Historic Preservation
Degree: B.A., Historic Preservation
Department of Historic Preservation
Historic Preservation focuses on the maintenance, conservation, advocacy, and interpretation of historic sites and structures and on cultural resource management. Historic Preservation provides opportunities for students to gain a deeper and richer understanding of America’s cultural and ethnic diversity and the ramifications of technological innovation and social change on people’s quality of life.
Mary Washington was one of the first academic institutions in America to establish an undergraduate curriculum in historic preservation and the first to establish an independent Department of Historic Preservation – now one of the largest undergraduate program of its kind in the nation. The department offers an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts degree in Historic Preservation that acquaints students with a broad range of activities, methods, and theoretical perspectives. Students in the program may emphasize historic architecture, building forensics, archaeology, preservation planning, material culture, or museums in their course work.
Historic Preservation majors explore the theoretical, ethical, and philosophical issues that surround preservation practice. The acquisition of research and analytical skills is stressed and substantial fieldwork, laboratory, or research assignments are woven into most courses. The academic program of the department is strongly enhanced by the research and public education programs of the UMW Center for Historic Preservation.
The historic preservation program benefits by the location of the University in Fredericksburg, a city with an exceptionally rich history. Intellectual and professional skills are developed through intensive, hands-on involvement in preservation activities in the area, and opportunities exist for similar experience abroad. Students design and fabricate museum exhibits, carry out archaeology projects, conduct architectural surveys, and prepare diagnostic reports for local historic sites, structures and districts. Students interact with the local and University community through the activities of the student-organized Preservation Club. Special financial assistance is available for historic preservation students through a number of scholarships which are described within the Department’s website.
Major Requirements
A minimum of thirty-six (36) credits including:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISP 100 | Introduction to Historic Preservation | 3 |
| HISP 105 | The American Built Environment | 3 |
| HISP 200 | Introduction to Museum Studies | 3 |
| HISP 205 | Documentation and Field Work | 3 |
| HISP 207 | American Archaeology | 3 |
| HISP 209 | Planning History and Practice | 3 |
| HISP 305A | Historic Building Technologies | 3 |
| HISP 320 | Material Culture | 3 |
| HISP 405C | Advanced Methods in Historic Preservation | 3 |
| Select 3 credits of the following: | 3 | |
| Lab in Building Forensics | ||
| Laboratory Methods in Archaeology | ||
| Laboratory in Museum Design and Interpretation | ||
| Laboratory in Preservation Planning | ||
| Select 6-7 credits from among GEOG 250, GISC 200, EESC 205, and any HISP elective. | 6-7 | |
| Total Credits | 36-37 | |
HISP 499 Internship in Historic Preservation and HISP 480 Professional Practice are strongly recommended but do not count toward requirements for the major.
General Education Requirements
The general education requirements for Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degrees apply to all students who are seeking to earn an undergraduate B.A., B.S. or B.S.Ed. degree.
Students seeking a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree have a separate set of BLS general education requirements.
Electives
Elective courses are those that are not needed to fulfill a general education requirement or major program requirement but are chosen by the student to complete the 120 credits required for graduation with a B.A./B.S./B.S.Ed. degree or the BLS degree. These courses may be taken graded or pass/fail (or S/U in the case of physical education and 100-level dance). No student in a regular B.A./B.S./B.S.Ed. program may count more than 60 credits in a single discipline toward the 120 credits required for graduation.
Total Credits Required for the Degree: 120 credits
Historic Preservation Department
Cristina Turdean, Chair
Michael G. Spencer, Career Advisor
Faculty
Associate Professor and Prince B. Woodard Chair
Michael G. Spencer
Professor
Andréa D. Livi Smith
Associate Professors
Christine R. Henry
Daniel J. Hubbard
Michael G. Spencer
Cristina Turdean
Instructor
Katherine G. Parker