Learn about our MSc Digital Scholarship from recent graduate and Gale scholar Jini Agbu
27 August 2024
Read about our Digital Scholarship MSc as, Gale Cengage graduate scholar, Jini Agbu shares her experience of the course
Becoming a Gale scholar has been one of the most fulfilling opportunities I have been privileged to attain. Reflecting on my time on the Digital Scholarship MSc course here at Oxford, it has been a year of constant learning and growth, as I explored this new and challenging yet incredibly exciting field. From the Elements modules where I was introduced to the fundamental principles of digital scholarship and concepts such as sustainability, digital project management, Open Access and more which have transformed the way I approach future research projects and the endless aims they can be equipped to achieve. The Methods modules were incredibly hands-on, I truly surprised myself by gaining technical skills in key computer science tools such as machine learning and programming languages in such a short period of time.
My time on the Digital Scholarship course has opened up a new world to me, broadening the horizons of what I once thought possible in the field of digital humanities research.
I was challenged positively, supported by a dedicated set of lecturers who providing the positive learning space for continual trial and error which resulted in my being able to grasp entirely new concepts and utilise them within the context of my own research questions. The Subject Specific paper allowed me to explore further theoretical knowledge and methodology of a new discipline which informed my thesis ideation, and the Practicum Placement has been nothing short of eye-opening and immersive, as I gained real life experience working alongside established researchers on a major digital research project. I got to practicalise the expertise which I had gained so far, gaining new ones and getting a feel for how these concepts and tools really function in the wild.
Watch Jini Agbu talk about her experience on the scholarship program
My time on the Digital Scholarship course has opened up a new world to me, broadening the horizons of what I once thought possible in the field of digital humanities research. The resources, opportunities, experiences and connections Oxford has to offer have ensured my ability to study in this field at the highest capacity and quality and I am beyond exhilarated at what the future has to offer for the field of digital scholarship as access is opened up.
This is why I am incredibly grateful for the team at Gale for being a part of this important initiative to widen access to these spaces. Becoming a Gale scholar pushed me one step further in achieving my dreams by providing me with the freedom to grab this opportunity which would have otherwise been out of my reach. Not only has the scholarship enabled me to fully immerse myself in the program without the worry of financial burden, the team at Gale have also been an amazing support along the way and Gale’s digital resources and tools such as the Gale Digital Scholar Lab and various online collections have played an integral part in my research process during the year. I think it is extremely important that these relationships between organisations like Gale and the department continue to be fostered as they are essential in lifting barriers to access which enrich our institutions by encouraging the participation of students from diverse backgrounds who can bring unique perspectives to improve the quality of academic research output as a whole.
Gale is proud to sponsor the MSc in Digital Scholarship program, equipping students with the skills to apply digital tools and methods to humanities research, and prepare for a range of careers across diverse industries as well as academia. We are excited to support the development of graduates who are shaping the future of scholarship in a digital society.
- Jacqui Gilchrist, Senior Director, Global Academic Marketing, Gale
I am excited for the multitude of doors which my time at Oxford have opened up for me and how I can utilise this to widen access for others. I now have the skills and resources to shape my career as I please and as the course wraps up, I will be moving on to practicalise my knowledge within the industry in the field of digital development for EdTech.
I hope to serve as a useful point of advice or support for any future scholars, ensuring that I do what I can to motivate bright and high achieving students who may feel discouraged from pursuing their humanities interests at Oxford due to financial burden or fears of lack of support, especially aspirational scholars from my home country of Nigeria and the continent of Africa.
