Digital Arts and Humanities
Structured PhD Programme
Course handbook 2013-2014
School of Drama, Film and Music
School of English
School of Histories and Humanities
School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies
School of Linguistic, Speech and Communications Sciences
School of Computer Science and Statistics
Confederal School of Religions, Theology and Ecumenics
School of Social Sciences and Philosophy (Department of Philosophy)
School of Engineering (Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering)
Trinity College Dublin: Digital Arts and Humanities Structured PhD
Course Handbook
1. Introduction
This handbook introduces students to the Ph.D. in Digital Arts and Humanities (DAH) regulations.
It should be read in conjunction with the more detailed core course and elective module
descriptions, which are available on the DAH website www.dahphd.ie and
www.tcd.ie/longroomhub/DAH/ and with the College Calendar Part 2, which governs the
programme in general terms. Students should pay particular attention to the Calendar’s
regulations as to successful confirmation on the PhD register, and to Trinity’s regulations on
plagiarism.
All questions should be addressed to the course director (Professor Poul Holm, email:
holmp@tcd.ie).
Key staff for DAH at TCD
Poul Holm, PI and DAH Chair (School of Histories and Humanities)
Matthew Causey, Arts Strand Director and Director of ATRL (School of Drama Film and Music)
Jo D’Arcy, DAH administrator (Trinity Long Room Hub)
Sandra Ellis, ATRL, arts strand (ELLISSA@tcd.ie)
General queries Poul Holm and Jo D’Arcy (holmp@tcd.ie darcyjo@tcd.ie
Poul Holm, humanities strand (holmp@tcd.ie)
Matthew Causey, arts strand (matthew.causey@gmail.com)
Sandra Ellis, ATRL, arts strand (ELLISSA@tcd.ie)
2. General background
The structured Ph.D. in Digital Arts and Humanities has been designed to make a major
contribution to the development and enhancement of Arts and Humanities research under the
objectives defined by the Smart Economy Strategy (2008). Combining the strengths of Trinity,
UCC, NIU Galway, and NUI Maynooth with further input from the Digital Humanities Observatory
of the Royal Irish Academy, Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Ulster DAH is
designed to create a structured, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional and industrially attractive digital
Ph.D. programme for researchers in arts and humanities disciplines.
The Digital Arts and Humanities structured PhD programme is funded by the HEA Programme for
Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI Cycle V) and co funded by the European Regional
Development fund (ERDF).
3. Course set-up
a) At the inter-institutional level
The DAH Chair (Professor Poul Holm, TCD), has primary responsibility for the administration and
coordination of the programme between the participating institutions, and confers regularly with
the participating institutions representatives (NUIG, NUIM, RIA, TCD, UCC, QUB and UU) and the
Strand Leaders (rotating) for the arts and humanities strands regarding their progress toward the
programme’s agreed milestones. Strand Leaders coordinate the syllabus for core modules in
each strand among the various contributing partners. The DAH Chair confers with the DAH
institution representatives at the DAH consortium meeting which takes place on a regular basis
and ad hoc where required.
Oversight of the operational performance and the strategic development of the DAH programme is
the responsibility of the DAH Board of Governance (Steering Committee). This Steering
Committee meets twice yearly, and ensures accountability by submitting its reports to the Heads
and Deans of Graduate Studies at all of the partner institutions.
The DAH Steering Committee members
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John Caughie (Chair DAH IAB, University of Glasgow) TBC (Royal Irish Academy), Poul Holm
(Chair of DAH, Trinity College Dublin), Matthew Causey (DAH arts strand director, Trinity College
Dublin), Brendan Dooley (DAH humanities strand director, UCC), Dean of Research, Trinity
College Dublin, Terry Smith (Vice President of Research, NUI Galway), Honor Fagan (NUI
Maynooth), Graham Allen (Chair of the Research Committee in the College of Arts Celtic Studies
and Social Sciences, UCC)
The DAH international advisory board (IAB) meets annually and includes leading figures in the
fields included in the programme and draws on their international expertise. The IAB advises the
Director to ensure that DAH adheres to best practice standards for the delivery of graduate
education and that the research it produces remains at the forefront of the Digital Arts and
Humanities field.
