About this course
On this digital humanities course, you'll develop the skills to step into the world of data science while using your humanities or social sciences background to make sustained arguments. You'll learn how to embed justice-led, climate-orientated and unbiased ways of working, elevating your capacity for future employment or further study.
This innovative digital humanities masters degree is for humanities and social science graduates looking to combine critical humanities thinking with data science skills and methods. You'll develop core skills in data analysis, management, harmonisation and visualisation.
You'll explore evolving relationships between humans, data and technology, and experiment with new ideas about data science, justice and society. You'll also learn how to combine data science and humanities to create an impact in a range of industries that use digital methods for data-driven work.
As a master's student on this humanities data science course, you'll benefit from:
- dedicated learning spaces and a collaborative culture with academics and fellow students
- opportunities to take part in knowledge exchange and enterprise activities
- engagement with a wide range of academic, technical, and professional expertise in digital humanities
- access to audio-visual recording and production, motion capture, 3D imaging and printing, and virtual reality equipment and technologies
- the option to complete additional modules from other humanities postgraduate programmes
We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes.
Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).
Course lead
Your course lead is Dr Lexi Webster, Deputy Director of Digital Humanities. If you have any questions about the course you can email Lexi at l.webster@soton.ac.uk.
Learn more about this subject area
Course location
This course is based at Avenue.
Awarding body
This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.
Entry requirements
You'll need a 2:1 degree or higher in a humanities or non-numerate social science subject.
Candidates who do not meet the specific entry requirements are still encouraged to apply and will be considered, as will those with non-traditional qualifications or professional experience.
Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.
English language requirements
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
IELTS score requirements
- overall score
- 6.5
- reading
- 6.0
- writing
- 6.0
- speaking
- 6.0
- listening
- 6.0
We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.
If you don’t meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Pre-masters
If you don’t meet the academic requirements, you can complete a pre-master's programme through our partnership with ONCAMPUS. Learn more about the programmes available.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
Course structure
This is a full time digital humanities and data science master's where your studies will take place over 12 months. This is divided into three semesters, with a total of six months of taught learning.
Semester 1 and Semester 2
You'll study a variety of core and optional modules.
From your core modules, you'll learn how to:
- integrate humanities thinking with the underpinning principles and methods in data science
- use humanities thinking to positively challenge traditional approaches to data science
- embed a justice orientated approach
- manage, visualise, analyse, and present humanities data
Optional modules will enable you to combine data driven and humanities focused topics. This will allow you to consider the relationships between humanities and computational work in greater depth.
Semester 3
You'll complete your own digital humanities project portfolio. In this final project, you'll address an authentic industry task or research problem through a combined humanities and data science approach. You'll negotiate the specific content and form of this project with an academic supervisor, based on your expertise, interests, and future goals.
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
Modules
The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.
For entry in academic year 2025 to 2026
Year 1 modules
You must study the following modules :
Digital Humanities Research/Professional Project
The Digital Humanities project enables students to engage with a traditional dissertation or a project responding to an industry problem using humanities data science techniques. Students will be guided by a personal supervisor.
Methods in Humanities Data Science
In this module, you will engage with methods in data science and situate them in critical humanities thinking. We will develop practical skills in using computational methods for working with data, including: dataset and process documentation (e.g. data s...
Principles of Humanities Data Science
In this module, you will be introduced to the principles that underpin humanities data science. We will focus on how to embed a justice-oriented approach in humanities data science, with particular emphasis on climate, feminist, queer, and racial justice....
You must also choose from the following modules :
Audiovisual Translation
This module will introduce you to the different types of audiovisual translation and the various kinds of subtitles produced nowadays. You will learn about the interaction between text and image and the technical issues and constraints involved in creatin...
Data Management for Humanities Research
In this module you will develop strategies and skills to integrate data management into humanities data science practices and methods. Over the course of the semester you will learn about good practice guidelines used in humanities research data managemen...
Digital Forms
This module explores the relationship between digital culture and contemporary fiction. It gives you the opportunity to critically examine how the digital world in which you may, or may not, interact with everyday appears in both online and offline litera...
Digital Screen Cultures
Humanities Data Science Placement
This module is an opportunity for you to take your burgeoning skills in humanities data science and apply them in an industry-based placement. The placement offers the opportunity for you to develop practical employability skills in relevant industry cont...
Museums in the Modern World
This module examines the past, present and future of museum and heritage communication. It will explore the ever-changing purposes and practices espoused by and employed by heritage bodies, particularly museums, with a primary but not exclusive focus on U...
