MA in Digital Art History/Computational Media

The MA in Digital Art History and Computational Media (DAH/CM) is designed for graduate students focused on the study, creation, and use of digital media and computation in the arts and humanities. It is offered by the Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies in partnership with the Information Science + Studies Program.

The Digital Art History track of the MA is related to the Digital Art History & Visual Culture Research Lab and focused on the furtherance of Art Historical research with new technologies, while the Computational Media track of the MA is related to the core CMAC Labs led by the CMAC core graduate faculty. Both tracks of the MA explore research and presentation strategies enabled by the information sciences, new approaches to computational processes, and new forms of interpreting quantitative and qualitative data.  The goals of the MA program are for students to understand the critical affordances and potential of digital media, to develop competencies in data-driven and computational approaches to knowledge production, and to develop a hybrid theory-practice MA thesis that demonstrates their expertise in action around a particular subject.

Digital research and production methods undertaken in the program may include:

• data driven analysis and visualization
• interactive/relational database design and search methodologies
• interactive publishing  and storytelling techniques
• generative forms of text, visuals and music production
• media art and new forms of physical interface
• virtual and augmented reality systems and games
• complex systems analysis
• new approaches to interface exploration and design
• physical computing and interactive systems development

The program’s skills-centered instruction, combined with the requirement for lab affiliation and collaborative research and the emphasis on theoretical analysis, will produce graduates who not only have hands-on know-how and technical skills but who have developed a sophisticated understanding of informational globalization and our rapidly changing world.

Our MA graduates have gone on to positions in instructional technology, PhD programs, and museums. International students may be eligible for Optional Practical Training visa extensions to work in the USA after graduation. 09.0702 (STEM).
 

Applying to the DAH/CM MA Program

To apply, prospective students must submit an online application through the Duke University Graduate School. Applications must include a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, a writing sample, as well as transcripts. International applicants must submit English language proficiency test scores if English is not their first language. The GRE General exam is now optional. 

The statement of purpose should convey an applicant’s interests in our program and their reasons for wanting to pursue master’s level graduate study in digital art history or computational media.  The personal statement can and should be written from a first-person perspective, highlighting the applicant’s strengths and relevant background/experience.

The writing sample is intended to convey a sense of the applicant’s capacity for scholarly writing. Generally, applicants submit a paper they may have written for an undergraduate course, 10-20 pages.  In the case of longer written materials, applicants submit a sample of 10-20 pages, with a paragraph explaining how the selection fits within the longer work.  The topics vary depending on the academic background of the applicant, but ideally they relate in some way to--and reflect the student’s  interest and prior training in--digital art history or computational media.

Students interested in this program should apply to the MA in Digital Art History/Computational Media on the Duke Graduate School website. Applications will be vetted by a committee comprised of faculty within the Department of Art, Art History & Visual Studies (AAHVS) and Lab Directors affiliated with the MA, who will select students based on their qualifications and on the Lab’s ability to take on new students in a given year.

More information on application requirements can be found at the Graduate School’s Online Application FAQ.

Please note that Duke University does not provide financial support for master’s-level graduate study, but applicants are urged to compete for national and foundation awards or seek student loans. Questions about financial aid should be directed to the Graduate School’s financial aid coordinator. In addition, many MA students take on teaching and research assistant positions, or other jobs on campus, after they arrive. Limited funds to support thesis-related research may also be available.

Program Requirements

The DAH/CM MA Program within the Department of Art, Art History & Visual Studies (AAHVS) is 3 or 4 semesters plus a summer, and starts in the Fall term. Students begin the program by taking the theory/practice Proseminar, and at least one other designated media production or computational practice course, along with additional seminars and electives that fit their thesis project themes. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 graduate units (usually 3 courses) per semester, except in their final semesters on campus. Four courses (12 units) are often a reasonable load.  The Graduate School has special permission forms for auditing courses, enrolling in a course below the 500 level, taking a course overload, etc. Check their website for the latest info on rules and regulations. 

Students may also petition to take advanced undergraduate course credits of Level 200-499, typically from the Sciences or Social Sciences curriculum to acquire the necessary competencies in areas such as Computer Science and Statistics. However, these undergraduate courses do not count towards the GPA or the course credits required for Graduation. Students must fill out a permission form and get approval of both the DGS and the Graduate School's Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. 

Students in DAH/CM follow the same general course of required study, but specialize at the thesis level. Digital Art History focused students tend to be most interested in how new technologies and digital humanities methods may be applied to historical and critical questions in art history and visual culture. The Computational Media track emphasizes the affordances, and critique of the technologies themselves in the context of media, information, communication studies, and with an eye towards engaging and critiquing computational media forms of expression. 

