UCLA launches first digital humanities bachelor’s degree in the U.S

UCLA is launching the first digital humanities department and bachelor’s degree program in the United States this fall. The new major is designed to bridge the gap between classical humanities and technical expertise, combining subjects like history, literature, and global cultures with tools such as coding, statistical analysis, 3D mapping, and data visualization.

The curriculum aims to address the rise of generative artificial intelligence by teaching students to use technology ethically and understand the human biases inherent in digital tools. Professor Todd Presner, who co-led the creation of the department, noted that the merger prevents the humanities from becoming irrelevant while ensuring scientists engage with historical and ethical perspectives.

Students in the program will study how new technologies shape culture and explore the mechanics of large language models to understand how training data can be manipulated.