Dedicated to inventing the future of the humanities, Texts and Technology is an interdisciplinary doctoral program that integrates fields such as writing, rhetoric, philosophy, technical communication, and public history with digital methods and practices in coding, game design, and archiving. The program supports engagement with digital practices in dialectical, rhetorical, procedural, and critical-cultural fields. The T&T program considers literacy in a broad sense, from traditional notions of writing and communication to more contemporary notions of computational and procedural literacy (e.g., using programming and new media installations as inventive methods for production, critique, and analysis).
Since 2001, UCF's Texts and Technology doctoral program has excelled in supporting its students with an internationally recognized faculty and by offering a rigorous curriculum in a friendly environment. Students bring knowledge of a specific discipline and deepen their understanding of the subject through a digital lens. In the T&T program, students adapt, develop, assess, and invent information practices in relation to emergent information technologies in and beyond the humanities.
Program Prerequisites
Applicants must hold an earned master's degree from an accredited institution recognized by UCF or recognized foreign institution prior to entering the Texts and Technology program. Fields with a technological and/or textual theory component, such as digital humanities, public history, technical communication, digital media, cultural studies, philosophy, rhetoric, or linguistics, are especially applicable.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
18 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
Core- Complete the following:
- ENG6800 - Introduction to Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6801 - Texts and Technology in History (3)
- ENG6810 - Theories of Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6005 - Dissertation Research Design in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6812 - Research Methods for Texts and Technology (3)
Procedural Literacy- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- DIG6836 - Humanistic Data Analysis (3)
- ENG6819 - Critical Making for Humanist Scholarship (3)
Area of Specialization (See Program Details Section for Descriptions)
12 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Digital Humanities- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- ARH5897 - Advanced Seminar in Art History (3)
- DIG5137 - Information Architecture (3)
- DIG5508 - Programming for Digital Media (3)
- DIG6812 - Digital Interaction for Informal Learning (3)
- DIG6647 - History and Theory of Dynamic Media (3)
- ENC6425 - Hypertext Theory and Design (3)
- ENC6426 - Visual Texts and Technology (3)
- ENC6428 - Digital Literacies (3)
- ENG6074 - Historical Movements in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies (3)
- ENG6078 - Contemporary Movements in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Theory (3)
- ENG6624 - Social Media Research for Humanities (3)
- ENG6806 - Digital Editing and Databases (3)
- ENG6808 - Narrative Information Visualization (3)
- ENG6811 - Cultural Contexts in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6813 - Interdisciplinary Teaching (3)
- ENG6814 - Gender in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6819 - Critical Making for Humanist Scholarship (3)
- HIS6167 - Spatial History (3)
- LIT6216 - Issues in Literary Study (3)
- LIT6936 - Studies in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Theory (3)
- PHI5665 - Knowledge, Responsibility, and Society (3)
- PHI6679 - Digital Ethics (3)
- PHM5035 - Environmental Philosophy (3)
- THE5307 - Contemporary Theatre Practice (3)
- THE5545 - Theatre for Social Change (3)
- TPA6186 - Immersive Experience Studio (3)
- TPA6188 - Visualizing Themed Environments (3)
- WST5347 - Research in Women and Gender Studies (3)
- WST5601 - Theories in Gender Studies (3)
- DIG6436 - Playable Texts and Technology (3)
- DIG6836 - Humanistic Data Analysis (3)
- ENG6939 - Topics in Text and Technology (3)
- ENG6947 - Internship in Texts and Technology (3)
Digital Media- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- DIG5137 - Information Architecture (3)
- DIG5487 - Media Aesthetics (3)
- DIG5508 - Programming for Digital Media (3)
- DIG5831 - Computational Media (3)
- DIG6136 - Design for Interactive Media (3)
