of professional opportunities for graduate students and be useful in the job market."
The coursework is comprised of 16 credits: one required course, a choice of electives and a quarter-long capstone. For more information, visit the Textual Studies Program site.
Required course: “Textual Theory and Practice” (ENG 501/ C LIT 551/ FREN 551 — next offered AU 2016)
Core electives offered in the upcoming year:
- “Studies in Print Culture and Publication” (ENG 503/ C LIT 553/ FREN 553 — next offered WI 2017)
- “Digital Literary and Textual Studies” (ENG 504/ C LIT 554 — next offered SP 2017)
- “Seminar in Translation Studies” (ASIAN 590 — next offered SP 2017)
- “History of Recorded Information” (LIS 508 — next offered WI 2017)
- “Digital Humanities Librarianship” (LIS 529 — next offered SP 2017)
If you are interested in applying for the Certificate, contact either Jeffrey Todd Knight (jtknight@uw.edu) or Geoffrey Turnovsky (gt2@uw.edu).