The ideal candidate for the MA seeks deeper understanding of the intersection of quantitative and qualitative modes of historical and cultural research, is actively engaged with hands-on computational media production, and is interested in productive cross-overs between arts and sciences communities.  Both tracks prepare students for further graduate study in digital humanities and computational media and for training for jobs in museums and cultural heritage institutions, as well as media, design, advertising, and technical industries, among others.

Requirements: 10 Graduate Courses

• Digital Art History/Computational Media Proseminars 1 and 2
• One Practice-Based Course
• Two Graduate Seminars
• Two Lab Practicum Experiences (or additional Practice-focused courses at the grad level)
• One Additional Elective
• Two Thesis Credit Courses

Typical Program of Study

*Students who elect to take four semesters to complete the program should take at least 9 graduate credits (3 courses) in the Fall of the second year to remain in good academic standing. The final semester can then just be registered as Continuation.

**Grad Seminars may also include courses that are at the 700+ level and above w/o the S. Substitutions of topical 500-600 level courses are upon approval of the DGS.

MA Proseminar

The first semester MA Proseminar is a course required for both tracks of the the MA in Historical and Cultural Visualization. The course focuses on theories and practices of digital humanities and computational media studies as they relate to historical and cultural analysis and research. The course typically also includes interested graduate students from around campus as well.

Practice Course

Students in this MA track may take existing AAHVS and Information Science + Studies (ISS) courses in Digital Humanities Practice, Historical and Cultural Visualization, Interface Design, and/or Computational Media, along with subject-area and technical electives relevant to their research topics, to fulfill this requirement. In courses that have both an undergraduate and graduate number, take the graduate version if you want to receive credit.

Core Seminars

Core seminars are relevant seminars taught by faculty in AAHVS. Students are expected to participate in at least two graduate seminars with AAHVS faculty as part of their graduate experience. Often but not always these will be seminars taught by faculty Lab directors. See also Sample Courses and the current Art, Art History and Visual Studies course listings.

Subject Area Electives

Subject area electives will vary based on the the thesis interests of thesis interests of the students involved.  These may include a wide variety of topics inside and outside AAHVS. Often courses listed or cross-listed in Information Science + Studies will be relevant.  Students will selected these courses in consultation with their Faculty Advisor(s).

Lab Practicum Courses

The Lab Practicum experience is typically undertaken in a single Lab both semesters, though some students may benefit from contact with multiple labs. The Lab Director is either the thesis director or a core committee member, depending on the final research topic.

Students will also be expected to participate in relevant workshops offered by the various Labs and in the Libraries as recommended by their advisors, such as:

Summer Research

Students are expected to participate in independent summer research on their projects in pursuit of their degrees. In addition, summers can be an excellent time to develop technical skills further, as well as to participate in project-based internships and training on campus or in the community. 

Thesis

The hybrid thesis is completed in the third semester (optionally continuing through a fourth), with research taking place over the summer preceding graduation. The thesis work will take place via two special independent studies with appropriate faculty members— one theory-oriented class where a written thesis will be developed; and one practice-based class where a digital humanities and or media art oriented project component will be developed with the Lab leader. While each student's project will differ in emphasis, with some more oriented towards historical and critical questions, and others oriented more towards exploration of computational media theories and practices, we do expect written and computational components from everyone's project. The thesis committee should also include one additional member selected from inside or outside our home department, Art, Art History & Visual Studies, on approval.

The program typically culminates in a Thesis Exhibition/Presentation at the end of the third or fourth semester. In special cases, students may petition to complete their degrees after a Fourth Semester, for which they will be required to pay continuation fees (but not full tuition). Students are expected to complete the program within two years.
 

Thesis Outline for Proposal

• Title:
• Thesis Advisor/Director:
• Proposed Thesis Committee Members (graduate faculty):
• Additional Advisors:
• Abstract:

1. What:

• My study will address…It will also seek to make sense of…I will also explore…
• first paragraph: TOPIC PARAGRAPH
• clearly state what you are undertaking

2. Why:

• The importance of this project to the greater political and cultural environment…The centrality of the topic of…for understanding…
• One paragraph
  • why is it important
  • what are the implications of the project
  • what does the project reveal

3. Who:

• The background for this topic: what is the previous work in this area (refer to bibliography)
• A couple of paragraphs
  • position yourself in the existing literature and contribution to the field: how does your proposed research fit in with the broader state of the relevant field; how has the topic been treated (or overlooked) by previous scholars, what contribution is the proposed study intended to make in relation to current knowledge?