DAH International Advisory Board members
John Caughie (Chair DAH IAB, University of Glasgow), Dr Matthew Causey (Arts Strand Director,
Trinity College Dublin), Brendan Dooley (Humanities Strand Director, University College Cork)
Poul Holm (Chair DAH, Trinity College Dublin), John Lavagnino (King’s College London), Geoffrey
Rockwell (University of Alberta), Marie Wallace (Social Analytics Strategy, IBM Collaboration
Solutions), Claudine Moulin (University of Trier)
b) Course set-up in TCD
Participating Schools
Currently, the following schools are participating in DAH: the School of English; the School of
Histories and Humanities; the School of Drama, Film and Music; the Confederal School of
Religions, Theology and Ecumenics; the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies;
the School of Language, Speech and Communication Sciences, School of Computer Science and
Statistics, School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, School of Engineering.
Essentially, the DAH PhD sits on top of the participating schools and students enrolled with the
school follows the schools criteria, rules and regulations.
Application procedure
DAH hosts a DAH information evening in February of the year of enrolment (upcoming DAH
information evening February 2014) to provide potential candidates information about this PhD.
This information evening is advertised in national press and on College information boards. The
DAH information evening takes place in the arts strand facility, ATRL (Arts Technology Research
Laboratory) on Pearse Street. It is hosted by Poul Holm and Matthew Causey.
A call for DAH applications is traditionally announced in March, with the first deadline for
applications in May (however applications are accepted until the TCD deadline in September).
The call for applications is announced by the consortium partners at institutional level, on DAH and
institution websites and listserv lists. There is one DAH in take per academic year (September
intake). Applicants should come from a primary degree in either the arts or humanities.
At TCD, Poul Holm manages the humanities strand applications and Matthew Causey manages
the arts strand applications.
The process is that potential candidates email Poul Holm/Matthew Causey with initial queries, their
one page research proposal and updated resume. Poul/Matthew respond with comments and an
indication of suitability of their proposal. If the candidate has a suitable proposal Poul/Matthew
contacts a potential supervisor to gauge their interest and availability to work with the student.
Once a supervisor has been organised the student formally applies to the School where the
supervisor is based, through the standard online procedure, and the School’s Director of Post
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Graduate Teaching and Learning accepts or declines the student. The arts strand candidates are
generally required to engage in an interview and provide a portfolio of their work.
Supervisors and supervisory panels
DAH students adhere to the supervisory processes of the schools and TCD. Principal supervisors
will guide students through the definition of the research proposal, will assist them in implementing
best practice in their research methodology and will meet regularly with the student during the
course of the research. A principal supervisor’s brief is laid down in the Calendar Part 2 paragraph
2.8 on the Role of Supervisors. Guidelines on Best Practice Guidelines on research supervision
are available on the Trinity website:
http://www.tcd.ie/Graduate_Studies/currentstudents/supervision/index.php
Arrangements for supervisory panels and for joint supervision will be made in conjunction with the
student and the principal supervisor. Supervisory panels will normally consist of a primary
supervisor and two assistant or co-supervisors, whose duty it will be to provide enhanced
supervision as per the IUQB guidelines for the supervision of PhD students to be read in
conjunction with Calendar Part 2 paragraph 2.8 on the Role of Supervisors. The principal
supervisor will retain overall responsibility for the student’s research supervision. DAH institutional
representatives on the Board of Governance will monitor the overall performance of the
programme.
4. Curriculum Overview
The DAH Structured PhD programme is both a full-time (4 years) and part-time (6 years) interinstitutional, inter-disciplinary structured PhD programme. The DAH programme combines the
strengths of seven partners; National University of Ireland, Galway, National University of Ireland,
Maynooth, Royal Irish Academy, Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, Queen’s
University Belfast and University of Ulster.
The programme has an arts strand and a humanities strand. The arts focus is on the application of
new technologies in music, drama, and film, including electric sound and image; computer
graphics and music; internet; multimedia and other digital-based artistic practices.
