Next course start date: 7 September 2026: Reserve your place today.
Online course
Understanding Digital Society
- Qualification: Micro-credential
- Duration: 10 weeks
- Delivery: Online
- Workload: Total of 50 hours of learning
- Next enrolment: 7 September 2026
Introduction
Who shapes your decisions?
If you have ever wondered why tailored ads follow you, how your data is collected, or why false narratives spread so easily, this course explains what is happening and why it matters.
This online micro-credential, part of a postgraduate-level suite in , explores how everyday digital activity generates data, how that data is collected and used by different actors, and how platforms, algorithms and AI shape the information people encounter, the choices they make, and the decisions organisations take.
You will examine key issues including privacy, surveillance, disinformation, automation and data exposure, and consider the wider social, ethical and professional implications of these systems.
By the end of the course, you will be better informed about how your data is used, how digital systems shape behaviour and decision-making, and how to make more deliberate choices in personal and professional contexts.
Key features
Applied insight
Explore real-world examples and guided activities that help you understand how data, algorithms and AI shape behaviour, decisions and everyday digital experience.
Responsible decision-making
Develop a clearer understanding of how data is used and shared, how misinformation spreads, and what more informed, ethical use of digital tools looks like in practice.
Research-led perspective
Learn from the University’s expertise in digital trust and security, informed by current research into privacy, surveillance, digital society and emerging technologies.
Part of our suite of Digital Trust and Security Micro-credentials
The micro-credentials cover the following topics:
- Core Issues in Digital Trust and Society
- Understanding Digital Society
- Digital Markets and Trust
- Online Harms
Explore the full suite of Digital Trust and Security micro-credentials here.
Key information
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Course type
Micro-credential
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Delivery
Online, asynchronous
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Level
Postgraduate / FHEQ Level 7
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Duration
10 weeks, 50 hours of learning
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Start date
7 September 2026
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Expected completion date
16 November 2026
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Fees
£630. Discounts available
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Payment deadline
24 August 2026
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Certification
Upon completion and relevant assessment, you’ll receive an official electronic certificate detailing your achievement.
Fees and funding
Standard price
£630 per micro-credential.
Discounts available for individuals and corporate customers.
Entry requirements
There are no formal prerequisites for this course.
It is suitable for learners from a wide range of professional and educational backgrounds.
Course overview
Who this course is for
The Understanding Digital Society course is designed for individuals and organisations who want to better understand how data, platforms, algorithms and AI shape digital life, decision-making and behaviour.
For individuals, it is particularly relevant if you want to understand what happens to the data you generate every day, how platforms influence what you see online, how AI shapes decisions, and why misinformation and disinformation can be difficult to challenge. The course will help you take greater control of your digital footprint, including what you share, what you consent to, and how you engage with digital technologies.
For organisations, the course supports employees to make more informed use of data and digital tools in their work. This includes recognising and responding to misinformation and disinformation, understanding how data and AI shape decisions and outcomes, and considering the ethical and reputational implications of how these systems are used in practice.
Understanding Digital Society is especially relevant for teams working with communication, data, digital platforms, policy, service delivery or decision-making, where the use of data and digital systems directly influences organisational outcomes.
No prior technical knowledge is required. The course is designed to be accessible while still providing the depth needed to apply learning in real-world contexts.
What you will learn
You will develop a clear understanding of how digital technologies shape society through data, algorithms and automation.
This includes:
- how everyday online activity generates data and how that data is collected and used;
- how algorithms and automated systems influence what people see, how information is prioritised, and how decisions are made;
- how privacy and surveillance operate in digital environments, and how personal data is exposed or shared;
- how misinformation and disinformation are created, circulated and sustained;
- how AI and automation shape behaviour, decision-making and outcomes.
You will also explore who benefits from these systems, where the risks lie, and how they are governed.
Where and when you will study
This course is delivered fully online over 10 weeks, with approximately 50 hours of learning.
You will progress through structured materials at your own pace, including short lectures, case studies and guided activities. Learning is entirely self-paced, with no scheduled teaching sessions.
How it will benefit your career
You will be able to approach data and digital systems with greater awareness, confidence and judgement. This includes making more informed decisions about how digital tools are used in your role, how data is handled and how information is interpreted and communicated.
