[Asis-l] Masters (MSc) programme in Digital Anthropology at University College London

[Lane DeNicola]

Masters (MSc) programme in Digital Anthropology at University College London

 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/anthro/digital-anthropology/

The MSc in Digital Anthropology at UCL, now accepting applications for
its fourth year, is a world leader in the training of researchers in
the social and cultural dimensions of information technologies and
digital media.

Facebook and YouTube. eBooks and massively-networked gaming. Mobile
communications and the Internet of Things. Digital technology has
become ubiquitous, woven not only into pedestrian artefacts and the
built environment but into our social and spiritual lives.  Museum
displays migrate to the Internet, family communication in the Diaspora
is dominated by new media, artists work with digital films and images.
Anthropology and ethnographic research is fundamental to understanding
the local consequences of these innovations, and to creating theories
that help us acknowledge, understand and engage with them. Today's
students need to become proficient with digital technologies as
research and communication tools. Through combining technical skills
with appreciation of social effects, students will be trained for
further research and involvement in these emergent worlds.

This MSc (nominally one year of full-time study) brings together three
key components in the study of digital culture:

  1. Skills training in digital technologies, including our own
Digital Lab, from multimedia fieldnotes and  video editing to digital
asset management and virtual ethnography.
  2. Anthropological theories of virtualism, materiality/immateriality
and digitisation.
  3. Understanding the consequences of digital culture through the
ethnographic study of its social and regional impact and issues of the
digital divide.

University College London is one of the highest rated universities in
the world according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities and
the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Alumni of the Digital Anthropology programme have secured positions in
both the public and private sectors, at organisations in fields
ranging from design to marketing, game development to open content
advocacy. The programme has fostered research engagements and
placements with Skype, Microsoft, and Google among others. A major
grant just awarded to department staff by the European Research
Council will focus on social networking across a disparate array of
countries, and a foundational edited volume on Digital Anthropology
(edited by and featuring a number of staff within our own department,
along with many other leaders in the field) is scheduled to be
released this summer from Berg Publishers.

The programme is suitable both for those with a prior degree in
anthropology but also for those with degrees in neighbouring
disciplines who wish to be trained in anthropological and related
approaches to digital culture. There is scope for those with
specialist interests to work closely with information system
designers, curators, communication specialists as well as our own
digital studio. In addition to its importance for careers such as
media, design and museums, digital technology is also integral to
development, theoretical and applied anthropology.

For further information about this programme contact Dr. Lane DeNicola
(l.denicola at ucl.ac.uk).  General and country-specific information for
international applicants can be found at the International Office
website:

 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/international-students/

Applications are now handled exclusively online:

 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate-study/application-admission

While the general application deadline is not until 3 August 2012,
applicants who may have funding or visa contingencies are advised to
apply by 1 March (or earlier, depending on the funding programmes
being applied to).

University College London has over 3,500 research staff and 17,000
students, ranking among the top three multi-faculty research and
teaching universities in the UK. Located in the heart of Bloomsbury
among the unique research resources of central London, which include
excellent museum facilities as well as a dense network of specialist
research and higher education institutions, the College provides an
outstanding research base. The Department of Anthropology combines
social and biological anthropology and material culture. Members of
the Department carry out research in 49 countries, edit four
international journals and run five research seminar series and
specialist postgraduate research groups. There are over 140
postgraduate students funded by AHRC, ESRC, NERC, MRC, London
University, British Academy, Institute of Zoology, Natural History
Museum, Overseas Research Studentships, staff research programme
awards, and various national governmental and international awards.
UCL is thus one of the largest centres in the world for the training
of PhD students in Anthropology.

The Dept. of Anthropology at UCL is the world's leading centre for the
study of Material and Visual Culture (we have eight specialist staff
in material and visual culture).  We currently supervise approximately
fifty PhD students specifically in this field, including many with
topics in Digital Anthropology.  Amongst other activities members of
this group edit the Journal of Material Culture, the journal Home
Cultures, and several book series and (in collaboration with NYU) the
weblog at materialworldblog.com.

The Department encourages pure and theoretical research as well as
providing strong links with applied and development projects.  As well
as holding top research standing, the Department has been rated
excellent in successive teaching quality audits. There are 8 taught
Masters courses and several undergraduate degrees (BSc Anthropology,
BSc in Human Sciences, and Intercalated BScs in Medical Anthropology).

-- 
Dr. Lane DeNicola
Lecturer in Digital Anthropology
Department of Anthropology
University College London
http://www.lanedenicola.name