- DIG6432 - Transmedia Story Creation (3)
- DIG6436 - Playable Texts and Technology (3)
- DIG6546 - Previsualization and Concept Development (3)
- DIG6551 - Theory and Practice of Interactive Storytelling (3)
- DIG6605 - Physical Computing (3)
- DIG6647 - History and Theory of Dynamic Media (3)
- DIG6812 - Digital Interaction for Informal Learning (3)
- DIG6817 - Contemporary Topics in Interactive Media (3)
- ENC6225 - User-Centered Design for Technical Communication (3)
- ENC6296 - Interactive Design in Technical Communication (3)
- ENC6421 - Digital Rhetorics (3)
- ENC6425 - Hypertext Theory and Design (3)
- ENG6624 - Social Media Research for Humanities (3)
- ENG6806 - Digital Editing and Databases (3)
- ENG6808 - Narrative Information Visualization (3)
- ENG6813 - Interdisciplinary Teaching (3)
- ENG6819 - Critical Making for Humanist Scholarship (3)
- HIS6167 - Spatial History (3)
- PHI6679 - Digital Ethics (3)
- DIG6836 - Humanistic Data Analysis (3)
- ENC6426 - Visual Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6811 - Cultural Contexts in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6814 - Gender in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6939 - Topics in Text and Technology (3)
- ENG6947 - Internship in Texts and Technology (3)
Editing, Publishing, and Interdisciplinary Curating (EPIC)- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- ARH5897 - Advanced Seminar in Art History (3)
- CRW6025 - Advanced Graduate Writing Workshop (3)
- CRW6721 - Literary Journal Editing (3)
- CRW6976 - Scholarship and Publication Models (3)
- DIG6136 - Design for Interactive Media (3)
- DIG5487 - Media Aesthetics (3)
- DIG6436 - Playable Texts and Technology (3)
- DIG6812 - Digital Interaction for Informal Learning (3)
- ENC6216 - Editing Professional Writing (3)
- ENC6217 - Technical Editing (3)
- ENC6257 - Visual Technical Communication (3)
- ENC6297 - Production and Publication Methods (3)
- ENC6426 - Visual Texts and Technology (3)
- ENC6428 - Digital Literacies (3)
- ENG6806 - Digital Editing and Databases (3)
- HIS5083 - Cultural Heritage Management (3)
- HIS5088 - Readings in Curation and Public History (3)
- HIS6094 - Seminar in Curation and New Media (3)
- LIN5675 - English Grammar and Usage (3)
- LIT6216 - Issues in Literary Study (3)
- PHI6679 - Digital Ethics (3)
- DIG6836 - Humanistic Data Analysis (3)
- ENG6624 - Social Media Research for Humanities (3)
- ENG6808 - Narrative Information Visualization (3)
- ENG6811 - Cultural Contexts in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6813 - Interdisciplinary Teaching (3)
- ENG6814 - Gender in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6819 - Critical Making for Humanist Scholarship (3)
- ENG6939 - Topics in Text and Technology (3)
- ENG6947 - Internship in Texts and Technology (3)
Public History- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- AMH5636 - Colloquium in US Environmental History (3)
- HIS5503 - History of Technology (3)
- AMH6346 - Seminar in the History of American Automobility (3)
- AMH6429 - Seminar in Community and Local History (3)
- ENG6808 - Narrative Information Visualization (3)
- HIS5067 - Introduction to Public History (3)
- HIS5083 - Cultural Heritage Management (3)
- HIS5088 - Readings in Curation and Public History (3)
- HIS5925 - History in the Digital Age (3)
- HIS6094 - Seminar in Curation and New Media (3)
- HIS6096 - Seminar in Historic Preservation (3)
- HIS6165 - Digital Tools for Historians (3)
- HIS6167 - Spatial History (3)
- HIS6942 - Internship (3)
- PHI6679 - Digital Ethics (3)
- DIG6436 - Playable Texts and Technology (3)
- DIG6836 - Humanistic Data Analysis (3)
- ENC6426 - Visual Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6624 - Social Media Research for Humanities (3)
- ENG6811 - Cultural Contexts in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6813 - Interdisciplinary Teaching (3)
- ENG6814 - Gender in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6819 - Critical Making for Humanist Scholarship (3)
- ENG6939 - Topics in Text and Technology (3)
- ENG6947 - Internship in Texts and Technology (3)
Rhetoric and Composition- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- ENC5337 - Rhetorical Theory (3)
- ENC5705 - Approaches to Teaching College Composition (3)
- ENC5920 - Colloquium in Rhetoric and Composition (3)
- ENC6245 - Teaching Professional Writing (3)
- ENC6332 - Gendered Rhetoric (3)
- ENC6333 - Contemporary Rhetoric and Composition Theory (3)
