Digital Humanities and Social Sciences (ARTS30003)

Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 1
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How has computation changed research in the Humanities and Social Sciences? What new methods and ways of thinking have been enabled by digital technology? Does ‘analogue’ research still have a place in the digital age? These are the motivating questions of Digital Humanities and Social Sciences, a showcase subject in which students will meet researchers from across the University of Melbourne who are using digital methods to transform their disciplines. Most weeks of the subject, students will meet a guest lecturer who will present their own digital research project. In hands-on workshops, students will try out their digital methodology, and reflect on how digital technology is transforming the disciplines. Students will meet lecturers from many disciplines, from sociology to literary studies. Each guest will present a different method, be it digital text analysis, 3D modelling, flight simulation or network analysis. The precise mixture of disciplines and methods will change from year to year, depending on the current activities of researchers.

 

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Critically discuss the implications of digital technologies for scholarship in the humanities and social sciences disciplines
  • Critically appraise some of the new modes of analysis and interpretation made possible by the mass digitisation of cultural materials
  • Provide insights into the ways advances in some digital disciplines might be applied in other areas
  • Appraise how critical questions and frameworks of the humanities and social sciences disciplines have shaped and transformed the use of technical skills.

Generic skills

At the completion of this subject, students should gain the following generic skills:

  • Critical reading, thinking and analytic skills
  • Capacity to critically evaluate the implications of digital technologies for scholarship in the HASS disciplines
  • Capacity to understand how the critical frameworks of the HASS disciplines have shaped and transformed the use of data technologies skills.

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Seminar Leadership - Students will be allocated one seminar to lead as a group

  • 800 words (equivalent)
Throughout the semester20%

Seminar Reflection – Individually, write a reflective essay on your allocated week.

  • 800 words
Week 1220%

Research essay

  • 2400 words
During the examination period60%
Hurdle requirement: 1. Attendance hurdle requirement: This subject has a minimum requirement of 80% attendance at tutorials, seminars, or workshops. There is an expectation that students attend lectures.Throughout the teaching periodN/A
Hurdle requirement: 2. Late Penalty and Assessment hurdle requirement: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at five per cent (5%) of the possible marks available for the assessment task per day or part thereof. All pieces of assessment must be submitted to pass the subject. Each submitted assessment must be complete, constitute a genuine attempt to address the requirements of the task and will not be accepted after 20 University business days from the original assessment due date without written approval. Throughout the semesterN/A

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Dates & times

  • Semester 1
    CoordinatorMichael Falk
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hoursTotal of 30 contact hours: 1-hour seminar and 1.5-hour workshop per week for 12 weeks.
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period 3 March 2025 to 1 June 2025
    Last self-enrol date14 March 2025
    Census date31 March 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025
    Assessment period ends27 June 2025

    Semester 1 contact information

    michael.falk@unimelb.edu.au

What do these dates mean

Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:

  • Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
  • And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
       -  Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
     

    Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Further information

Last updated: 4 March 2025