MSCI-308 Computing for Arts/Humanities

3 Credits

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of computer programming for research in the arts and humanities. It is designed to provide students with an array of computational tools and methods that can be used to help frame research questions, carry out research projects, and provide data for deeper analysis into a wide range of subjects and subject matter. The tools and methods taught in this class are powerful compliments to the modes of analysis students learn throughout their arts and humanities training (close looking, analytical reading, critical visuality, persuasive writing, etc.). Unlike a standard computer science course, this course focuses on the follow core idea: We do not learn to program, we program to learn. In other words, the course is primarily about learning by doing and applying concepts and techniques by putting them into action. This may include carrying out word frequency analysis, or sentiment analysis, on texts to find out how language is being used or in graphing and plotting information from a museum’s database to better see patterns in the data. The course will be a mixture of class discussion, skill demonstrations, skill building, hands on exercises, peer based code review, coding challenges, and a cumulative project. Students will begin by building basic coding skills and knowledge using a primary programming language (e.g. Python) and coding environment (e.g. Jupyter Notebooks). A series of coding challenges will help reinforce necessary techniques and understanding. These challenges will provide the foundations needed to complete a final project.Prior programming experience is not required. Students will begin learning a primary programming language (e.g. Python) and coding environment (e.g. Jupyter Notebooks). They will also be introduced to other programming languages and environments where appropriate.