- ENC6335 - Rhetorical Traditions (3)
- ENC6338 - The Rhetorics of Public Debate (3)
- ENC6339 - Rhetorical Movements (3)
- ENC6428 - Digital Literacies (3)
- ENC6712 - Studies in Literacy and Writing (3)
- ENC6740 - Topics in Rhetoric and Composition (3)
- ENC6945 - Community Literacy Practicum (3)
- ENG6624 - Social Media Research for Humanities (3)
- ENG6808 - Narrative Information Visualization (3)
- ENG6811 - Cultural Contexts in Texts and Technology (3)
- PHI6679 - Digital Ethics (3)
- DIG6436 - Playable Texts and Technology (3)
- DIG6836 - Humanistic Data Analysis (3)
- ENC6426 - Visual Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6813 - Interdisciplinary Teaching (3)
- ENG6814 - Gender in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6819 - Critical Making for Humanist Scholarship (3)
- ENG6939 - Topics in Text and Technology (3)
- ENG6947 - Internship in Texts and Technology (3)
Scientific and Technical Communication- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- ENC6217 - Technical Editing (3)
- ENC6261 - Technical Writing, Theory and Practice (3)
- ENC6292 - Project Management for Technical Writers. (3)
- ENC6296 - Interactive Design in Technical Communication (3)
- ENC6297 - Production and Publication Methods (3)
- ENC6425 - Hypertext Theory and Design (3)
- ENC6421 - Digital Rhetorics (3)
- ENC6247 - Proposal Writing (3)
- ENC6257 - Visual Technical Communication (3)
- ENC6338 - The Rhetorics of Public Debate (3)
- ENG6624 - Social Media Research for Humanities (3)
- ENG6808 - Narrative Information Visualization (3)
- LIN5675 - English Grammar and Usage (3)
- LIT6435 - Rhetoric of Science (3)
- PHI6679 - Digital Ethics (3)
- DIG6436 - Playable Texts and Technology (3)
- DIG6836 - Humanistic Data Analysis (3)
- ENC6225 - User-Centered Design for Technical Communication (3)
- ENC6255 - International Technical Communication (3)
- ENC6426 - Visual Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6811 - Cultural Contexts in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6813 - Interdisciplinary Teaching (3)
- ENG6814 - Gender in Texts and Technology (3)
- ENG6819 - Critical Making for Humanist Scholarship (3)
- ENG6939 - Topics in Text and Technology (3)
- ENG6947 - Internship in Texts and Technology (3)
Elective Courses - Interdisciplinary Electives
9 Total Credits
- Earn at least 9 credits from the following types of courses: Students select 9 credit hours of interdisciplinary electives from any Area of Specialization, or from other departments within the university, subject to approval by the instructor and the Texts and Technology Program Director. This requirement encourages students to find graduate-level coursework best suited to develop their research agendas and to prepare for their dissertations.
Admission to Candidacy
3 Total Credits
Candidacy Examination- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: ENC 7919 Doctoral Research 3 credit hours Students are admitted to doctoral candidacy status upon completion of a written examination with three parts—one part based on a reading list reviewed biennially by the Texts and Technology faculty and the other two parts based on reading lists prepared by each student and approved by the examination committee. The candidacy examination for each student is written and evaluated by a committee of three UCF Texts and Technology graduate faculty members chosen by the student. Students must be registered for ENC 7919 during the semester in which they take their candidacy examination and they must find a Texts and Technology core faculty member to serve as the chair of their examination during the semester before enrolling in ENC 7919. Students cannot register for dissertation credit (ENC 7980) until the semester after they have successfully passed the candidacy examination. Students who fail the candidacy examination a second time cannot continue in the program. The following are required in order to be admitted to candidacy and enroll in dissertation hours: Successful completion of all coursework, except for dissertation hours. Successful completion of the candidacy examination. Completion of College of Graduate Studies CITI, Academic Integrity, and Human Subjects Research Protection Program Training An approved dissertation advisory committee is on file, consisting of approved graduate faculty and graduate faculty scholars. A current, approved program of study is on file.
