Oxford Digital Scholarship 2025 Admissions Open

The MSc in Digital Scholarship at the University of Oxford offers a unique opportunity for students to engage with cutting-edge digital tools and methods, transforming traditional humanities into innovative, digitally-enhanced scholarly projects. Designed for students interested in both academia and beyond, the program equips participants with the skills needed to lead digital projects and pursue groundbreaking doctoral research.

Benefits of the MSc in Digital Scholarship

• Cutting-edge Digital Expertise: Gain hands-on experience with digital tools and techniques crucial for humanities research.
• Comprehensive Learning: The course offers a balance of technical, theoretical, and practical knowledge.
• Access to Oxford’s World-Class Resources: Leverage the Bodleian Libraries, digital resources, and Oxford’s vibrant digital community.
• Flexible Dissertation Options: Choose between traditional academic prose or a digital asset for your final dissertation.
• Career Mentorship: Pair up with renowned digital scholars for career guidance.
• Practicum Placement: Collaborate with Oxford’s flagship digital projects, gaining real-world experience in managing scholarly digital projects.
• Cultural and Academic Network: Participate in seminars, talks, and workshops as part of Oxford’s interdisciplinary academic community.

Eligibility Criteria

• Academic Requirements: A first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree in a humanities or relevant field is generally required.
• Digital Interest: A demonstrated interest in applying digital tools to humanities research is preferred.
• Language Requirements: Non-native English speakers must provide an English language certificate (e.g., IELTS or TOEFL) as per Oxford’s requirements.

Course Structure

The MSc consists of four primary components, each leading toward the development of your dissertation:

• Elements of Digital Scholarship: This core paper offers a systematic overview of a digital project’s life cycle, exposing students to Oxford’s major digital projects.
• Methods of Digital Scholarship: In the first term, students choose two technical options to gain hands-on training in digital methods relevant to their projects.
• Subject-Specific Paper: In the second term, students select a paper from Oxford’s Humanities faculties to deepen their knowledge in a specific discipline.
• Practicum Placement: Students work within Oxford’s digital scholarship projects, gaining practical experience for their dissertation.

The course concludes with a dissertation, which can be either a traditional academic thesis or a digital output accompanied by a short report.

Application Process

Step 1: Check Entry Requirements

Ensure you meet the academic and language requirements. It is recommended to take the open-access course, Humanities Research in the Digital Age, to familiarize yourself with the digital scholarship field.

Step 2: Prepare Application Materials

• Personal statement detailing your interest in digital scholarship and proposed research area.
• Academic transcripts.
• Two academic references.
• CV highlighting any digital skills and relevant experience.

Step 3: Submit Application

Applications are submitted via Oxford’s graduate admissions portal https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/msc-digital-scholarship.

Step 4: Interview Process

Shortlisted applicants may be invited for an interview to discuss their research interests and fit for the program.

Application Deadline: January 7, 2025.