Philosophy and Ethics in Psychology and AI
The science of psychology and the project of artificial intelligence raise profound philosophical issues as they attempt to understand, simulate and even go beyond human thought. Some concern the kind of explanation that these ventures seek: If we underst...
Text as Data
In this module, you will explore one of the primary forms of data used in humanities data science - text! You will develop an understanding of text as a form of data, including what can (and can't!) be do with it. You will explore and compare varying apro...
Learning and assessment
Learning
You'll learn through a range of teaching and learning methods, including:
- lectures
- computer labs
- interactive workshops
- independent study materials
- individual and group working
- problem and project based learning
There is also a range of bookable technology and equipment to help support your learning ranging across:
- audio-visual recording and production
- motion capture
- 3D imaging and printing
- virtual reality
You'll also have access to our dedicated collaborative spaces, such as the Digital Humanities Hub. In addition to its use as a general co-working space, the Digital Humanities team will host regular academic and technical office hours for more tailored support.
Assessment
Core modules on the programme are assessed based on real-world contexts and professional standards in the world of data science.
Typical assessment designs on this digital humanities degree include:
- written reports
- oral presentations
- video essays
- infographics
- posters
- project portfolio
We also encourage innovative approaches to communicating your work and designs and are keen to negotiate assessment outputs on core modules of the course. Assessments on optional modules made available outside of the core MSc Digital Humanities (Data Science) curriculum will be subject to their home subject's approach to assessment design.
Dissertation
In the last part of your course you'll complete the digital humanities final project and create an individual portfolio. The digital humanities project will enable you to engage with a traditional dissertation or a project responding to an industry problem using humanities data science techniques. You will be guided by a personal supervisor.
Academic Support
You’ll be assigned a personal academic tutor and have access to a senior tutor.
Careers
The MSc Digital Humanities (Data Science) course has a specific focus on your employability. You'll be supported in developing a rounded portfolio of computational and critical humanities skills that will enable you to compete in the growing data science labour market.
After completing this course, you'll gain data science and digital humanities skills which are in demand from businesses such as:
- non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- galleries
- libraries
- museums
- charities
- social enterprises
- voluntary organisations
Careers services at Southampton
We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:
- work experience schemes
- CV/resume and interview skills workshops
- networking events
- careers fairs attended by top employers
- a wealth of volunteering opportunities
- study abroad and summer school opportunities
We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:
- our dedicated start-up incubator, Futureworlds
- a wide variety of enterprise events run throughout the year
- our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator, SETsquared
Fees, costs and funding
Tuition fees
Fees for a year's study:
- UK students pay £9,250.
- EU and international students pay £25,400.
Deposit
If you're an international student on a full-time course, we'll ask you to pay £2,000 of your tuition fees in advance, as a deposit.
Your offer letter will tell you when this should be paid and provide full terms and conditions.
Find out about exemptions, refunds and how to pay your deposit on our tuition fees for overseas students page.
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams. The fee you pay will remain the same each year from when you start studying this course. This includes if you suspend and return.
Find out how to pay your tuition fees.
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.
Explore:
Funding your postgraduate studies
A variety of additional funding options may be available to help you pay for your master’s study. Both from the University and other organisations.
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Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
How to apply
- Use the blue 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our postgraduate admissions system.
- Create an account which gives you access to your own application portal. .
- Search for the course you want to apply for.
- Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
- Pay the £50 application assessment fee, (there are some exemptions, check terms and conditions).
- Submit your application.
For further details of our admission process, read our step by step guide to postgraduate taught applications.
Application deadlines
UK students
The deadline to apply for this course is Tuesday 9 September 2025, midday UK time.
We advise applying early as applications may close before the expected deadline if places are filled.
International students
The deadline to apply for this course is Tuesday 26 August 2025, midday UK time.
We advise applying early as applications may close before the expected deadline if places are filled.
Application assessment fee
We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for a postgraduate taught course.
This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees and is payable per application. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.
If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you’re applying for certain scholarships, you will not need to pay the fee. PGCE applications through GOV.UK and Master of Research (MRes) degree applications are also exempt. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page.
Supporting information
When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course.
You’ll need to include information about:
- your knowledge of a subject area in humanities or social sciences
- why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
- how you intend to use your qualification
You'll also need to submit two academic references. No expertise or experience in data science is necessary.
Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.
What happens after you apply
You'll be able to track your application through our online Applicant Record System.
We will aim to send you a decision 6 weeks after you have submitted your application.
If we offer you a place, you will need to accept the offer within 30 working days. If you do not meet this deadline, we will offer your place to another applicant.
Unfortunately, due to number of applications we receive, we may not be able to give you specific feedback on your application if you are unsuccessful.
Equality and diversity
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000