MS in Historic Preservation

At a Glance

  • College

    College of Architecture & the Built Environment

  • Degree

    Master of Science

  • Campus

    East Falls

  • Format

    On Campus

  • Credits

    49

  • Enrollment Options

    Full Time, Part Time

Curriculum

The MS in Historic Preservation is a 49-credit program and can be attended on a full-time or part-time basis. Students customize their course of study by selecting one of two tracks:

  • Documentation & Research - open to students with non-design or design backgrounds
  • Preservation Design - requiring an undergraduate major in a design discipline.

Concentrations — Students shape coursework and define professional goals by applying the nine (9) credits of elective courses to the completion of a Concentration, drawn from CABE graduate offerings, thereby acquiring in-depth knowledge and specialization in a field compatible with their track. Select options include: Architectural History & Preservation Theory, Sustainable Design, Geospatial & Digital Technologies, Building Conservation & Assessment, Urban Revitalization & Real Estate Development, Preservation of Modernism.

Study Abroad Option  Students may choose to apply elective credits to a semester at Anhalt University, studying the preservation of modernist architecture at the iconic Bauhaus Building in Dessau, Germany.

Total Required Credit Hours: 49 credits

For complete descriptions, please visit our course catalog's MS in Historic Preservation section.

Foundation Courses: 12 credits
  • Uncovering the Past: Tools, Methods & Strategies, 3 credits
  • Building Conservation & Assessment, 3 credits
  • Architectural Forensics & Documentation, 3 credits
  • Issues in Contemporary Preservation, 3 credits
Core Curriculum: 21 Credits
  • Restoration & Rehabilitation of Modernist Buildings, 3 credits
  • American Architecture, 3 credits
  • Vernacular Architecture, 3 credits
  • Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, 3 credits (available online)
  • Conservation of Historic Interiors, 3 credits
  • Principles & Methods of Sustainable Design, 3 credits (available online)
  • Adaptive Reuse & Urban Revitalization, 3 credits
Sample Elective Options: 9 credits
  • Adaptive Design, 3 credits
  • Green Materials & Life Cycle Assessment, 3 credits
  • HABS Photography, 3 credits
  • Preservation Economics: Urban Revitalization, Adaptive Reuse, & Historic Neighborhoods, 3 credits (available online)
  • Public-Private Partnerships, 3 credits
  • Affordable Housing, 3 credits
  • Advanced Geographic Information Systems, 3 credits
  • Study Abroad, Anhalt University, Dessau, Germany, 9 credits

Students choose a combination of elective classes totaling 9 credits.

Master's Thesis: 7 credits
  • Thesis Preparation, 3 credits
  • Thesis, 4 credits