The humanities strand focuses on Information Communications Technologies and their
opportunities and potential for humanities research for instance in editorial practice, management
and research of large text bases, image repositories and linguistic corpora.
Candidates will choose to enter the program within either the ARTS or the HUMANITIES strands.
In both strands they are required to complete core, training and career development modules,
including main modules shared across the consortium and others institutionally-based. The overall
aim of the taught modules are threefold:
1. to introduce students to the history and theoretical issues in digital arts/humanities;
2. to provide the skills needed to apply advanced computational and information management
paradigms to humanities/arts research;
3. to provide an enabling framework for students to develop generic and transferable skills to carry
out their final research projects/dissertations.
The aim of the research is to enable students to develop and synthesise a PhD dissertation.
DAH PhD programme structure
Thesis - PhD is by research and researchers will work on their thesis throughout the programme.
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Course Handbook
Students are advised to complete their thesis as per the TCD thesis guidelines (100,000 words).
However because of the digital component to this PhD students can (in conjunction with their
supervisory panel) agree with the School (Director of Post Graduate Teaching and Learning, Head
of School) and Dean of Graduate Studies if there may be a digital component to the thesis and a
reduction in word count. This is a case by case discussion and ultimately at the discretion of the
school.
Full-time
Year 1 of the four-year programme includes core and optional graduate education modules
delivered in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Maynooth. These modules provide grounding in essential
research skills and transferable skills together with access to specialist topics. In years 1 and 2
work on PhD research projects is supplemented with access to elective modules
Year 3 features practical placements in industry, academic research environments or cultural
institutions.
Year 4 is fully dedicated to writing up the thesis.
Part-time
Researchers will be required to take the core modules at the same time as the full-time
researchers. The timetable is as follows:
All: October-December Tuesday mornings 10-12 noon
Humanities: January-April Tuesday mornings 10-12 noon
Arts: January-April Thursday mornings 10-12 noon
Year 1-4 Completion of core modules and electives. Total work load of taught modules will be half
a year in total out of the four years.
Year 3 features practical placements in industry, academic research environments or cultural
institutions. (work placement requirement may be waived if part-time researcher is in relevant a
job for the DAH programme)
Year 4-6 completing and submitting thesis (as stated above, PhD is by research and researchers
will work on their thesis throughout the programme)
DAH core modules and electives
Students must complete a total of 30 ECTS worth of modules of structured coursework, i.e. 15
ECTS worth of core modules (FT within the first 18 months and PT within the first four years) and
15 ECTS worth of electives (FT within the first 18 months and PT within the first four years).
DAH core modules
The core modules are designed to provide students with the essential intellectual concepts and
technical and practical experience that they will need to complete this demanding programme. The
core modules are also designed to maximize the practical and intellectual co-operation between
the two strands of DAH.
The core modules are:
Module 1: AH1001 DAH Institutes (5 ECTS)
Annual gathering of all DAH students and staff for a 2-3 day intensive workshops, presentations
(ignite session for 2nd year students) talks and sharing of information held at partner institution
campus on a rotational basis. Typically this takes place in the third week in September.
Module 2: AH1002 Conceptual Introduction to Digital Arts and Humanities (5 ECTS)
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This module takes place via video conference where students and lecturers meet in a virtual room
on Tuesday mornings 10-12.15 Michaelmas term. At TCD students meet in the Trinity Long Room
Hub Seminar Room. This module is for Arts and Humanities strands combined. The strand
directors rotate and are currently Brendan Dooley at UCC (humanities) and Matthew Causey
(arts).
Module 3: AH1003 History and Theory of Digital Arts (5 ECTS)
This module is for the arts strand students only and also takes place via video conference or in the
format of agreed group away days. This module take place in Hilary term on Thursday mornings
from 10-12.15. At TCD students meet in the Trinity Long Room Hub Seminar Room. The strand
director rotates and is currently Matthew Causey at TCD.
Module 4: AH1004 Humanities and New Technologies: Tools and Methodologies (5 ECTS)
This module is for the humanities strand students only and take place via video conference. This
module take place in Hilary term on Thursday mornings from 10-12.15. At TCD students meet in
the Trinity Long Room Hub Seminar Room. The strand director rotates and is currently Brendan
Dooley at UCC.
