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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.

In addition, each student must attend three lectures or events listed through the Certificate. After each lecture, students are asked to submit a brief written response to the lecture to the Certificate Director (csoc@yale.edu) to be credited for attendance. Other activities or other events related to the Certificate may be counted toward this requirement at the discretion of the director.

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.
  • ENAS 1300: Introduction to Computing for Engineers and Scientists

2. Social research, politics, law, and economics

  • AMST 2500 / GLBL 2490: Introduction to Critical Data Studies.
  • AMST 3302 / ER&M 3012 / HSHM 4930 / WGSS 3312: Technology, Race and Gender
  • AMST 3303 / ER&M 4399 / FILM 2980 / SAST 2620: Digital War.
  • BENG 4106: Medical Software Design.
  • CPLT 2650: China In the World.
  • CPSC 2155: Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Society
  • CPSC 4640: Algorithms and Their Societal Implications.
  • ER&M 7200/AFAM 7901/WGSS 7720/ENGL 5120: Race, Gender, and AI.
  • HSHM 4490 / EVST 4490 / HIST 3749 / HUMS 3446 / URBN 3312: Critical Data Visualization: History, Theory, and Practice.
  • SOCY 1283: Computers, Networks, and Society
  • SOCY 2048 / BENG 2048: AI, Medicine, and Society.
  • SOCY 537: YData: Measuring Culture.
  • S&DS 5720: YData: Data Science for Political Campaigns.

3. History, digital media, and culture

  • AMST 2246: The Media and Democracy.
  • AMST 2255 / CPSC 2155: Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Society.
  • AMST 3650 / EP&E 4399 / ER&M 3695: Platforms and Cultural Production.
  • AMST 6627 / FILM 6020: Media and Religion.
  • ARCH 332: Cultural AI: Machine Vision, Art, and Design.
  • ART 2984: Technology and the Promise of Transformation.
  • CPSC 4780: Introduction to Computer Graphics.
  • CSSY 2300: Writing for the Web.
  • ENGL 188 / FILM 210: Philosophy of Digital Media.
  • ENGL 198 / FILM 394 / LITR 409 / RSEE 350 / WGSS 394: Internet Cultures.
  • FILM 1601 / ENGL 2810: Introduction to Media.
  • FILM 1900: Modes of Thinking Through Media Making.
  • FILM 3740: Media and Protection.
  • FILM 3900: Media, AI and Algorithmic Bias.
  • HIST 3744: Early Photography: Global Tech, Local Histories 1839-1914.
  • HSAR 700: Media Cultures of the Cold War.
  • SOCY 1283: Computers, Networks, and Society.
  • SOCY 2750: Digital Technology and Politics.
  • SOCY 3151: Media and Knowledge Production.
  • SPAN 290 / HUMS 387: Introduction to Digital Humanities I.
  • SPAN 855: Media Studies in the Amazon.
  • SPAN 9810: Digital Humanities Practicum: Material Culture and AI.

4. Broader intersections in science, technology, and society

  • AMST 3304 / ANTH 3304 / ER&M 3304 / HUMS 3304 / SOCY 3104: Ethnography & Journalism.
  • AMST 6619 / ER&M 6520 / HSHM 7920 / WGSS 6620: Enduring Conditions: Chronic Illness, Disability, Care, and Access.
  • AMST 6635 / ER&M 5200 / HSHM 7570 / WGSS 5520: Applied Research in Feminist Science and Technology Studies.
  • AMST 6655: Labor and Technology Studies.
  • AMST 610 / ER&M 610: Militarism, Technology, Empire.
  • ANTH 3867: Technology and Culture.
  • ANTH 468 / AFST 465 / HSHM 413: Infrastructures of Empire: Control and (In)security in the Global South.
  • ANTH 5730: Engaging Anthropology: Histories, Theories, and Practices.
  • ART 612: Technology Criticism in Practice.
  • BLST 1918 / ER&M 2549 / PSYC 3536 / SOCY 1703: Is That Racist?: Theory and Methods for Diagnosing and Demonstrating Racism.
  • BLST 7978 / PSYC 7280: Research Topics in Racial Justice in Public Safety.
  • CPSC 1900 / EAST 2830 / HIST 2423: Decentering Computer Science: Transpacific Computing History across U.S., East Asia, and Beyond
  • EP&E 253: Environmental Ethics.
  • EP&E 330 / PLSC 284: Capitalism, Commodification, and Business Ethics.
  • ER&M 355 / WGSS 360 / HSHM 405: Science and Technology Studies: Anti-racist and Feminist Approaches to Technoscience.
  • FILM 8330 / ARCH 7116: Semiotics.
  • HIST 3728 / HSHM 4770 / HUMS 3463 / RLST 4370: Critical Theories of Science and Religion.
  • PHIL 2269: Philosophy of Science.
  • PHIL 3352: Liberal Capitalism and Social Justice.
  • PHYS 1070 / EDST 3107 / MB&B 1070: Being Human in STEM.
  • RUSS 222 / RSEE 244 / FILM 369 / HUMS 186: War Games.
  • SOCY 3401: Media and Mass Atrocities in Africa.
  • SOCY 6400: Stratification and Inequality Workshop.
  • SOCY 7700: Sociology of Racial Knowledge.