Course Overview
This page focuses on the course CMS.633 Digital Humanities as it was taught by Dr. Kurt Fendt in Spring 2015.
This course examines the theory and practice of using computational methods in the emerging field of digital humanities. It develops an understanding of key digital humanities concepts through the study of contemporary research, in conjunction with working on real-world projects for scholarly, educational, and public needs.
Throughout the course, students engage in discussions about readings, do hands-on projects, explore digital humanities tools and techniques, and learn from guest speakers who work in museums, libraries, and research settings. Additionally, students annotate readings using the tool Annotation Studio.
Course Outcomes
Course Goals for Students
- Learn how computational methods are used in the field of digital humanities
- Understand key digital humanities concepts, such as data representation, digital archives, information visualization, and user interaction
- Examine contemporary research in the field
- Create prototypes, write design papers, and conduct user studies to engage in real-world digital humanities projects
Curriculum Information
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for the course. Some programming and design experience is helpful but not required.
Requirements Satisfied
HASS-H 
Offered
Every spring semester
Instructor Insights
Dr. Kurt Fendt, Principal Research Associate in Comparative Media Studies/Writing and Executive Director of HyperStudio – Digital Humanities at MIT (Image by Jonathan Sachs Photography. © MIT).
In the pages below, Dr. Kurt Fendt and teaching assistant, Andrew Kelleher Stuhl, describe various aspects of how they taught CMS.633 Digital Humanities.
- Digital Humanities at MIT
- Digital Humanities Course Projects
- Situating Digital Humanities Projects in Real-World Contexts
- Annotation Studio
- Course Iteration
Assessment
The students’ grades were based on the following activities:
- 40% Final project, including a design paper and a prototype
- 20% Short projects
- 15% Presentations and project updates
- 15% Class participation
- 10% Annotation Studio
Student Information
Enrollment
14 students
Breakdown by Year
Mostly Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
Breakdown by Major
Variety of majors
Typical Student Background
This course attracted a wide range of students. Many of the students were interested in the course because it offered them an opportunity to work on design-based projects. Some students, who came from comparative media studies or other humanities majors, were excited to do some hands-on technical work. Other students, who routinely engage in technical work in fields like computer science, were interested in filtering that technological proficiency through a critical lens. Students in this latter group also saw this course as an opportunity to learn about an assemblage of tools and then to use that knowledge to create something original in their fields that could advance their research interests.
How Student Time Was Spent
During an average week, students were expected to spend 12 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:
In Class
- Met 1 time per week for 3 hours per session; 14 sessions total.
- Class sessions included reading discussions, demonstrations of tools and techniques, and hands-on project work time.
- Some class sessions featured guest speakers.
Out of Class
- Sudents completed project work and used Annotation Studio to annotate readings.