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- understand how data is used and shared in professional contexts;
- recognise how platforms, algorithms and automated systems shape information, behaviour and decisions;
- identify and respond more effectively to misinformation and disinformation;
- assess ethical, professional and reputational issues linked to data and AI use;
- make more informed and responsible decisions when working with digital tools.
These skills are particularly valuable in roles involving communication, data, digital platforms, policy, service delivery or decision-making.
They also support stronger judgement when working with digital systems, helping to reduce the risk of poor or misinformed decisions and unintended ethical or reputational consequences.
Course units
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Course Content
Topics you will explore in this micro-credential include:
Week 1: The concept of privacy
Week 2: Understanding datafication
Week 3: The process of algorithmisation
Week 4: Data, surveillance, and privacy
Week 5: Fake news and disinformation
Week 6: AI, automation, and digital society
Week 7: Data breach and exposure
Week 8: Conclusion and assessment preparation
Week 9-10: Assessment
Course structure
The course is organised into weekly units, each focusing on a key aspect of digital society.
Each unit introduces core concepts and explores them through examples and structured reflection, helping you connect the material to how digital technologies shape your behaviour, decisions and interactions.
The course builds from foundational concepts such as privacy and datafication through to more complex topics including AI, automation and misinformation, before preparing you for assessment.
Course learning aims
By the end of the course, you will:
- understand how datafication, algorithmisation and automation act as key drivers of contemporary digital society;
- understand how these processes shape privacy, surveillance, decision-making and governance;
- communicate key issues relating to digital society to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Teaching and learning
This is a fully online, asynchronous course.
Learning materials include video and audio content, written explanations and interactive activities. The course is designed to develop applied understanding, with opportunities to reflect on how digital systems shape your own experience and decisions.
You will receive support via email from the Course Lead and delivery team where needed.
Technical requirements
- Regular access to a computer or smart phone with internet access fast enough to stream video.
- A computer that meets the software requirements of video conferencing and other software, broadband internet connection, desktop or laptop PC with windows 10 or later, 4GB RAM, 6GB disk space for installation (administrator rights are required to install software).
- A smart phone on Android 11.0 or greater, or iOS 11.0 or greater, as you'll need to use multi-factor authentication to access your learning materials.
Coursework and assessment
You will complete regular reflective responses based on weekly prompts, applying course concepts to a real-world or workplace context. These reflections form the basis for your final assignment.
For the final assignment, you will reflect on how digital technologies influence your personal and professional life. You will develop a 1,000–1,200 word written piece examining how your use of digital technologies shapes your behaviour, decisions and interactions, and identifying the key challenges this creates and how they could be addressed.
Written feedback is provided within three weeks of submission.
Admissions information
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
There are no formal prerequisites for this course.
It is suitable for learners from a wide range of professional and educational backgrounds.
Application and selection
How to apply
- Head to our online store and choose your fee level.
- Add the course to your basket and complete the registration and payment process.
- Once your payment is confirmed, you’ll receive your enrolment information two weeks before the course begins.
Reserve you place today
If you have any questions or need support, please contact: learningsupport@manchester.ac.uk .
Corporate customers
If you are a corporate customer eligible for a discount and would like to arrange payment via invoice or make a group booking, please contact us at learningsupport@manchester.ac.uk
Fees and funding
Standard price
£630 per micro-credential.
Individual discounts
- Loyalty: 5% off when you enrol in more than one micro-credential.
- UoM Alumni: 5% off for returning UoM learners (email learningsupport@manchester.ac.uk with proof of your alumni status e.g. your degree certificate). This discount can be used in conjunction with the Loyalty discount.
Corporate discounts
| Group size | Discount |
| 5-10 learners | 5% |
| 11-20 learners | 10% |
| 21+ learners | 15% |
To discuss corporate enrolment and payment by invoice, please contact: learningsupport@manchester.ac.uk .
Ways to pay
Reserve your space via our online store. You can pay using a credit or debit card.
To discuss corporate enrolment and payment by invoice, please contact: learningsupport@manchester.ac.uk .
Additional cost information
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Regulated by the Office for Students
The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.
You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.