“Learn to build the thing, and critique the thing.”

Digital & Computational Studies (DCS) aims to teach students to design, build, and analyze digital & computational tools and algorithms, while also developing the ability to critique those same tools and algorithms. DCS should provide all of its students with a grounding in the most fundamental elements of computer science; provide courses and experiences in the aspects of data collection, analysis, and archiving present in the fields of data science, digital humanities, and digital studies; and foster the ability to employ a critical lens, both in examining the limitations of algorithmic and analytical approaches, and perhaps even more importantly in identifying and addressing ethical, social, and inequity issues, and the potential consequences of
human choice and human impact throughout.

In completing a major in DCS, students will:

• be able to demonstrate proficiency in fundamental aspects of
  algorithmic thinking, software development, and data science, including
  theoretical and practical limitations;
• develop related skills in teamwork, interdisciplinary collaboration, community engagement, and communication; and
• use critical theory to identify ethical and social issues and structures of inequality arising in computing and digital spaces.

Grounding in the Liberal Arts

The fields of study that DCS encompasses, including computer science, digital studies, and data science, are by the timeline of liberal arts education very modern and are significantly transforming virtually every facet of our professional and personal lives. Yet, DCS is firmly grounded in the tenets of liberal education:

• preparing students to deal with complexity, diversity, and change;
• developing a sense of social responsibility;
• developing strong, transferable skills in communication, analysis, and problem-solving;
• developing the ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings; and
• providing in-depth study in a specific area of interest.

Learning Outcomes for the DCS Major

With respect to each category below, after completing a DCS major, students will be able to:

Computational and Data Thinking:

1. Implement, test, and debug solutions to complex problems using a general-purpose programming language.
2. Collect, manipulate, and analyze complex data sets in digital form.
3. Discuss the limits of computing and data analysis, both theoretical and practical.
4. Apply principles of abstraction and modularity to solving complex problems.
5. Analyze algorithm efficiency and implications of data structuring.
6. Apply basic principles of accessibility and user experience design to the creation of a digital product.
7. Define and implement algorithmic and digital solutions across various domains from the liberal arts.

Teamwork, Collaboration, and Communication: 

1. Communicate complex ideas both orally and in writing, appropriate to the audience.
2. Demonstrate effective and inclusive teamwork practices.
3. Engage in professional practices that encourage collaboration, transparency, and equitable access, including use of version control, open-source communities and software, and open-science practices. 
4. Design and implement a public-facing digital solution that engages external stakeholders throughout the process.

Critical Thinking in Computing: 

1. Employ critical interpretive methods and critiques to engage with computation and data.
2. Recognize, identify, and evaluate computing and digital solutions and spaces with an awareness of social contexts, including race, power, privilege, and colonialism and their consequences.