Digital and Data Futures (Q9125E)

15 credits, Level 4

Autumn teaching

How do digital technologies affect the way we live, learn, communicate and participate in society, and how might we create different, more socially responsible, digital and data futures?

Drawing on the University of Sussex’s radical history of thinking across subjects, you’ll explore how areas such as data, algorithms and digital systems are reshaping everyday life, public institutions and global societies. You’ll explore and examine areas such as:

• AI
• automation
• algorithmic bias
• digital rights
• inclusion and exclusion
• questions about their social and environmental impacts.

By engaging with examples from different sectors and communities, you’ll develop the critical awareness needed to navigate and question the digital transformations shaping the contemporary world.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 22 hours of contact time and about 128 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.