Digital Humanities (MA)
As of Fall 2026, this program is no longer accepting applicants.
The Master of Arts in Digital Humanities program at Loyola University’s Center for Textual Studies and Digital Humanities (CTSDH) combines theoretical and practical courses. Its aims are ultimately practical and professional, training new digital specialists for the growing knowledge and information economy and today’s research in humanities disciplines.
Because the nature of much Digital Humanities work is constructive and project-based, students in the MA program will be given hands-on training in the workshop or seminar-based classes, such as training in text editing and markup, programming, interface design, project management, and digital archive construction. The MA program also explores theoretical, critical, social, and ethical contexts for thinking about Digital Humanities research and applications, including issues of data ethics, design justice, archive theories, public humanities, and digital preservation. The Master of Arts in Digital Humanities program was designed with partner departments including Computer Science, English, and History for students with interdisciplinary interests. We encourage students with interests at the intersection of culture and technology to consider this degree, which allows one to elect courses from the various partner departments.
The Digital Humanities (MA) also offers an Accelerated Master's Pathway for Undergraduate students to complete their Graduate studies in a fifth year. Further details of the AMP, including the suggested sequence of courses, can be found under the Curriculum tab.
Related Programs
Curriculum
The MA in Digital Humanities requires coursework totaling 30 credit hours and the completion of a capstone project. Students take six (6) core seminars in addition to a faculty-led practicum and two electives within the field of their choosing. In a student’s final semesters they will work with faculty members to design and build their own digital research project.
Seminar topics range from an introduction to the methods and methodology of the field, to special topics in public history, design, research methods, textual criticism, human-computer interface, and web application development. Courses emphasize both discussion of the theories that shape and define the field of Digital Humanities as well as hands-on project building. Coursework is designed to provide technical skills to humanities students, as well as humanistic scholarly research methods to those with a technical or computer science background.
Besides the traditional Master's program, the Digital Humanities (MA) is also offered as an Accelerated Master's Pathway where exceptional students can complete the program in a fifth year. A suggested sequence for the AMP can be found below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Curriculum | 18 | |
| Introduction to Digital Humanities Research 1 | ||
| Digital Humanities Design 1 | ||
| Introduction to Web Application Development | ||
| Object-Oriented Programming 1 | ||
| Social and Ethical Issues in Computing 1 | ||
| Textual Criticism 1 | ||
| Two 400-Level Electives Chosen with Advisor 2 | 6 | |
| DIGH 500 | Digital Humanities Practicum | 3 |
| DIGH 501 | Digital Humanities Project | 3 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
This course may be used by students in the Accelerated Master's Pathway in their senior year.
- 2
Electives can be any 400-level course but do check to see if there are course prerequisites. Suggested departments for elective course offerings include English, History, Communications, Environmental Sustainability, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Theology. Students who have met necessary pre-requisites may be eligible to take other 400-level Computer Science classes, with approval from the Chair of Computer Science. Please confer with the Graduate Program Director for assistance.
Evaluation
Each student will produce a capstone project in one of their final courses (DIGH 501 Digital Humanities Project) under the direction of an advisor; the capstone will demonstrate knowledge and skills gained in coursework and will address one or more key problems in digital humanities research or applications.
Suggested Sequence of Courses
Traditional Master's Program
For full-time students; students taking the program part-time will work with the Graduate Program Director to plan their coursework.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| DIGH 400 | Introduction to Digital Humanities Research | 3 |
| DIGH 401 / COMP 400A | Introduction to Computing | 3 |
| ENGL 413 | Textual Criticism | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| DIGH 402 | Digital Humanities Design | 3 |
| COMP 417 | Social and Ethical Issues in Computing | 3 |
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| DIGH 500 | Digital Humanities Practicum | 3 |
| DIGH 403 | Introduction to Web Application Development | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| DIGH 501 | Digital Humanities Project | 3 |
| Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Accelerated Master's Pathway
Students can take up to 12 credit hours in the senior year with admission to the AMP. These credits are shared between the Bachelor's and Master's programs.
| Senior | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| DIGH 400 | Introduction to Digital Humanities Research | 3 |
| DIGH 401 / COMP 400A | Introduction to Computing | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| DIGH 402 | Digital Humanities Design | 3 |
| ENGL 413 or COMP 417 |
Textual Criticism 1 or Social and Ethical Issues in Computing |
3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Master's | ||
| Fall | ||
| DIGH 403 | Introduction to Web Application Development | 3 |
| DIGH 500 | Digital Humanities Practicum | 3 |
| COMP 417 or ENGL 413 |
Social and Ethical Issues in Computing 1 or Textual Criticism |
3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| DIGH 501 | Digital Humanities Project | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Students can take a choice of either ENGL 413 or COMP 417 in the Senior year. Students must take the other course in their Master's year.
