Cultural Heritage Studies
The Master of Arts degree in Cultural Heritage Studies is the only graduate program of its kind in the state. The M.A. degree in Cultural Heritage Studies provides students with the theoretical background and practical skills necessary to enter a career in the emerging fields of cultural heritage practice, policy, and management. The program is interdisciplinary; in addition to core and elective courses in art history, students will take additional relevant classes in anthropology and public administration. The small size of the program affords graduate students the opportunity to work closely with individual faculty members in seminars and directed research projects.
Students in the M.A. in Cultural Heritage Studies program may select one of two study tracks: the Cultural Heritage track or the Cultural Heritage Administration track.
The Cultural Heritage track provides students with an in-depth understanding and analytical grasp of international cultural heritage, and cultural property protection and response, intersections of cultural heritage and aid; the geopolitics of heritage as diplomacy; the role of international structures on the conservation of world heritage, looting and willful destruction of historic sites and buildings, and a variety of related issues.
The Cultural Heritage Administration track provides students with an in-depth understanding and analytical grasp of public policy and advocacy, including aspects of museum studies relevant to the administration and management of not-for-profit museums, public arts policy, the management of public cultural activity, commercial and non-profit sides of the business of culture, including organizational structures and staff roles, the fundamentals and legal features of public administration and nonprofit management.
Program Details
The M.A. in Cultural Heritage Studies is a 30-hour degree. Students in both tracks enroll in 27 hours of course work, including the core course ARH 650 Issues in Global Cultural Heritage Preservation: Practice & Policy and 3 credit hours of a practicum or internship. Degree requirements include the completion of a final professional research project to ensure the student has achieved proficiency of the knowledge and skills expected of a professional in the discipline.
Graduates will obtain a broad foundation of knowledge applicable to careers and further study in historic preservation and museum studies; arts management and administration; cultural and public advocacy; art and cultural policy; law and transnational justice; international affairs, diplomacy, government, arts centers, government, museums, private arts agencies, arts councils, community arts programs, foreign service; peace and justice studies; art journalism; and other fields.
Admission Requirements
A minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) is required for acceptance into the program. The applicant should have completed 18 semester hours in related coursework such as art history, anthropology, history, political science, or museum studies, although this requirement may be waived depending on the applicant's background and preparation. Qualified applicants will be invited for a required personal interview, which may take place over Skype or similar. The committee will consider all applicant information to select students who will be offered program admission.
Plan of Study
- Cultural Heritage Studies Track
Year One
Fall:
- ARH 650: Issues in Global Cultural Heritage
- MPA 600: Administrative Ethics
- Anthropology Elective
Spring:
- MPA 601: The Public Policymaking Proces
- Anthropology Elective
- Art History Elective
Year Two
Fall:
- MPA 602: Scope of Public Administration
- Anthropology Elective
- Art History, Anthropology, or Public Administration Elective
Spring:
- ARH 591: Capstone Practicum
Application Due Dates
Students may apply for admission for either the fall or spring semester.
- Fall 2020 admission: applications due by August 1
- Spring admission: applications due by December 1
For more information about the M.A. in Cultural Heritage Studies, please contact Cathleen Cummings, Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director.
M.A. in Cultural Heritage Studies with a Cultural Heritage Studies Track
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Coursework | ||
| ARH 650 | Issues in Cultural Heritage Policy and Practice (Plan to take in the first semester in the program.) | 3 |
| MPA 601 | The Public Policymaking Process (Plan to take in the first semester in the program.) | 3 |
| MPA 600 | Administrative Ethics | 3 |
| MPA 602 | Scope of Public Administration | 3 |
| ARH 591 | Capstone Internship: Experience and Presentation (Plan to take in the second year of program) | 3 |
| Anthropology Electives | ||
| Select three from: | 9 | |
| Peace through Global Governance | ||
| Religion, Reconciliation, & Forgiveness | ||
| Nationalism Ethnicity and Violence | ||
| Museum Studies | ||
| Technological Monitoring of Cultural Resources, Human Rights and Conflict | ||
| NAGPRA, Repatriation, and Indigenous Rights | ||
| Memory and Memorialization | ||
| The Law of Historical and Cultural Resources | ||
| Archaeological Laboratory Methods | ||
| Observing the Earth from Space | ||
| Real World Remote Sensing App | ||
| Art History Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Select one Art History Elective from the following ARH 519, ARH 521, ARH 522 , ARH 524, ARH 530, ARH 531, ARH 535, ARH 540, ARH 541, ARH 550, ARH 560, ARH 564, ARH 567, ARH 568, ARH 570, ARH 573, ARH 574, ARH 572, ARH 575, ARH 577.
- 2
Select one elective from the graduate Art History (ARH), graduate Anthropology (ANTH), or graduate Public Administration (MPA) courses.
Cultural Heritage Studies with a Cultural Heritage Administration Track
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Coursework | ||
| ARH 650 | Issues in Cultural Heritage Policy and Practice | 3 |
| MPA 601 | The Public Policymaking Process | 3 |
| MPA 602 | Scope of Public Administration | 3 |
| MPA 604 | Human Resources Management | 3 |
| ARH 591 | Capstone Internship: Experience and Presentation | 3 |
| ANTH 667 | Museum Studies | 3 |
| Public Administration Electives | ||
| Select two from the following: | 6 | |
| Administrative Ethics | ||
| Marketing and Fundraising | ||
| Nonprofit Management | ||
| Strategic Planning | ||
| Data Management | ||
| Art History Electives 1 | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
| 1 | Select two Art History graduate courses from the following: ARH 519, ARH 521, ARH 522, ARH 524, ARH 530, ARH 531, ARH 535, ARH 540, ARH 541, ARH 550, ARH 560, ARH 564, ARH 567, ARH 568, ARH 570, ARH 573, ARH 574, ARH 572, ARH 575, ARH 577. |