The Future of Graduate Education, Part 1: The Digitally Informed Dissertation: New Questions, New Kinds of Research

Session Abstract

A shrinking job market for traditional academic appointments, combined with rapid change in modes of information acquisition and dissemination have suggested to some that the traditional history dissertation is outdated.  Common concerns raised are that it takes too long to complete, the work is too often carried out in isolation, and it may not prepare graduates well for the kinds of first jobs they are likely to find.  This roundtable panel showcases four dissertation projects, two finished and two still in progress, that have employed a variety of digital tools to pursue research questions that would not have been possible without those tools.  In tandem with the Faculty panel that follows, this panel will explore the possibilities, and potential pitfalls, of a digital recasting of the traditional dissertation format.