Program Overview

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MS in Historic Preservation

The MS in Historic Preservation program at Jefferson prepares graduates to preserve historic buildings and sites, re-envisioning and repurposing the past to serve present and future needs. Preserving the past is the template for a sustainable future.

At a Glance

• College: College of Architecture & the Built Environment
• Degree: Master of Science
• Campus: East Falls
• Format: On Campus
• Credits: 49
• Enrollment Options: Full Time, Part Time

Program Description

Historic Preservation is a major force in maintaining our cultural heritage and in shaping the neighborhoods and cities of tomorrow. The program prepares students to preserve historic buildings and sites, re-envisioning and repurposing the past to serve present and future needs.

Adaptive Reuse, Sustainability & Climate Change

A key aspect of the program is the focus on adaptive reuse, sustainability, and climate change. Students learn to apply new digital technologies, such as Light Detection & Ranging (LiDAR), Photogrammetry/Drone Surveys, Augmented Reality, and Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), to manage, document, conserve, and interpret culturally significant structures and places.

Urban Regeneration

The program also explores the development of frameworks that order the urban fabric into viable neighborhoods and facilitate "place-making" through the incorporation of historic structures as part of sustainable development and healthy communities.

Social Justice

The program embraces inclusivity in its definition of heritage, exploring preservation's role in acknowledging and interpreting the unique contributions of underrepresented communities. Heritage architecture is valued as the embodiment of both tangible and intangible cultural values.

New & Emerging Technologies

Students learn to apply new digital technologies that are part of the 21st-century Historic Preservation toolkit. Today, Light Detection & Ranging (LiDAR), Photogrammetry/Drone Surveys, Augmented Reality, and Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) are increasingly used for managing, documenting, conserving, and interpreting culturally significant structures and places.

Philadelphia A Living Laboratory

As the first UNESCO World Heritage City in the United States, Philadelphia is a textbook of architectural styles and periods, offering a wealth of projects and internship opportunities, utilizing buildings and technologies, dating from 18th century Georgian through mid-20th century Modern.

Customize Your Education & Launch Your Career

Because Historic Preservation is a multi-disciplinary field, students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines are encouraged to apply. Students select one of two tracks: Research & Documentation or Preservation Design, and may choose to specialize in a field compatible with their track drawn from the College of Architecture and the Built Environment's graduate offerings, including Sustainable Design, Geographic Information Systems, Architectural History, Real Estate Development, and Urban Design, among others.

Career Opportunities

A master's degree in Historic Preservation offers many career opportunities. Jefferson graduates hold positions such as preservation architect, architectural conservator, architectural historian, and preservation planner, working in private firms, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.

Advanced Studies

Graduates of the MS in Historic Preservation program who are interested in subsequently pursuing further studies receive advanced placement of up to 18 credits in Jefferson's PhD in Architecture & Design Research program, which allows students to complete their PhD studies in three academic years instead of the typical four-year timeframe.

STEM Designation

The MS in Historic Preservation is a STEM designated program (CIP Code 04.0902).