Events Further Training 'Digital Humanities'

The humanities are increasingly turning to digital methods in research. But what does that actually mean? And how does it work in the humanities?

Alongside a wide range of new methods, the field of ‘Digital Humanities’ has emerged as a distinct area of research that utilises digital tools to analyse a diverse range of subjects, whilst also reflecting on the function and value of these new methods for the humanities.

The continuing professional development programme ‘Digitality and Digital Methods in the Humanities’ introduces participants to the fundamentals of research using digital methods through three key areas. Acquiring additional digital knowledge and skills is beneficial both for a career in academia and in non-academic professional fields.

key information about the offer

Two different options for the continuing professional development programme are offered. After acquiring a basic understanding of methods and tools in Pillar 1, ‘Methods and Tools’, participants proceed to either Pillar 2A, ‘Reflection on Digitality in the Humanities’, or Pillar 2B, ‘Programming and Development’. The third pillar of the continuing education programme is designed as a standalone component; this may take the form of an academic thesis or a project-based placement (Pillar 3 – ‘Final Project’).

Upon successful completion of the programme, participants are awarded a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS). The certificate is recognised throughout Europe through the award of ECTS credits.

The programme is structured around individual interdisciplinary courses offered by Heidelberg University. These have been brought together within the continuing education programme and organised into the outlined research field pillars, each with assigned thematic blocks. Given the diversity of the research field, the programme offers as broad a range as possible, with thematically organised modules across all components of the continuing education programme. Due to this potentially broad scope and its interdisciplinary compatibility, the programme is designed to be flexible. In this way, it aims to keep pace with the dynamic field of DH through a changing range of seminars and courses.

The continuing education programme is aimed at students of all disciplines, but particularly those in the humanities. A prerequisite for the certificate is a bachelor’s degree, which must already have been obtained. The certificate can then be completed alongside one’s degree studies and is free of charge. Depending on the courses on offer and the number of modules taken, the programme is designed to last between two and four semesters. The programme is also open to PhD students or staff at Heidelberg University who hold a relevant university degree and whose professional experience is relevant to the subject matter of the CAS.

The continuing education programme is based at the Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies (CATS), which organises and administers the programme in cooperation with the Heidelberg Centre for Digital Humanities (HCDH).

This continuing education programme is intended as a pilot project, which will commence in the winter semester 2021/2022 and aims to meet the existing demand for focused skills development in the field of digital humanities.

Aufbau des CAS

The central pillar is dedicated to the area of ‘Methods and Tool Knowledge’. Accordingly, the core module will cover topics relating to methods (and methodological knowledge) in the digital humanities across various disciplinary contexts. In the specialisation area, a more differentiated focus on the respective areas of interest within digital text, image and object work is then possible.

If you choose the advanced pillar in Option 2A, you will focus on the area of ‘Reflection on Digitality in the Humanities’. This will address questions of application-oriented skills relating to self-organisation, the interdisciplinary nature of Digital Humanities, aspects of digitality in research, and the handling of data. Depending on the courses on offer, topics relating to key aspects of the Digital Humanities (DH) – such as data literacy, data management, information and media literacy, or Open Science – will be covered. The specialisation module will then address more advanced questions concerning digitality in the humanities.

If you choose the specialisation module in Option 2B, you will focus on the area of ‘Programming and Development’. Here, you will acquire basic knowledge of one or more key programming languages. You can learn the fundamental concepts for writing your own programme code and, depending on the courses on offer, how to work with databases. The specialisation module will then focus on in-depth knowledge of one or more programming languages.

Graduation

Both versions of the CAS are equivalent and are designed to allow for a greater focus on programming issues or on theoretical and academic discourse.

Both specialisations culminate in a practical module, for which you can choose between a final dissertation and a work placement.

To complete the CAS, you need a total of 20 LP.

CAS - an interdisciplinary project

The CAS was developed by the ‘Heidelberg Forum for Digital Humanities’ (HFDH) in collaboration with a large number of lecturers from various disciplines and is now run by the ‘Heidelberg Centre for Digital Humanities’ (HCDH).

Key partners of the CAS are:

Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies (CATS)
Heidelberg Centre for Cultural Heritage (HCCH)
Heidelberg School of Education (HSE)
Department of Geography – Geoinformatics
Department of German Studies – Linguistics
heiSKILLS – Teaching & Learning Unit
Interdisciplinary Forum for Digital Textual Studies (InfoDiTex)
Institute of Computer Science
Institute for Translation and Interpreting (IÜD)
Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR)
Scientific Software Centre (SSC)
Institute of Slavic Studies – Linguistics
Heidelberg University Library
Centre for Classical Studies – Institute for Prehistory, Early History and Near Eastern Archaeology
Centre for Classical Studies – Institute for Papyrology
Centre for European History and Cultural Studies – Institute for the Study of Religions
Heidelberg Academy of Sciences

OpenHPI

AI Campus

Contacts

For further information on the continuing professional development programme, please contact

Dr Florian Nieser
florian.nieser@uni-heidelberg.de

If you have any questions regarding registration for the continuing professional development programme, please contact

Dr Takuma Melber
takuma.melber@hcts.uni-heidelberg.de