Digital Humanities Graduate Certificate Programs

Updated: Oct 31, 2024

Digital Humanities refers to an applied method of studying human sciences – utilizing literature and language, culture, history, traditions, and creativity – and using information technology to study and analyze them. This is an ideal certificate to help graduates of many of the social sciences to work in their fields with niche skills.

A Digital Humanities Graduate Certificate is a great way to take your existing qualifications and apply them to a range of careers, opening more doors than you previously had.

What Are the Online Digital Humanities Graduate Certificate Requirements?

A few universities across the country offer digital humanities graduate certificates. However, you will need to fulfill a number of requirements in order for them to consider your application:

An academic requirement in the form of a minimum GPA rating. This can be as low as 2.5 or as high as 3.5, though the average is 3.0
Copies of transcripts proving that you have all academic prerequisites to begin the program
Some graduate certificates are only open to students who are already enrolled with that college on a master's program
A personal statement detailing your interests
Some ask for an essay to address a specific industry question to determine your practical knowledge
Letters of recommendation: two or three are normal
Introductory courses as prerequisites – either as part of your master's or independently
Proof of English proficiency if you do not speak English as a first language, or your previous academic study was in another language. TOEFL, PTE, and IELTS are accepted. Some accept DuoLingo

What Types of Classes Are Included in the Online Digital Humanities Certificate Curriculum?

Graduate certificates in digital humanities are made up of a range of relevant subjects. Below is a sample of the courses you might take:

Introduction to Digital Humanities
Digital Public History
Teaching and Learning History in the Digital Age
Internship in Applied History
Spatial History: Concepts, Methods, Problems
Quantitative Models and Literary Form: Advanced Methods in Digital Humanities
Literary Modeling
Digital Humanities Methods for Classics
Image Processing and Analysis
Advanced Audio Production
Game Design
Documentary Production
Media in Performance
Modern Web Programming
Introduction to GIS
Remote Sensing
Information Retrieval
Information Visualization
Advanced Interactive Media

What Type of Career Can I Pursue with an Online Digital Humanities Graduate Certificate?

Upon completing such a program, your career options include some of the following:

Web Designer: If you have or are looking to develop website coding skills, your multiple talents will be useful for a number of industries – but particularly in areas of public interest.
Digital Communications Professional: Digital media is no longer an afterthought, although many organizations have yet to update their policies. Your background is advantageous.
UX Designer: If coding is not for you but you enjoy or are skilled in understanding what people need from websites, UX design may be your ideal career – designing sites people want to use.
Digital Archivist / Librarian: Heritage and culture, libraries, and archives are increasingly going digital for wider distribution and modernization. You may be responsible for uploading, managing, and presenting such resources.
Museum Director / Curator: Similarly, museums are also utilizing the web for better communications and outreach. Requires similar skills to librarians and archivists.
Digital Publishing: Magazines, news sites, both digital and print use digital services to expand their outreach and so your skills in technical areas are useful for telling stories.