Calling all undergraduate Humanities majors: Are you curious about the digital humanities? Are you interested in how you can combine your own research interests with digital technologies? In the Undergraduate Summer Fellowship in the Digital Humanities (USFDH), you can enhance your research and technology skills by learning about digital humanities and developing your own project prototype. 

Applications are now open for the 2024 USFDH program, which is part of the School of Humanities, in partnership with UCI Libraries and the Digital Humanities Exchange (DHX). Accepted fellows will receive a $1,200 stipend upon successful completion of the program. 

About the Fellowship

Fellows in the program will learn about the digital humanities and develop a digital humanities project prototype focused on their interests. The fellowship will consist of a series of workshops concerned with defining the "digital humanities" and learning about tools and their uses. Workshops will be primarily led by UCI Libraries Research Librarian for the Digital Humanities, April Urban. Students will also be connected to subject librarians and humanities faculty for additional support. Workshops and support will guide students through the project drafting and prototyping process. The fellowship will culminate in students' presentations of their project prototypes in a public showcase. Fellows will receive a $1,200 stipend upon completion of the fellowship.

There is a wide range of possible topics and approaches for project prototypes. Possible research topics include:

• Local histories or community stories, such as in Orange County or the student's hometown or state. Local Orange County and Southeast Asian American community archives are available at UC Irvine Libraries' Special Collections and Archives.
• Studying digital media culture, such as social media or video games.
• Social justice, critical race theory, ethnic studies, labor movements, postcolonial, feminist, LGBTQ, and/or disability studies topics and approaches.
• Environmental humanities such as the intersections between climate change and literature or culture. The UCI Environmental Humanities Research Center promotes research in this area.
• Medical humanities, such as the cultural histories of pandemics or plagues. The UCI Center for Medical Humanities supports research and creative activity in this area.
• The intersections between the arts/creative works and the digital, such as electronic literature, digital visual art, or computer music.

The fellowship will be virtual (Zoom) and will start in June and conclude in September (10 weeks). An in-person orientation meeting will be held near the end of the spring quarter.

Eligibility and Deadline

All continuing UC Irvine undergraduate students enrolled in a Humanities major are eligible to apply. However, students graduating in Spring 2024 are not eligible.

To apply, complete and submit the application form. The deadline for applications is Friday, April 19, by 11:59 p.m. Award notifications will be sent by Friday, May 3.

If you have any questions, please email Research Librarian for Digital Humanities, April Urban, at aprilu@uci.edu.