Computational Cultural Studies Curriculum

The first doctoral program of its kind, Carnegie Mellon’s Ph.D. in Computational Cultural Studies (CCS) trains students to combine historical, theoretical, and cultural scholarship with computational methodologies.

Curriculum – Computational Cultural Studies Ph.D.

To receive a Ph.D. in Computational Cultural Studies (CCS), a student must do the following:

• Complete 219 units of graduate coursework
  This includes 72 units typically transferred from an M.A. program, plus 147 units of doctoral coursework.
• Fulfill core course requirements
  These include:
  - Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies
  - Theory and Design of Writing Instruction
  - Computational Humanities Practicum
  - Teaching Writing Practicum
  - Directed Reading Course to prepare for the Qualifying Exam
• Take one course in each of two historical periods
  - One course focused on literature and culture before 1900
  - One course focused on literature and culture after 1900
• Satisfy computational coursework requirements
  - One approved computation-focused course offered by the English Department (e.g., Coding for Humanists, Methods in Humanities Analytics, Digital Rhetorics)
  - One approved computation-focused course from another CMU department (e.g., Interdisciplinary NLP, Statistical Learning for Non-Statistics Graduate Students, AI for Humanities)
• Pass the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination
  This examination, taken at the beginning of the third year, includes both written and oral components.
• Complete four elective courses
  Chosen in consultation with advisors, these electives support the student’s research agenda and career goals.
• Teach undergraduate courses in English
  Teaching is an integral part of the program, and students gain experience through a sequence of practicum courses and mentored instruction.
• Write and defend a doctoral dissertation
  The dissertation should represent original research in literary and cultural studies and make innovative use of computational methods.

Teaching requirements and training:

• In the spring term of their first year, students will take Theory and Design of Writing Instruction (76-824), which prepares them to design, sequence, and assess writing instruction for diverse learners, drawing on current approaches in writing studies, pedagogy, and instructional design.
• In the fall term of their second year, students will take the Teaching Writing Practicum (76-902), which pairs pedagogical training with in-classroom experience teaching in the First-Year Writing program, supported by reflection, goal setting, and collaboration with faculty course leads.
• Beginning in the spring term of their second year, students teach one course per term. For the first four terms, that course is the first-year writing course, Interpretation and Argument (76-101).
• After they have taught 76-101 four times, students may apply to teach other undergraduate courses in the English Department. The two courses usually available to CCS student instructors are Books You Should Have Read By Now (76-221) and Special Topics in Literary and Cultural Studies (76-207). Teaching assignments for these courses are determined according to program needs and are not guaranteed.
• In some cases, students may receive fellowships or other awards that reduce or eliminate their teaching obligations for one or more terms.