Module 1 DAH Institutes (5 ECTS, core module for both Arts and Humanities strands)
Aims and Learning Outcome: The DAH Institute is designed to provide induction and general
Introduction to Arts and Humanities Research and to DAH, while also emphasizing team building
and introducing students to key DAH personnel across the partner institutions. DAH Institute
programmes from 2011, 2012, 2013 are listed on www.dahphd.ie
Assessment: presence/absence. Pass/Fail
Module 2 Conceptual Introduction to Digital Arts and Humanities
Aims and Learning Outcome: This module will introduce students to the fundamentals of digital
arts and humanities history, theory, and methodologies. It will lay the foundations for
subsequent modules by introducing students to a wide variety of issues of concern in
contemporary digital arts and humanities practice. The trajectory of the course will move from
historical and cultural concerns to present-day practice to cutting-edge research questions.
By the end of this course students will:
 Be familiar with both the history and current trends in digital arts and humanities;
 Be introduced to the central questions and problems associated with identity and
subjectivity in digital culture;
 Be familiar with the major data types in the field and issues associated with their
preservation and curation;
 Understand how digital art and artefacts are positioned within the wider socioeconomic-cultural sphere;
 Understand the current models of digital aesthetics;
 Understand the development of computational technologies in art practice;
 Understand how data modelling is used within the discipline;
 Be familiar with the major standards in the field, both historically and contemporaneous;
 Be able to differentiate the field’s various sub disciplines.
Assessment: Course requirements include participation and completion of the final exercise, which
is a 5000 word essay (or equivalent) on a topic to be discussed in the group. Pass/Fail
Module 3 History and Theory of Digital Arts
Aims and Learning Outcomes:
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The goal of this module is to establish the widest possible knowledge of the field of digital art, its
historical narrative, cultural context and philosophical position. This module will focus students on
in-depth research regarding the history of digital and technologised arts. It aims to provide a
detailed examination of the various histories and intersections of technology and art practice.
Digital-based artistic practices are expanding rapidly and, within this domain, practice-based
doctoral work is an innovative, open and evolving area exploring the way in which creative work
can constitute new knowledge (of a different kind) it involves interaction with equivalent and
innovative international networks.
Digital arts are also leading the practice of curation with varied materials in new configurations,
reimagining digital museums and archives. Expanded virtual exhibitions go hand in hand with
infrastructural activism as an engaged educational process is built in response to contemporary
conditions.
By the end of this course students will be able to:
 Identify the principle developments and paradigm changes in the history of Digital Arts;
 Describe the trends and practices of Digital Arts in relation to the adoption of core media
technologies;
 Apply critical judgments on the appropriateness of the use of digital technology in artistic
endeavours;
 Reflect on the future development of Digital Arts in response to current technologies;
 Demonstrate a critical engagement with the fundamental philosophical questions
concerning digital and techno culture;
 Articulate the various issues surrounding the politics of identity and subjectivity in digital
culture.
Assessment: One essay 6,000 words or equivalent project (by agreement with assessor).
Pass/Fail.
Module 4 Humanities and New Technologies: Tools and Methodologies
Aims and Learning Outcomes: This module is compulsory for DAH humanities students and will
provide students with an introduction to new tools and methodologies in digital humanities. It will
introduce students to established and emerging methodologies in Information Communications
Technologies and to their opportunities and potential for humanities research. The module will
provide a bridging framework between the first year introductory courses and subsequent skillsbased and subject-based elective modules.
By the end of the course, students will
 Be familiar with a range of established methodologies and tools in ICT, with specific
reference to their potential for humanities research.
 Be familiar with a range of established and emerging tools for applying these
methodologies to Humanities data.
 Have a basic working knowledge of selected tools and their potential applications.
 Be able to choose those electives (skills-based and subject-based) that will best support
their individual research projects.
 Begin to formulate their individual research projects, including the methodological approach
to be applied and the tools/skills required to deliver it, in the context of the relationship
between humanities and new technologies.
