English for a Career in Digital Humanities
Almost every career today is highly dependent on computer technology — email and the internet at minimum.
And there is an increasing demand for individuals who can design and create dynamic websites, edit media files, build databases and mine data.
"[With] the competition in tech… the edge will go to those institutions that can effectively employ imagination, metaphor, and most of all, storytelling—not just creative writing, but every discipline in the humanities, from the classics to rhetoric to philosophy. Twenty-first century storytelling: multimedia, mass customizable, portable and scalable, drawing upon the myths and archetypes of the ancient world, on ethics, and upon a deep understanding of human nature and even religious faith."
Michael S. Malone
Wall Street Journal
Students who combine technical know-how with the core skills of an English major — the ability to think creatively and critically, to offer well-supported interpretations of complex situations, and to communicate effectively to any given audience — increase their career options regardless of their career choice. As Geoff Colvin, Fortune’s senior editor in charge, puts it: “the most valuable people of all will be those who combine technical knowledge with the skills and sensibilities built by study of the humanities.”
What is digital humanities (DH)?
Digital Humanities (DH) is a broad term that is used to mean many things.
[I]t’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing.Steve Jobs
One way to define DH is as an umbrella term used to describe multi-media content (including text, images, audio, and video) from the disciplines in the humanities that has been made available electronically (usually via the Internet).
What can digital humanists do?
Chances are you use electronic resources created by people who could be called Digital Humanists every day: things like Wikipedia, e-books, assorted smart phone apps, and even some video games. Simply put, DH in its many forms is nearly everywhere you look.
For example, digital humanists often work with non-profit organizations, such as universities, libraries, and/or museums, to preserve historical/cultural documents and create free online access to information. DH-ers helped build things like Global Middle Ages, Project Gutenberg, What’s on the Menu?, DIY History, and UND’s own digital collections (many of which were built with the help of UND English majors).
Individuals with a background in humanities computing also join the business world. They can work with online publishers like Thomson Reuters; they can find a place in Silicon Valley; and they can even be video game developers at places like BioWare.
Digital Humanists can find careers with libraries, museums, businesses (big and small), educational institutions, government entities and non-profit organizations.
Learn more from the Association for Computers and the Humanities, the US-based professional society for the digital humanities.
UND English and Digital Humanities
If you would like to know more about how to bring together an English major with a career related to digital humanities, contact Crystal Alberts at crystal.alberts@UND.edu or Justin Wigard at justin.wigard@UND.edu. Professors Alberts and Wigard can help you decide on classes that will complement your English degree for careers in digital humanities; research internships and career opportunities; and can help you put together a resume and application letter.