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Minor
Digital Studies

Digital Studies

The Digital Studies minor provides you with a critical understanding of how digital technologies impact individuals and society. Topics include the fundamentals of human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, digital networks, and “big data.”

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Degree Details

Official Degree Title

Minor, Digital Studies

Format
Full-time or Part-time
Credits
16

What You'll Learn

The Digital Studies minor is designed for students from diverse backgrounds who want to understand more about the smartphones, networked laptops, social media, and generative AI systems that are becoming ubiquitous in our modern world. In this minor, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how these systems are designed and emerge well-equipped to actively control your digital environment and employ these sociotechnical systems in your professional life. 

In particular, the Digital Studies Minor will introduce you to the transition from analog technologies, such as the telephone and broadcast radio and television, to digital systems like the Internet and modern cellular systems. Recent research from psychology, sociology, and the learning sciences will help you better understand the capacities and limitations of these technologies and their use and misuse. Topics include selective attention in the human cognitive system, the interaction of visual and aural information, immersive digital displays, technology dependence, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence.

There are no technical prerequisites or programming, mathematics, or engineering requirements for this minor. 

Required courses (8 credits):

  • EDCT-UE 1010 Being Digital: How the Internet Works and Why It Is Important, 4 credits
  • EDCT-UE 1041 Fundamentals of Information Technology & Artificial Intelligence, 4 credits 

 

Electives (8 credits from any of the courses below)

Steinhardt

  • EDCT-UE 1xxx Creativity and Artificial Intelligence [in development]
  • APSTA-UE 25 Carpe Datum: Data Science for Life's Big Questions, 4 credits
  • MCC-UE 3 History of Media & Communication, 4 credits
  • MCC-UE 1423 AI and Society, 4 credits
  • MCC-UE 1571 Rise of Internet Media, 4 credits

CAS

  • CSCI-UA 2 Introduction to Computer Programming, 4 Credits

Gallatin

  • IDSEM-UG 1042 Digital Revolution: History of Media III, 4 credits
  • IDSEM-UG 1626 The Communication Revolution, 4 Credits
  • PRACT-UG 1460 The Politics of New Media: How the Internet Works and For Whom, 4 Credits

Global Health

  • UGPH-GU 32 Ethics and the Internet: Social Media, Big Data, and Fake News, 4 Credits
  • UGPH-GU 36 Ethics and Technology, 4 Credits

Stern

  • TECH-UB 75 Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies: Technical & Strategy Perspectives, 3 credits

Tandon

  • DM-UY 1133 Creative Coding, 4 credits
  • DM-UY 2193 Intro to Web Development, 4 credits
  • DM-UY 4913 Special Topics in Digital Media, 4 credits
  • STS-UY 2524 Computer Ethics, 4 credits
  • STS-UY 2634 Psychology of the Internet, 4 credits
  • STS-UY 4504 Advanced Seminar in Science and Technology, 4 credits

Tisch

  • IMNY-UT 101 Creative Computing, 4 Credits
  • IMNY-UT 201 Internet Famous, 4 Credits
  • IMNY-UT 205 Creative Approaches to Emerging Media, 4 Credits

How to Enroll

Undergraduate students from all schools at NYU are welcome to enroll in the 16-Credit Digital Studies Cross-Schools Minor via Albert. Because the required courses and many of the electives involve fully online instruction, students may complete this program of study remotely and/or while studying away. 

Questions 

Contact altstudentservices@nyu.edu for more information.

classroom
Department of

Administration, Leadership, and Technology

Department of Administration, Leadership, and Technology
82 Washington Square East, 7th floor
New York, NY 10003

Tel: 212-998-5520
Email: alt@nyu.edu