4. How:

• My thesis will consist of these sections, each addressing a particular aspect of.. I will propose …and to support this claim…I will also produce/examine… The second part will address…This section will specifically deal with…The third part will consider … …The fourth chapter of my thesis, then…my conclusion will …
• include the names of relevant artists/visual/computational material one is going to investigate, works, theories, concepts, and institutions/archives
• how the dissertation will construct its argument. What are the substantive intellectual questions? How will they be addressed, and what sort of conclusions does the candidate – if only provisionally – anticipate reaching?

5. Time schedule

• The majority of my work will be carried out in …..
• proposed travel (if relevant)
• timeline

6. Bibliography 

• beginning of content for literature review

Criteria for MA Thesis 

updated March 2022

The MA thesis consists of two parts, an essay and a digital project. The essay should be approximately 50+ pages, depending on the topic, and must establish:

1. the scholarly question
2. the historiography of the topic
3. and the goals and purposes of the digital contribution, with a particular focus on how the digital intervention contributes to or changes the character of the research question.

A thesis must be fully and carefully annotated and include a substantial bibliography. Each essay must have an introduction, analysis, and conclusion.

The thesis must also include documentation of the digital/computational media component of the thesis, as well as the digital project itself. This documentation may be added as an appendix to the written essay, or contained in a thesis chapter.

Together the scholarly essay and the digital project form a final portfolio to be submitted at the conclusion of the program. As the culmination of their work, students are also expected to present their final projects formally to the Digital Art History/Computational Media Faculty and the public.

Topic

A thesis must consist of a study of some aspect of art history, material, or visual culture based on library and (where relevant) field research, and must have a substantial computational media practice component.  It is not simply a description, but rather an analysis and interpretation that seeks to focus the digital contribution towards a research question that can have a public-facing component.  The computational media project should help make an argument or explore a concept more effectively than a stand alone written essay. While some projects will tilt more towards academic and scholarly questions and representation, others will focus more on the technology and its affordances for an example project prototype. Thesis projects might arise out of your own previous scholarly work, current or new research, and/or as an offshoot of an existing Wired or CMAC Lab project. Collaborative elements are possible, but your thesis will be judged on your own, clearly defined written and digital contributions. Regardless of the emphasis, students are expected to do a "literature review" of the conversation they are entering in terms of prior and current approaches to their selected topic. Students may choose to use any combination of the digital tools listed at the end of this document, or additional tools with the approval of the Thesis Committee members.

A typical outline might include:

1. Introductory chapter outlining the problem or topic
2. Research-based historical background and/or computational media field survey addressing the question 
3. Overview of your own digital project and contribution
4. Documentation and reflection on your project and possible next steps for its implementation

For examples of past DAH/CM MA projects, consult Proquest from the Duke Libraries website.

Objective

The thesis is an independent scholarly contribution that demonstrates the utility of computational media technologies for a historical, cultural, artistic, or social question. The student must demonstrate an ability to gather, analyze, and interpret research data using the specialized literature in the particular field of study and theoretical perspectives that are current in the research area.

Criteria for Assessment

• Clear statement of the research question and goals of the project
• Form, quality and depth of the written documentation, presentation and intellectual argument
• Form and quality of the digital component; success and clarity in relation to the stated goals of the project (for example: public outreach; mapping or modeling a research question)
• Analysis and conclusions
• Clear and articulate description of the research methodology
• Demonstration of competence in the discipline
• Clear and complete documentation of process and final project

Format of the Project

The essay must conform to the criteria of the Graduate School and have been submitted within the designated time frame for a degree to be awarded in December.

Other Critical Deadlines

Internal Program Deadlines

• October/November of Fall of First First Semester: initial proposal meetings for Year 1 students
• End of Semester of Fall of First Semester: preliminary outline & list of resources (suggested)
• February 14 of Second Semester: first draft proposal due
• February 14-April 15: revisions, advice, meetings with prospective committee members
• April 11 of Second Semester: detailed chapter-by-chapter proposal/plan due, with prospective committee members identified
• May 1 of Second Semester: Summer Research Plans submitted to the Department and advisor as part of continuing fellowship application; tentative decision about defending in Fall or Spring of the following AY should be made at this time
• December Graduation: October 1 of Third Semester OR May Graduation: February 1 of the Fourth Semester  full draft submitted to the advisor; consultation with other committee members recommended throughout the process - students anticipating a May Graduation should still submit a Completion Plan by October 1

Graduate School Deadlines

•  See the Graduate School website for the latest info, especially Graduation Deadlines - Graduate School deadlines takes precedence and are not flexible. The digital component must be included with the thesis on a cd or via link to a persistent, Duke archival site (not attached only to your netID).

