Certificate in Historic Preservation

The Certificate in Historic Preservation provides students with a working knowledge of the theory and practice of historic preservation. The program also provides a solid knowledge base for students who wish to pursue their education further through graduate studies, as well as opportunities to focus their studies on aspects of the field that are of particular interest to them.



The program provides a broad introduction to the theory and techniques of historic preservation. Students who successfully complete the requirements for the certificate are expected to have:

• An awareness of the contribution that historic resources make to the quality of human environments and to the quality of life available to the general populace;
• An understanding of the needs, problems, and opportunities associated with historic preservation;
• An appreciation of the role that individual citizens can play in the protection and perpetuation of historic resources;
• Knowledge of key concepts that is essential for serving as volunteer members of citizen preservation organizations and/or government commissions, and for providing informed leadership to these and other community preservation efforts;
• An appreciation of how historic preservation relates to their major academic program of study.

The program complements the core knowledge and skills of a broad range of academic majors, including anthropology, art history, geography, history, information technology, interior design, landscape architecture, real estate, and remote sensing. Successful completion of the program will provide students with a level of expertise that will distinguish them from peers in these and other fields. As the pace of environmental change continues to accelerate, the demand for professionals who can effectively collaborate to conserve and sensitively adapt historic buildings and landscapes is expected to increase.