Woodsworth Programs - Digital Humanities & First Year Foundations Options
Digital HumanitiesDigital Humanities (Minor program)
Digital humanities (DH) is a discipline at the intersections of the humanities with computing. DH studies human culture -- art, literature, history, geography, religion -- through computational tools and methodologies; and, in turn, DH studies the digital through humanist lenses. Digital humanists study social media phenomena or medieval manuscript archives; computationally analyze thousands of newspaper articles to trace economic developments; construct video games to study literary narratives; or resurrect historical cities through digital maps and virtual reality exhibits.
In introductory and advanced DH courses, students learn about the intellectual landscape of digital humanities scholarship. They learn how to build digital stories, exhibits, and maps; how to digitize rare books; how to analyze collections of data; how to construct digital models and 3D-print them; and how to manage major digital projects. By the end of the program, students conduct a major DH research project of their own or participate in the research of an established faculty project. Throughout the program, students gain a critical perspective on digital technologies, learning to consider the ways digital platforms shape, and are shaped by, the currents of wider social and cultural forces. By providing this critical and technical skillset, the Digital Humanities Minor prepares students for future paths that range from graduate studies in literature, history, library science, education, or computer science, to careers as technical writers, data analysts and visualizers, project managers, or programmers.
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wdw.utoronto.ca/digital-humanities
First-Year Foundation Options
Woodsworth College offers two kinds of First Year Foundation options: individual FYF H seminars on a variety of topics, and our College One, a sequence of two H seminars, for students interested in a deeper level of engagement in this part of their first-year experience. All our First Year Foundation seminars offer an intellectually challenging introduction to university-level studies and are designed to complement other first-year courses, thereby enhancing academic success in the first year and beyond. They promote the development of strong critical thinking, information literacy, oral and written communication skills, and awareness of both the distinctive nature of particular academic disciplines and the practices and values common to all academic work.
FYF Seminars
Woodsworth’s FYF seminars, all of which are stand-alone H courses, are designed to provide first-year students with the opportunity to work closely with an instructor and fellow students in a class of no more than 30, maximizing opportunities for class discussion and the development of essential academic skills. Each seminar focuses on specific disciplinary or interdisciplinary issues, questions or controversies of particular interest to the instructor, and introduces the students to the excitement of discovery inherent in academic research and scholarship at the University of Toronto. Wide-ranging readings and assignments encourage students to develop their ability to think critically and to express ideas and arguments clearly and coherently, both orally and in writing. Among the topics covered in our current and recent FYF seminars are From Rayguns to Light Sabers: Science Fiction in Contemporary Culture; Indigenous Knowledge and Storytelling in Toronto; There and Back Again: Exploring Tolkien; and Jane Austen on Film.
Woodsworth One
Woodsworth One’s topic is “Order and Disorder,” focusing on the role of laws, government policies, trade, war, and innovation in creating and disrupting both social and global order. By drawing on ideas and perspectives from across a number of Social Science and Humanities disciplines, it provides a solid foundation for further studies in fields such as Political Science, Sociology, Criminology, International Relations, History, Economics, and Philosophy. In keeping with Woodworth College’s tradition of open access, there is no incoming grade requirement.
Students take two H seminars – one in each term – and participate in regular co-curricular activities that build their sense of community within Woodsworth College and across the University of Toronto. Seminars are capped at 25 students to maximize opportunities for participation and to promote close contact with both the instructor and fellow students. The emphasis is on class discussion and problem-based learning. Students participate in role-playing games, simulations, debates and more. The co-curricular activities include field trips, film screenings, guest speakers, writing and research workshops, and test-taking seminars.
The Woodsworth One team is dedicated to supporting students’ transition to university life, and to guiding their academic planning. In addition to the Program Coordinator, course instructors, and peer mentors, the team includes the Woodsworth Academic Writing Centre and the College Learning Strategist, and dedicated support from the College Registar’s Office. Each member of the team seeks to create a strong sense of community and to set students up for academic success.
