2015-74

Arizona State University
University Senate
Spring 2015

Senate Motion #2015-74

Motion Introduced by: Curriculum and Academic Programs Committee, Kathleen Puckett, Chair

Date of First Reading: April 20, 2015

Date of Second Reading: August 31, 2015

Title of Motion: Request from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences – School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies – for the establishment of a graduate certificate – Digital Humanities

Action Requested: This curricular proposal has received all college, school, unit and university administrative approvals, and is being presented to the Senate for review and voting decision.

Rationale: The digital revolution has transformed every discipline in the university, including humanities and qualitative social science fields. The graduate certificate in Digital Humanities will provide graduate students with methods and skills central to conducting humanities research that employs both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Specifically, it is designed to provide graduate students in the humanities and social science with cross training in interdisciplinary collaboration, project-based communication skills, and the simultaneous application of quantitative and qualitative research skills.

This certificate highlights an area of excellence within ASU that has emerged across its colleges, schools, and departments. It is integral to the effort of transforming the humanities at ASU into new transdisciplinary configurations. Additionally, the certificate is a key component of a strategic initiative in graduate education funded by the Andrew W. Mellon foundation and the Modern Language Association, which is meant to enrich and enhance the skillsets available to graduate students in humanities and social science at Arizona State University. Trends in academic employment suggest that there has been a forty-three percent increase in Digital Humanities academic positions listed by the Modern Language Association from 2008-2012.