Informatics, Language and Culture, Bachelor's degree
About the programme of study
Photo: NTNU SA/Arild Juul
Information and communication technology (ICT) has gradually become a natural part of our daily lives. New products are constantly emerging, followed by ever new expectations as to how ICT will influence us in the time ahead. From a historical perspective, the establishment of ICT has happened extremely fast. This requires insight into what ICT is and what creating and using computer programs involve. It is high time we take ICT seriously and analyze how it influences us and our forms of communication.
The study programme in Informatics, Language and Culture (ILC) provides basic knowledge about informatics, linguistic communication, computer-based language processing and the development of knowledge. You will be trained in, for instance, programming and database technology, which are parts of NTNU’s ordinary course offers in Informatics. You will acquire good technological skills for working constructively with computer-based language processing (computer linguistics). At the same time you will develop outstanding qualifications within communication and knowledge development. The degree programme’s interdisciplinary courses deal with the changes in the technological world, emphasizing information technology and the Internet. From the same perspective focus is directed towards the historical processes behind the technological development.
Within Informatics you will encounter the binary numerical system, logic circuits, representation of text, sound and image in the computer, and techniques for data compressing. Operating systems, networks, search algorithms, programming languages and system development are also topics you will become acquainted with. Through the course Human – Computer Interaction you will get an introduction to important concepts, methods and techniques related to human – computer interaction and design of user interfaces, as well as basic knowledge of and practical experience with implementation of user interfaces in object-oriented frameworks.
Computer Linguistics deals with how language and computer technology may be combined to develop solutions involving the use of language; from proofreading systems to machine translations. To a certain degree, you will also work with speech technology – how we may recognize and produce spoken language by means of computers.
The culture-oriented courses look at the connection between technological changes and cultural and social changes. A central point is reflection over the social and cultural significance of digital and interactive screen media and how this technology challenges the established interpretation of communication and human relations. These courses aim to enable the students to evaluate the functions of this kind of technology, and critically evaluate both the development of this technology and the research into its societal significance.
This course also presents views on the interdisciplinary field artificial intelligence. On the one hand, related to the informatics teaching, we look at how we may realize aspects of intelligent behaviour in computer systems, while on the other we offer a critical view to what the research into and the development of artificial intelligence may tell us about natural intelligence.
The three-year long degree programme provides the foundation for further studies at Master’s level in interdisciplinary culture studies. Plans for the establishment of a future Master’s degree programme in Language Technology are currently under development. Students with a Bachelor’s degree in Informatics, Language and Culture are also qualified for entry into the Master's degree programmes in Informatics, Linguistics, Phonetics, and Linguistic Communication, but they should contact the relevant department early in their Bachelor’s programme to clarify which extra courses, if any, they need to take in order to meet the entrance requirements to the respective Master’s degree programmes (from 30—60 ECTS credits).
