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Courses to Take

Our certificate courses promote a critical understanding of computing.

Certificate

Requirements

There are variety eligible courses that will continue to expand and be updated. Successful completion of the certificate requires a total of five courses. There is one required survey course, CPSC 2265: Topics in Critical Computing.

CS majors should take four additional courses from categories 2-4 below, with at least one course from each category. This includes all CS+X majors: CS and Economics, CS and Math, CS and Psychology, Computing and the Arts, Computing and Linguistics, and EECS. Category 1 below is for those who do not have any other computing background and is not intended for CS majors. 

Non-CS majors should take one course each of the four categories below. One introductory computing course from category 1 is required to guarantee some exposure to a computing background. Independent of the certificate requirements, it may be broadly helpful to take more than this single required CS course.

There can be a maximum overlap of two courses with other major requirements, and a maximum of three courses originating from the same department or area of study.

Course Categories

1. Introduction to computing 

  • CPSC 1001: Introduction to Programming.
  • CPSC 1100: Python Programming for Humanities and Social Sciences.
  • CPSC 1230: YData: An Introduction to Data Science.
  • CPSC 2000: Introduction to Information Systems.
  • CPSC 2010: Introduction to Computer Science.
  • CPSC 2230: Data Structures and Programming Techniques.
  • CPSC 3230: Introduction to Systems Programming and Computer Organization.

2. Social research, politics, law, and economics

  • CPSC 2155: Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Society
  • SOCY 1283: Computers, Networks, and Society
  • HSHM 449: Critical Data Visualization: History, Theory, and Practice.
  • AMST 2500 / GLBL 2490: Introduction to Critical Data Studies.
  • AMST 3302 / ER&M 3012 / HSHM 4930 / WGSS 3312: Technology, Race and Gender
  • CPSC 4640: Algorithms and Their Societal Implications.
  • AMST 3303 / ER&M 4399 / FILM 2980 / SAST 2620: Digital War.
  • SOCY 537: YData: Measuring Culture.
  • S&DS 5720: YData: Data Science for Political Campaigns.

3. History, digital media, and culture

  • ARCH 332: Cultural AI: Machine Vision, Art, and Design.
  • FILM 1601 / ENGL 2810: Introduction to Media.
  • FILM 1900: Modes of Thinking Through Media Making.
  • FILM 3900: Media, AI and Algorithmic Bias.
  • ENGL 188 / FILM 210: Philosophy of Digital Media.
  • ENGL 198 / FILM 394 / LITR 409 / RSEE 350 / WGSS 394: Internet Cultures.
  • CSSY 2300: Writing for the Web.
  • FILM 3740: Media and Protection.
  • SPAN 855: Media Studies in the Amazon.
  • HSAR 700: Media Cultures of the Cold War.
  • CPSC 4780: Introduction to Computer Graphics.
  • AMST 3650 / EP&E 4399 / ER&M 3695: Platforms and Cultural Production.
  • SPAN 290 / HUMS 387: Introduction to Digital Humanities I.
  • AMST 6627 / FILM 6020: Media and Religion.
  • SOCY 3151: Media and Knowledge Production.

4. Broader intersections in science, technology, and society

  • CPSC 1900: Decentering Computer Science: Transpacific Computing History across U.S., East Asia, and Beyond
  • EP&E 253: Environmental Ethics.
  • PHIL 2269: Philosophy of Science.
  • ANTH 367: Technology and Culture.
  • SOCY 3401: Media and Mass Atrocities in Africa
  • RUSS 222 / RSEE 244 / FILM 369 / HUMS 186: War Games.
  • ANTH 468 / AFST 465 / HSHM 413: Infrastructures of Empire: Control and (In)security in the Global South.
  • ART 612: Technology Criticism in Practice.
  • EP&E 330 / PLSC 284: Capitalism, Commodification, and Business Ethics.
  • AMST 302 / ER&M 312 / HSHM 493 / WGSS 312: Technology, Race and Gender.
  • ER&M 355 / WGSS 360 / HSHM 405: Science and Technology Studies: Anti-racist and Feminist Approaches to Technoscience.
  • AMST 610 / ER&M 610: Militarism, Technology, Empire.