Dissertation and Oral Defense
15 Total Credits
- Earn at least 15 credits from the following types of courses: ENC 7980 Students choose their dissertation adviser and committee from among the faculty in the Texts and Technology PhD program and must have one member from outside the College of Arts and Humanities. Students typically choose the adviser after they have completed approximately 27 credit hours toward the degree or after the first year-and-a-half of coursework. All dissertation committee members, including outside readers, must hold a PhD or another relevant degree or, if serving as a UCF Graduate Scholar, the external member must have documented evidence of exceptional relevant experience and/or scholarly or creative productivity. Students must write a dissertation on their research that will explain and defend a significant original contribution to the field of Texts and Technology. It may be of a theoretical, historical or pragmatic nature, but must meet conventional academic standards. Students are required to submit and defend a written dissertation proposal (the prospectus) during the first year in dissertation. The dissertation committee administers the candidate's oral defense of the dissertation, with passing determined by acceptance by a majority of the committee. The dissertation adviser, the dissertation committee and the dean of the college or designee must approve the final dissertation. Format approval is required from the Thesis and Dissertation Office and final approval of degree requirement completion by the College of Graduate Studies (Millican Hall 230) Students will submit at least one substantial scholarly article to a national and/or international peer-reviewed journal or proceedings conference with the approval and assistance of the dissertation chair and the director of the doctoral program.
Grand Total Credits: 57
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
Area of Specialization
Students select an Area of Specialization no later than after having completed 18 credit hours in the program. Students are required to select 12 credit hours from an Area of Specialization as noted below, or other graduate courses in the discipline subject to approval by the instructor and the Texts and Technology Program Director.
Suggested courses in various Areas of Specialization are listed above. These course groupings are only guides, are not exhaustive, and are meant to assist with advising and course selection in order to meet the individual student's educational goals and objectives. The lists are not intended to restrict elective choices among focus areas as we strongly encourage Texts and Technology students to maintain an interdisciplinary approach to their doctoral education.
If a student identifies another UCF graduate course that may be of value to their Texts and Technology research area, but it is not already identified in a list below, that student may request approval from the T&T Program Director for the course to be used as an elective in the Graduate Plan of Study. All such requests must be made in advance of enrolling in the course.
Digital Humanities
- ENG 6812 - Research Methods for Texts and Technology (3 credit hours) is the recommended Methods course.
The Digital Humanities Area of Specialization prepares students for careers in research, teaching, government, and industry and combines the study and application of digital technologies with the study of human society and culture. Students develop an understanding of social and cultural shifts in relation to information technologies and invent new practices for conducting research, teaching, and writing (broadly defined) in digital media.
Digital Media
- DIG 6825 - Research Methods for Interactive Media (3 credit hours) or ENG 6624- Social Media Research for Humanities (3 credit hours) is the recommended Methods course.
The Digital Media Area of Specialization emphasizes the conceptual, theoretical, design, and technical skills needed to engage the changing platforms on which we work, teach, and live. This specialization prepares students for careers in user experience design, digital storytelling, and interactive communication. Students develop an understanding of critical making, code and software studies and development, user-centered design, and the critique and design of games and interactive media.
Editing, Publishing, and Interdisciplinary Curating (EPIC)
- ENG 6812 Research Methods for Texts and Technology or DIG 6825 Research Methods for Interactive Media, or ENC 6720 Research Methods in Rhetoric and Composition, or HIS 6159 Historiography can be taken as the required Methods course.
The Editing, Publishing, and Interdisciplinary Curating Area of Specialization prepares students for careers in editing, publishing, and curating, including consideration of current and developing technologies of print and online publication; digital archiving and collections; digital world-building and publication; curation of film, visual art, gaming, and other media; scholarly projects and publications; and the impact of technologies on the way we read, interact with media, and think.
Public History
If the student does not hold a master's degree in History, HIS 6159 - Historiography (3 credit hours) is the recommended Methods course. If the student holds a master's degree in history, the recommended Methods course is ENG 6812 - Research Methods for Texts and Technology (3 credit hours).
The Public History Area of Specialization engages students in collaborations with various communities in the gathering of historic materials, preservation, archiving, curating, oral history, and related fields while preparing students for careers in academia, museums, governments, and non-profit agencies. It pays special attention to digital platforms and tools and their uses for involving public audiences in historical analysis and interpretation.
Rhetoric and Composition
ENC 6720 - Research Methods in Rhetoric and Composition (3 credit hours) is the recommended Methods course.
The Rhetoric and Composition Area of Specialization trains students to communicate effectively, persuasively, and ethically across a range of civic, professional, and educational contexts and pays special attention to digital platforms and tools and their uses for involving public audiences.
Scientific and Technical Communication
ENG 6812 - Research Methods for Texts and Technology (3 credit hours) is the recommended Methods course.
The Scientific and Technical Communication Area of Specialization provides a foundation in rhetorical theory, communication theory, design theory, and other theories informing the discipline. Students develop practical projects in a variety of professional contexts such as scientific and medical communication and communicating for international audiences.
