Are you interested in both modern digital technologies and writing? Here’s the good news: You don’t have to choose one or the other. You don’t even have to get two separate degrees to explore both fields.
Today’s world is full of communication-centered technologies. With the rise of AI and social media, it’s becoming increasingly important that programmers have a solid understanding of communication and social science. It’s also essential for today’s writers to have good technical skills. That’s why DePaul offers a B.S. in Computer Science + Writing and Rhetoric (CS + W&R), an interdisciplinary degree that equips students to navigate this evolving digital landscape.
But don’t just take our word for it. Allie Gesdorf is a CS + W&R student who’s currently finishing her second year in the program, and she has plenty of insights! Read on to get her perspective.
Let’s start with an introduction!
Hi! I’m Allie! I’m a rising junior here at DePaul University studying Computer Science & Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse, one of DePaul’s combined degree programs, with a minor in Psychological Research Methods. Plenty of my hobbies center around the intersection of technology and writing, and I’m always searching for ways to combine the two. I’m a big fan of videogames, digital design, and writing RPG campaigns to run with friends. That being said, as much as I spend my time online, I have a guilty, grandmotherly pleasure for scrapbooking. When I have free time, you can usually find me perusing one of the many animal shelters around Chicago, trying my hardest to refrain from rehoming all the local cats. It’s nice to meet you!
What’s the number one thing you want new students to know?
Don’t be afraid to learn. Whether you’re a writing buff who feels daunted by the idea of coding or a tech wiz who’s intimidated by the age-old essay, the growth you’ll find in this program is exponential. I took a few coding classes in middle school, but other than that, I went into the CS program with no prior experience. For anyone scared that they aren’t “prepared” enough to tackle a STEM or a Humanities major like I was, don’t be; just keep an open mind, and embrace the challenge! DePaul faculty are understanding, and will accommodate students of all backgrounds. I recommend sitting in the front row and staying engaged, whether through asking / answering questions or taking meticulous notes.
What made you decide on this program?
When ChatGPT hit its stride, I was in my junior year of high school, around the time I was applying to colleges. Like many others pursuing the humanities in one discipline or another, the unsteadiness of AI, and its threat on job security, led me into a crisis of faith. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a writer. In what capacity, I was unsure, but like any wide-eyed high schooler, I flitted between daydreams of being a scriptwriter or a creative YA-book author– until ChatGPT put a wedge in my plans. Within the span of a year, the skill I had spent years honing could be mimicked with the click of a button. It was terrifyingly dystopian.
College advisors at my high school placated rising liberal arts students with promises that AI tools were nothing but a fad, but I knew, as much as I wanted to believe them, that AI wasn’t going anywhere. Writers like myself were on the front lines of a losing battle against large language models; a battle that became more literal than metaphorical, as the 2023 WGA writers’ strikes rolled in during my senior year. These strikes were my first introduction to what AI normativity would look like (a truth that is all-too-apparent, as “AI slop” has permeated into nearly every nook and cranny of the internet), and it struck a fire in me. My senior year ethics class became my soapbox, even if my lectures fell on the deaf ears of freshmen trying to breeze through an elective course.
After graduating, I knew I wanted a degree that would grow alongside AI’s golden age. That’s how I ended up on DePaul’s doorstep, enrolled as a WRD student. I was determined to enter the field of AI ethics in any way I could, to help advocate for the rights of fellow writers and artists. DePaul’s WRD program felt like the proper path for me to do so.
During the fall of my freshman year, I took Honors 100: Rhetoric & Critical Inquiry with Prof. Margaret Poncin-Reeves. It all started with my final, an op-doc video on the dangers of parasocial AI relationships (yes, that’s a real thing! AI doesn’t just do your homework; it can wine and dine you, too). After an enthusiastic conversation on the pervasion of AI in the writing industry, Margaret opened a world of opportunity for me. She invited me onto the WRD student committee, encouraged me to take WRD 242: Writing with AI (one of the core CS + WRD classes), and put the CS + WRD program on my radar.
What have you found the most interesting/exciting so far?
Margaret Poncin-Reeves is co-authoring a paper with past WRD 242: Writing with AI students Dara Drury, Sam Vazquez, and me on AI literacy. We hope to publish it sometime this year! For anyone interested in this major, Writing with AI is the one class that has really nailed combining Computer Science and Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse. Truthfully, I’d take it again if I had room in my schedule. For anyone remotely interested to learn how their career might be impacted by AI, or simply interested in learning how and why AI responds in the quirky ways that it does, I absolutely recommend enrolling!
In Writing in AI, I created a project that really solidified my desire to complete my CS + WRD coursework. I had the opportunity to create an AI model using ChatGPT’s Custom GPT builder that delivered makeup foundation suggestions based on a user’s skin color. What began as an intuitive product idea ended in an ethical dilemma, as AI began to provide POC users with whitewashed products.
The beauty of the program is its breadth. I might spend a morning here in Lincoln Park with Prof. Timothy Elliot in WRD 288: Rhetoric and Popular Culture, where I’ll get to talk about the pervasiveness of internet trends and the addictiveness of doom-scrolling, then take a train down to the Loop to learn how to code a game of blackjack using class functions in Introduction to Computer Science with Ljubomir Perkovic. Each day is different. Over the past two years, some of my project work has included a paper on the stigmatization of “deep south” accents in media, a reflective essay on how text-speak dissolves the English language, and a technical article on AI prompting techniques. In a similar vein, I’ve designed an interactive museum-style website with information on top-rated rhythm games, a pizza restaurant menu management system, and a text descrambler.
I could ramble on and on about my projects, but these are just some of my highlights!
What do you hope to do when you graduate?
Surprising to none, I’m looking to enter the tech sector as a legal consultant. Right now, I’m working at a legal solutions firm, supporting individuals impacted by cybersecurity breaches. I love learning about AI legislation just as data privacy law, so we’ll see where my opportunities take me.
But CS + WRD creates so much more than just consultants. This program teaches us to be AI developers, web designers, technical writers, and anything else you can come up with when you consider the implications of merging writing and technology. This program gives you the platform to explore your interests, however specialized they may be.
Conclusion
Thank you, Allie, for sharing your experiences with us! It sounds like you’re up to a lot of cool stuff, and we can’t wait to hear more about your research and projects over the next couple of years.
If you’re interested in this combined degree program, click here. You’ll find degree requirements, contact information, and an application link.
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