Learning the Art and Science of Historical Preservation
Historical Preservation Major
Students learn about preservation in both theoretical and practical ways. They take classes like Graphic Documentation and Historic Preservation Law as well as field courses that focus on gaining practical experience in their local communities.
Students in the program also benefit from the expertise of our faculty, visiting scholars and advanced researchers. They become part of a vibrant community that is redefining the boundaries and practice of preservation around the world.
History
Historical preservation involves studying historic buildings and neighborhoods, and protecting them from harm. This career requires a knowledge of architecture, landscape architecture, art history, economics, real estate development and the laws that protect historic structures.
A background in historic preservation can be beneficial for public officials, especially those who make policy. Often, these are leaders in local government who are committed to preserving the community’s heritage and see historic resources as an economic asset.
Students in the program have access to UVA’s unique status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and gain hands-on experience through engagement with Thomas Jefferson’s academic village, Monticello. They also benefit from GSAPP’s Preservation Technology Laboratory, which provides research space, instrumentation and a collection of historic materials and fragments. Students are encouraged to pursue internships and other work experiences as part of their curriculum.
Architecture
The program emphasizes analytical thinking and clear communication, both critical components of historic preservation practice. You will work closely with faculty members whose range of expertise includes architectural history, theory, policy and conservation science.
Students learn the nuts-and-bolts of the field through core courses such as building conservation techniques, preservation planning and law, and American architecture. You will also gain skills in researching the history of buildings and cultural landscapes through archival work, architectural taxonomy, and physical evidence.
The curriculum supports experimentation with new preservation approaches suited to urgent contemporary technological, environmental, and social issues. Doctoral students benefit from a GSAPP research environment that includes space, instrumentation and a materials and fragments library as well as strong connections to the broader scholarly community at Columbia University.
Planning
Historic preservationists research, study and design to save buildings and other parts of the built environment that form community. Their work combines architectural and historical knowledge with a strong understanding of the agencies and frameworks within which preservation is carried out locally, nationally and internationally.
Historic Preservation students work both individually and in groups with a faculty of designers, architects and historians, conducting archival and on-site investigations of Philadelphia’s historic neighborhoods. Dedicated group work areas, woodshops and digital labs support their work.
The program offers graduate students in architecture, landscape architecture and urban studies & planning the opportunity to develop a deeper expertise in preservation theory and practice. Courses include historic preservation law, contextual research design and preservation planning. The 63-credit program can be completed in five semesters full time.
Economics
Historic preservation is organized primarily to sustain cultural values like historical associations, senses of place, and the aesthetic and artistic qualities of architecture. But the economics of preservation — and other cultural fields — is difficult to pin down.
Our program’s global network of distinguished scholars and advanced researchers, students, and alumni gives you a strong platform from which to explore broader questions of heritage conservation around the world. You’ll also develop important hands-on skills, from investigating a site using local archives and architectural taxonomy to surveying a building with tools like Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), photogrammetry/drone surveys, and 3D modeling software.
Our advising team will guide you through the ins and outs of registration, study abroad, staying on track to graduate, and navigating other available resources across GSAPP and the university.
Communication
Historic preservation depends on commitment from a wide range of interested parties, including architects, archaeologists and community planners. Communication skills are crucial for maintaining productive relationships among interdisciplinary teams and building the public awareness needed to secure stable funding.
Students learn how to use local archival records, architectural taxonomies and physical evidence to identify historically significant buildings, and they gain an understanding of real estate law, tax incentives, and economics. They also learn how to develop strategies for retaining buildings in the face of challenges like deterioration and inundation.
Our proximity to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, allows GSAPP students to engage in preservation research and practice at an unparalleled level. Many grad students participate in fieldwork abroad, expanding their global reach and advancing the discipline’s agenda.