Degree: B.A., Historic Preservation
Department of Historic Preservation
Historic preservation focuses on maintaining, conserving, advocating for, and interpreting historic sites and structures as well as 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 programs 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 program stresses research and analytical skills while 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.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Students will develop skills in identifying, inspecting, evaluating, and documenting historic resources such as structures and artifacts.
2. Students will be able to explain and analyze distinctions of form, time, and space as reflected in historic resources.
3. Students will develop skills in applying field methods relevant to historic preservation.
4. Students will develop skills in producing hardline architectural drawings.
5. Students will develop skills in using photographic equipment.
6. Students will develop skills in using computers in the analysis and documentation of historic resources.
7. Students will comprehend the multidisciplinary nature of historic preservation..
8. Students will develop the vocabulary of historic preservation and its processes.
9. Students will develop historic-preservation advocacy and leadership skills.
10. Students will develop an appreciation for the evolution of the preservation movement in the U.S.
11. Students will develop an appreciation for historic resources in modern society.
12. Students will understand the role of material culture in the study of history.
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 GISC 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
Plan of Study
This suggested plan of study should serve as a guide to assist students when planning their course selections. It is not a substitute for a student's Degree Evaluation or the Program Requirements listed for this major in the catalog. Academic planning is the student's responsibility, and course selections should be finalized only after speaking with an advisor. Students should familiarize themselves with the catalog in effect at the time they matriculated at the University of Mary Washington. Students should also familiarize themselves with general education requirements which can be fulfilled through general electives as well as major/minor course requirements. Course requirements and sequencing may vary with AP, IB, CLEP, Cambridge or previous coursework, transfer courses, or other conditions. To be considered full-time, an undergraduate student must be enrolled in 12 or more credits for the semester.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| HISP 100 | Introduction to Historic Preservation | 3 |
| FSEM 100 | First-Year Seminar | 3 |
| General Education Courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| HISP 105 | The American Built Environment | 3 |
| General Education Courses | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| HISP 200 | Introduction to Museum Studies | 3 |
| HISP 205 | Documentation and Field Work | 3 |
| General Education Courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| HISP 207 | American Archaeology | 3 |
| HISP 209 | Planning History and Practice | 3 |
| HISP Elective | 3 | |
| General Education Courses or Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| HISP 305A | Historic Building Technologies | 3 |
| Electives | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| HISP 320 | Material Culture | 3 |
| HISP Elective | 3-4 | |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| HISP 405C | Advanced Methods in Historic Preservation | 3 |
| HISP 461A |
Lab in Building Forensics or Laboratory Methods in Archaeology or Laboratory in Museum Design and Interpretation or Laboratory in Preservation Planning |
3 |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Electives | 15 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120-121 | |
Note: HISP 100, HISP 105, HISP 205, HISP 305A, HISP 320, and HISP 405C are normally offered in both the fall and spring semester, and the laboratory requirement (HISP 461A, HISP 462A, HISP 463 or HISP 469) may be taken in either the fall or spring semester of senior year.