Proposal Outline Details

This document must clearly state the research goals, the digital tools to be used, and provide a preliminary 1-page bibliography. Students must demonstrate that they are prepared to do the project, both in terms of content and technical expertise, and provide a preliminary outline for the paper, with a proposed timeline for completion of the different component parts. A primary advisor and possible additional committee members and advisors should be identified at this time.  The schedule must be shared with the research committee and contain specific dates for completion and review, keeping in mind the overall Graduate School Calendar. See Thesis Proposal Outline for details.

The Thesis Committee

In the second semester of Year 1, after the formal proposal has been revised and accepted in March, the official committee of three faculty will be established. They will both serve as advisors and will review the final project at its completion. Students are encouraged to identify and contact potential committee members during the first semester  - faculty teaching topical and technical classes are likely candidates for committees, but you may also look further afield, especially for subject-area advice. Note that some faculty and staff may not be members of the graduate faculty but can serve as additional advisors  beyond the core committee of three. (See the Graduate School list of Graduate Faculty to determine who is eligible to serve on your committee. You should also consult the DGS for final approval of your committee members.) The committee will meet with the candidate periodically and establish the plan for the summer research, the digital component, goals for the project, and a schedule of work until final submission. In most cases, the thesis research credits in semesters three and/or four will be taken with the primary advisor and other committee members, though students may also take or audit additional classes in the third semester if they need more credits or want to acquire additional skills. 

Sample Tools Summary for the MA

Core Topics:

1. Content Management Systems / Blogging (WordPress)
2. Digital Collections (Omeka/Neatline)
3. Basic GIS/Mapping (ArcGIS, qGIS, OpenStreetMaps)
4. Basic Data Visualization (Tableau, D3, web applications such as Palladio)
5. Video Production (iMovie)
6. Image Manipulation (Photoshop)
7. 3D Modeling (Sketchup)
8. 3D Acquisition (Photogrammetry, Laser Scanning)

Specialized Topics:

1. HTML/CSS/JavaScript/JQuery
2. Databases
3. DiVE
4. Physical Computing/Sensors
5. Advanced Audio/Video production
6. Text Analysis/Mining
7. Others on on approval of the Thesis Committee

The MA defense is undertaken at the end of the third or fourth semester in residence and represents the culmination of graduate study. The Graduate School provides guidelines under Theses and Dissertations and Preparing to Graduate.

Immediately after you submit the thesis in the proper form according to the Graduate School guidelines, you should email a copy of the thesis to all of your committee members and the Directors of Graduate Study for the MA. Your committee should have two full weeks to review the thesis.

You are responsible for communicating your plans to your committee members as you plan for the defense. Keep in mind that the faculty members may be part of multiple thesis committees, so waiting until the very last possible day for the defense can be a problem schedule-wise. Your advisor must be physically present. You may also invite additional advisors (for example, other faculty or staff technologists) and a couple of supporters if you wish.

The Day of the Defense

There is no particular dress code, though getting a little dressed up is nice.

We will begin by asking you to present a brief summary of your thesis project to us. Even the members of the committee are all familiar with it, please present it as though we hadn't heard about it before. (There may be a couple of other additional people present as observers who haven't read/seen your work.) Think of it as more of a presentation than reading a paper, though you may use notes. You should also address any pieces you haven't finished yet, and/or which you completed after submission and before the defense. We encourage you to create some slides to make it easier to present your work. Make sure you are sharing the digital component as well as the written component during your presentation.  Think of this as taking about 20 minutes. Consult with your Chair for specifics in your individual case.

After your presentation, the committee members will then take turns asking you questions to clarify aspects of your project, and will offer suggestions for how to improve or enhance it. We will also ask you if you have any questions for the committee about how to finalized your project.

After everyone has had a chance to ask their questions we will ask you to leave the room for a little while and the committee will discuss whether you passed the defense, and what changes will be required, if any, for the final version of the thesis.

We will then call you back into the room, and let you know our decisions. Assuming you pass, there are some documents we will need to sign as well.

Plan for two hours, though this could be a bit shorter depending on how our conversations go.

Post-Defense

After the defense it is necessary to make any required revisions, as well as additional documentation of your digital component, if needed.  Bear in mind that URLS may change, so think about documenting your project visually within the context of your thesis, or in an appendix, as well as through any additional external links. Talk with the Department about how to ensure the longevity of your digital project before you graduate.

Public Presentation

The public presentation is an opportunity to share your project with the world after you have turned everything in. This usually takes the form of a Rendez-Vous session where you spend about 10 minutes talking about what you have done. We can also install your project on screens or in Smith or elsewhere. Consult with us about ideas!