Guidelines for Accelerated Master's Pathways
In Accelerated Master’s Pathways, students share limited, authorized credits between their Undergraduate and Graduate degrees to facilitate completion of both degrees in a shorter amount of time. Shared credits are Graduate level credit hours (400-level or higher) taken during the Undergraduate career and then applied both to the Undergraduate degree and towards Graduate program requirements.
Admission and Matriculation
Accelerated Master's Pathways are designed to enhance opportunities for advanced training for Loyola’s Undergraduates. Admission to these programs is competitive and will depend upon a positive review of credentials by the Graduate program. Accordingly, the admission requirements for these programs may be higher than those required if the Master’s degree were pursued entirely after the receipt of a Bachelor’s degree.
Students enrolled in an Accelerated Master's Pathway who choose not to continue to the Master’s degree program upon completion of the Bachelor’s degree will face no consequences.
Ideally, a student will apply for admission to an AMP program as they approach 90 credit hours in their Undergraduate career.
Students will not officially matriculate into the Master’s degree program and be labeled as a Graduate student by the university, with accompanying changes to tuition and Financial Aid (see below), until the Undergraduate degree has been awarded. Once admitted to the Graduate program, students must meet the academic standing requirements of their Graduate program as they complete the program curriculum.
Advising and Registration
Students in their final Undergraduate year will work with Advising in the home School of their Bachelor's program(s), as well as the Graduate Program Director of the Master’s program. Any 400-level or higher courses that the student plans to enroll in should be reviewed by both advisors to ensure that these courses will complete requirements for both degrees.
Registration in Graduate level courses during the Undergraduate year may require assistance from the Graduate Program Director and/or the student’s current academic advisor to enroll.
Shared Credits
Only courses taken at the 400-level or higher will count toward the Graduate program. At the Undergraduate level, students are restricted to enrolling in and sharing up to the number of Graduate level credits explicitly indicated in the catalog for their selected AMP program.
In general, Graduate level coursework should not be taken prior to admission into the Accelerated Master's Pathway. Exceptions may be granted for professional programs where curriculum for the Accelerated Master's Pathway is designed to begin earlier. On the recommendation of the program’s Graduate Program Director, students may take one of their Graduate level courses before they are admitted to the Accelerated Master’s Pathway if they have advanced abilities in their discipline and course offerings warrant such an exception.
Degree Requirements and Conferral
Undergraduate degree requirements are in no way impacted by admission to an Accelerated Master’s Pathway. Students should not, for example, attempt to negotiate themselves out of a writing intensive requirement on the basis of admission to a Graduate program.
The program’s Graduate Program Director will designate credit hours to be shared through the advising form and Master’s degree conferral review process. Graduate credit hours taken during the Undergraduate career will not be included in the Graduate GPA calculation.
If students wish to transfer credits from another university to Loyola University Chicago, the program’s Graduate Program Director will review the relevant syllabus or syllabi to determine whether it meets the criteria for a 400-level course or higher.
Programs with specialized accreditation requirements that allow programs to offer Graduate curriculum to Undergraduate students will conform to those specialized accreditation requirements.
Degrees are awarded sequentially. All details of Undergraduate commencement are handled in the ordinary way as for all students in the School/College/Institute. Once matriculated in the Graduate program, students abide by the graduation deadlines set forth by the Graduate program. Students in these programs must be continuously enrolled from Undergraduate to Graduate degree program unless given explicit permission by their program for a gap year or approved leave of absence. In offering the option of an Accelerated Master’s Pathway, the university is making possible the acceleration of a student’s Graduate degree completion. It should be understood that students may not request deferral of their matriculation into the Master’s degree program. If students would like to delay their Graduate studies after earning the Undergraduate degree, they may apply for admission to the traditional Master’s degree program. Any application of Graduate credit earned while in the Undergraduate program is subject to the policies of the Graduate degree granting school.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the MA in Digital Humanities, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the interdisciplinary field of Digital Humanities.
- Utilize computers and computational tools for the exploration, analysis, and production of humanistic knowledge.
- Produce and develop a public-facing Digital Humanities research project.
- Shape and create ethical structures of knowledge and information systems through hands-on work in at least one area of Digital Humanities such as: digital mapping, textual analysis, digital archives, coding, design and UX/UI, and/or critical Digital Humanities.