Boise State University

What you'll study

This interdisciplinary programme blends courses in literary and textual analysis with practical training in digital methods. Core topics include the history and theory of textual scholarship, editing and criticism, digital editing and markup (XML/TEI), corpus linguistics and text mining, data visualisation, digital preservation and metadata, and user-centred design for humanities interfaces.

• Foundations in literary and textual studies: close reading, history of the book, editorial theory and manuscript studies.
• Computational methods: introductory programming for the humanities (Python or similar), regular expressions, text analysis and natural language processing basics.
• Digital editing and standards: XML, TEI encoding, markup practices and digital scholarly editions.
• Data skills and visualisation: data modelling, cleaning, network analysis and visual representation of textual and cultural data.
• Information organisation and preservation: metadata schemes, digital repositories, copyright and ethical considerations in digital curation.
• Applied projects and practicum: collaborative, project-based modules that produce digital exhibits, online editions or tools; internship placements with libraries, museums or cultural organisations.
• Capstone project: an independent research or applied project that integrates textual scholarship with digital methodologies and produces a substantive digital or hybrid output.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to have completed secondary education equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma, with demonstrated achievement in English and humanities subjects. Admissions typically consider GPA, a personal statement that explains interest in both textual scholarship and digital methods, and academic references.

International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency through recognised tests unless exempt. Some students may be asked to submit a writing sample; prior experience with coding is helpful but not required, as introductory programming is provided within the curriculum.

Career prospects

Graduates combine analytical and technical expertise applicable across cultural, educational and commercial sectors. Typical career paths include:

• Digital archivist or digital collections specialist in libraries, museums and archives.
• Digital editor or publishing technologist for scholarly projects, academic presses or online media.
• Content strategist, UX researcher or information architect in cultural institutions, nonprofits or private companies.
• Data analyst or research assistant using textual data in academic, governmental or commercial research settings.
• Preparation for postgraduate study in digital humanities, library and information science, archival studies or related humanities disciplines.

Why study at Boise State University

Boise State offers hands-on, interdisciplinary training with access to campus resources that support digital scholarship, including the university library's special collections and digital services. Students benefit from collaborative faculty in English and allied departments who partner with librarians and local cultural organisations to offer applied projects and internship opportunities in Boise and the wider region.

The programme emphasises project-based learning and practical skill development—coding for humanities, digital editing standards, data visualisation and preservation—preparing graduates to work on real-world digital scholarship initiatives or continue into specialised graduate programmes. Small classes and advising support help students shape individual research goals and portfolio-ready projects.