Digital Humanities & Culture

Course Overview

Many of the biggest questions in our world today can only be answered by drawing on knowledge of both culture and technology. Trinity’s M.Phil. in Digital Humanities and Culture prepares its students to take on these questions in a wide variety of contexts, whether they want to deepen their understanding of a humanities subject through data mining and visualisation; explore the virtual transmission of culture and heritage by and beyond museums, libraries and archives; or join the movement to make technology development more humane.



In the digital humanities, researchers trained in history, literature, languages, the arts, computer science and engineering combine their skills to transform our understanding of the world. They also develop the technological capacity to drive forward our ability to see patterns in human behaviours and how humans describe their experiences. What sets apart our course from other Digital Humanities courses is the equal emphasis we place on what technology can do for humanities research, and what humanities research can do to promote the rise of human-centred technology design. We also use the established collaborations across our disciplines and with our library and technical support colleagues to deliver a unique educational experience. The flow of challenges, knowledge and techniques between students and staff in the course from diverse backgrounds creates many unexpected and transformative opportunities to grow our understanding of the world.



Is This Course For Me?

The Trinity M.Phil. in Digital Humanities and Culture attracts students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many have taken a Bachelor's, Master's or even a Ph.D. in a humanities discipline, knowledge they want to enhance with an additional methodological layer. Others are practitioners in the cultural heritage sector or creative industries, who would like to sharpen their approach to technology through the application of techniques and models from the digital humanities in their work. The degree also attracts researchers with a background in computer science or software engineering, for whom the course can satisfy a desire to deepen their understanding of the users and use contexts of the software they create under the challenging conditions presented by cultural data and contexts. This variety of perspectives within the student body makes for rich interactions and conversations.

Course Content

The Masters (M.Phil.) programme (90 ECTS) can be studied as full-time over 1 year (90 ECTS) or part-time over 2 - 3 years (30-60 ECTS per year).



M.Phil. students complete four core modules (40 ETCS), two to three optional modules (20 ETCS), and then build on the knowledge and skills gained through the modules by applying them to the research project in the form of a 15,000-20,000 word dissertation (30 ECTS). Two of the core modules take a more theoretical approach via lectures and discussions: Theory and Practice of Digital Humanities, and Cultural-Technical Systems. Concurrently the other two core modules have a more practical focus: Building Digital Humanities Projects, and Digital Humanities Internships and Project Management.



Students also take two to three optional modules, selected from a range of options offered from across the relevant disciplines at Trinity. Although we do not require it, we strongly encourage every student to choose Programming for the Humanities 1 as one of their options, as it provides a fundamental grounding in computational thinking that is relevant across a wide variety of contexts, and requires no previous experience with writing computer code.



Finally, students complete a research dissertation on a topic of their choice, receiving guidance from supervisors who are experts in their respective fields.



Students who do not want to register for a full Masters programme, but who want to further their knowledge and experience of digital humanities through an accredited programme may register to enter the programme as a student for either the Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Humanities and Culture and continue on to complete the M.Phil. if they so choose.

Admission Requirements

• Applicants must:



• Applicants must:



- Have a good Honours degree (at least an upper second, GPA of at least 3.3) in any of the disciplines of the humanities, library, or computer science.

- Applicants must evidence their motivation and preparation to join the course through their academic writing sample (no more than 2,500 words) and completed personal statement (which must be submitted on the course template, found on course webpage - link above.



English Language Requirements

All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band C (Standard Entry) English language requirements. For more details of qualifications that meet B and C, see the English Language Requirements page.



Applicants may also be asked to take part in a short interview (in person or via phone / Skype) as part of the assessment process.



Application and next steps

You may apply at any point between the applications being opened in the autumn, and the closing date being reached in the summer. However, the course is popular, and applications are handled on a first-come first-served basis. You are strongly advised to apply early in order to avoid disappointment.



Partial applications that are missing any of the materials listed below cannot be considered until they are completed.



Required Materials

For this course, you will need to submit the following materials to apply:



A) Personal Statement Form: The Personal Statement Form is an important part of our assessment process. It is your opportunity to state your reasons for applying to this programme and how they match what the programme delivers. Applicants who would like to make the Course Director aware of further information relevant to their application may also upload an optional personal cover letter to their dossier.



B) Sample of Academic Writing: As part of your application, you also need to submit a sample of no more than 2,500 words (excluding bibliography) of your best academic writing in English. When we assess your application, we will pay particular attention to your ability to:



-Build and present a logical, cohesive argument.

-Analyse and evaluate the arguments of others.

-Adhere to the norms of academic writing (referencing, quotation, avoiding plagiarism* and other forms of academic misconduct, and bibliography).

-Use academic English and use academic sources in a manner consistent with English-language academic research papers.



We make use of Turnitin and other software to check for plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct in the samples submitted. An application may be rejected if samples of work submitted are found to include instances of such misconduct.



C) English Language Qualifications: English Language Qualifications: Unless you have completed a degree through the medium of English or are a native speaker, you are required to prove your proficiency with the language. Trinity prefers IELTS, but will accept alternative tests run by international organisations, such as TOEFL. As per the TCD requirements at Band C, an overall score of 7.0 and a minimum of 6.5 in each category or its equivalent is required.



D) Degree Certificate(s): You will need to provide degree certificates (in PDF format) that prove you have completed all of the degrees you mention in your application. If you haven’t yet completed your degree, you can still apply and supply these documents when you have them.



E) Degree Transcripts: You will need to provide official transcripts (in PDF format) showing all of the components you have completed as part of your degree(s).



F) Two Reference Letters: Two Reference Letters: You will need to provide reference letters from two people not related to you who can provide references written in English, explaining why you would be a strong candidate for the course. At least one of these letters must be from someone who is familiar with your academic work. It is the responsibility of the applicant to contact their referees and inform them of their intention of applying for this programme. Referees listed by the applicant on Trinity's online application system will automatically receive an electronic reference request, providing them with a Trinity reference template and a link to upload their references.



G) Current Professional CV: Although this is not a formal requirement for entry into the programme, we may use your CV in the course of organising an internship experience for you.



H) Online Application Form: Once you have all of the above, click below and then click “Apply” to fill out the online application form in full, not forgetting to upload all the requested materials as attachments.



IMPORTANT: please note that you must specify the category of each attachment you upload (for example, when uploading a reference letter, you need to specify that the attachment is a “Reference”). Otherwise, your application will be deemed incomplete.



Application processing

You may apply at any point between the applications being opened in the autumn, and the closing date being reached in the summer. However, the course is popular, and applications are handled on a first-come first-served basis for the 20 available places. You are strongly advised to apply early in order to avoid disappointment.



Partial applications that are missing any of the materials listed below will not be considered until they are complete.



Please note: Applicants are likely be invited to take part in a short interview via video conference as part of the assessment process. Interviews will only be offered to applicants whose dossiers are complete, including evidence of their current level of English language ability (even if that level does not yet meet the C threshold). Conditional offers will not be made for this programme to applicants unable to provide any evidence of English competency, but they may be made to applicants needing to improve their language before the course commences (e.g. through a newly submitted English-language exam, or registering for the 10-week CELLT Pre-Session programme).

Closing Date 30th June 2026

M.Phil.: 1 year full-time/3 years part-time / PG.Dip.: 1 year full-time/2 years part-time / PG.Cert.: 1 year part-time

Next Intake September 2026

Career Opportunities

This course prepares graduates for careers in project management, cultural outreach, NGO activities, exhibition creation, media and communications, data management, research, and humane technology management.