Assessment: Students are required to complete a 6,000 word essay. Pass/Fail
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Electives
The elective modules of 15 ECTS will be chosen by the student in consultation with their
supervisor/supervisory panel. A list of electives which may appeal to DAH students is available on
www.dahphd.ie, www.tcd.ie/longroomhub/DAH/ website and on partner institution websites.
These lists are updated annually in conjunction with the schools.
Students can apply to take modules across college (as per the IUA Inter-Institutional Agreement
on Collaborative Research Programmes) but they must consult their supervisor. Schools/modules
are not obliged to take DAH students on to their modules.
Students can opt to take modules in partner institutions.
Year 1 research is geared towards an assessment in which the student’s status can be confirmed
on the PhD register (as per the College Calendar and the procedures of the student’s School).
Those students whose PhD status remains “unconfirmed” will repeat the confirmation process in
September. Those students who remain “unconfirmed” after the second attempt will be
recommended for transfer to the standard MLitt register (year 2) in a relevant School so that they
could submit their MLitt thesis at the end of that year. In normal circumstances the principal
supervisor will remain in place for the duration of the MLitt.
Third and fourth-year students will continue their doctoral research and complete the writing-up of
their thesis under the guidance of the principal supervisor with the assistance of a supervisory
panel. Students must submit their thesis by the end of September of their fourth year as per the
TCD rules. (For funded students, neither continued DAH scholarship funding, should such funding
have been awarded, nor continuation on the PhD register can be extended beyond the fourth year
of the DAH programme)
The overall aim of the first two years is threefold: 1) to introduce students to the history and
theoretical issues in digital arts/humanities; 2) to provide the skills needed to apply advanced
computational and information management paradigms to humanities/arts research; 3) to provide
an enabling framework for students to develop generic and transferable skills to carry out their
final research projects/dissertations. The overall aim of the last two years is to enable students to
develop and synthesise a dissertation.
TCD UCD Innovation Academy
The TCD UCD Innovation Academy is the educational centrepiece of the TCD UCD Innovation
Alliance. This is an optional and free programme for PhD students at TCD and UCD where
students take core modules and optional specialised modules involving workshops, seminars,
practical challenges and industry projects. On completion of all modules students will receive a
Post Graduate Certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Visit www.innovationacademy.ie for
more information.
5. National/International Industrial/Research Institute Placement
DAH will enable students to access networks outside their own institution in order to find a national
or international internship, industrial placement, or research placement which best suits their
interests and evolving skill-sets. Placements will normally take place in the third year and be of a
duration of six to 12 weeks. It will establish a structured system of mentoring to ensure that
students get the maximum possible intellectual- and career-benefits from their placements.
During the placement, students are expected to maintain regular contact with their principal
supervisor. Students should provide a short report on the work placement to their supervisor and
DAH programme, outlining its relevance to their doctoral studies, and the benefits it has provided.
Students should also provide a reference from their work placement employer.
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DAH work placement procedures and templates are available from the DAH administrator.
6. Benefits to this structured PhD programme:
- Participate in a structured PhD programme in digital arts and humanities which is the world’s
largest-ever programme to train a new generation of research students in the application of
new media and computer technologies in the arts and humanities
- Core modules in digital arts and humanities
- Access to electives in Trinity College Dublin and partner institutions (NUIG, NUIM, TCD, UCC,
QUB, UU)
- Industry placement in year 3 and potential opportunity for future employment
- A dedicated desk in either the Trinity Long Room Hub building (humanities researchers) or the
Arts Technology Research Laboratory (arts researchers)
- Access to partner institutions facilities and services
- Practice-based research options in arts practice and digital humanities
- Access to Arts Technology Research Laboratory and its advanced digital technologies and
software including high-definition digital video systems, surround sound technology, state of the art
audio and video workstations, recording facilities, post-production suites'
- Guest lecturers from around the world
- A dedicated supervisor(s) from a relevant school within Trinity College Dublin
- Students may apply for Trinity College Graduate Studies funding. Further information available
at http://www.tcd.ie/Graduate_Studies/
7. Fees
Please visit the Trinity College graduate studies website for up to date information regarding fee
http://www.tcd.ie/Graduate_Studies/
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