Program Overview

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Architecture: Building and Heritage Conservation MA

Overview

Explore your passion for the heritage of historic buildings and sites and uncover the stories behind their structures with our MA Architecture: Building and Heritage Conservation Master's.

Accredited by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), this course encourages you to engage creatively, theoretically, and research-wise with historic buildings and sites and explore conservation design on a conceptual and practical level.

Key Information

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).

Study Mode and Duration

• 1 year full-time (September start)
• 17 months full-time (January start)
• 2 years part-time (September start)

Start Date

• September 2025
• January 2026

Course Information

Overview

Our MA Architecture: Building and Heritage Conservation Master's course is designed to help you acquire the techniques, legal, and management skills you need for professional practice in this field.

Exit Award

This degree is an exit award—or 'pathway'—of our MA Architecture degree course. You must apply for that course and select certain modules to graduate with this exit award.

Course Highlights

• Gain direct industry knowledge on building and heritage conservation through a program that incorporates input from local conservation architects and officers
• Bring your creative ideas to life using our production facilities boasting the latest, most advanced technologies
• Take part in studio-based design projects and collaborations with academic institutions in the UK and other countries such as Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and the Middle East
• Get involved in regional regeneration projects to test and develop your ideas
• Collaborate with local and national organisations, including Portsmouth Sustainable Conservation Trust, Historic England, and England Heritage
• Seize the opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’ by working on real-life projects
• Attend free online lectures delivered by some of the UK’s leading organisations in heritage and conservation—including ICOMOS UK and Historic England
• Be part of an established professional network with the chance to join the RIBA South and South East Conservation Group
• Build networking relationships and contacts at local and international events with professional bodies and local communities

Accreditation

The course is professionally accredited and recognised by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) – the UK's leading body for building conservation practitioners and historic environment experts – and covers its areas of competence. The award also follows the education guidelines of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), UNESCO and Council of Europe requirements.

Graduates from MA Architecture: Building and Heritage Conservation can also apply for full IHBC membership after two years of relevant professional experience, as opposed to five years through the normal route.

Entry Requirements

UK Qualifications

A good honours degree in a relevant subject, such as:

• Architecture
• Interior Architecture
• Landscape Architecture
• Urban Design
• Civil Engineering
• Building Surveying
• Geography
• Spatial Practices
• Fine Art
• Other design-related subject

Equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications will also be considered, such as previous study, employment, voluntary work and training courses, including courses and qualifications you didn't complete.

If you don't have relevant qualifications and/or experience, you'll need to provide a portfolio to support your application.

Non-UK Qualifications

If you're applying as an international student with a non-UK degree, you’ll need to show you meet the UK entry requirements listed above.

To find out if your non-UK degree or other qualification is accepted, please visit our page for your country and view the UK equivalent of your qualification.

English Language Requirements

• English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 (or equivalent) with no component score below 6.0.

You do not need an IELTS or equivalent certification if:

• you have a UK degree
• you have a degree from a majority English-speaking country (not taught by Distance Learning)
• you are a national of a majority English-speaking country

Degrees taught solely in English from non-majority English-speaking countries will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Course Costs and Funding

Tuition Fees

• UK, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man students:
  • Full-time: £9,400
  • Part-time: £3,130 (Year 1) and £6,270 (Year 2) (may be subject to annual increase)
• EU students (including Transition Scholarship):
  • Full-time: £9,400
  • Part-time: £3,130 (Year 1) and £6,270 (Year 2) (may be subject to annual increase)
• International students:
  • Full-time: £17,200
  • Part-time: £5,730 (Year 1) and £11,470 (Year 2) (subject to annual increase)

Funding Your Studies

Explore how to fund your studies, including available scholarships and bursaries.

If you're a UK student, you may be eligible for a Government Postgraduate Master's Loan, which you can use to help with course fees and living costs.

Modules

What You'll Study (Full-time)

• Core modules:
  • Thesis - 60 credits
  • Research Methods - 30 credits
• Optional modules:
  • Conservation and Practice - 30 credits
  • Conservation: Theories - 30 credits
  • Integration of Transdisciplinary Experiences - 30 credits
  • Landscape and Urbanism: Territories and Systems - 30 credits
  • Landscape and Urbanism: Sites and Systems - 30 credits
  • Spatial Practices: Situated Ecologies - 30 credits
  • Spatial Practices: Thinking and Making - 30 credits
  • Work-Based Learning: Opportunity - 30 credits

What You'll Study (Part-time)

Year 1:

• Optional modules:
  • Conservation and Practice - 30 credits
  • Conservation: Theories - 30 credits
  • Landscape and Urbanism: Territories and Systems - 30 credits
  • Landscape and Urbanism: Sites and Systems - 30 credits
  • Spatial Practices: Situated Ecologies - 30 credits
  • Spatial Practices: Thinking and Making - 30 credits

Year 2:

• Core modules:
  • Research Methods - 30 credits
  • Thesis - 60 credits
• Optional modules:
  • Integration of Transdisciplinary Experiences - 30 credits
  • Work-Based Learning: Opportunity - 30 credits

How You'll Spend Your Time

We recognise that you'll probably be juggling more demands when you do your Master's degree, as you may be working or you may have family responsibilities.

You'll spend more time in independent study and research than you did for your undergraduate degree, but the majority of your teaching time will be in-person and face-to-face.

Teaching Methods

Teaching on this course includes:

• Lectures
• Studio-based work
• Independent study
• Group-work

Teaching Staff Profiles

• Dr Tarek Teba
• Dr Milena Metalkova-Markova

Career Development

Building and heritage conservation has several benefits, including preserving local cultures and traditions, strengthening individual identity, contributing to sustainable development, and creating jobs in communities.

You too can become a contributor when you graduate from our Building and Heritage Conservation degree course.

Careers This MA Architecture: Building and Heritage Conservation Master’s Prepares You For

Upon completion, you'll have the specialist skills to pursue a career within the conservation, architectural and planning professions.

The creative conservation design skills, professional competencies, and expansive learning environment on this course can lead you to work in:

• Architecture, interior or conservation practices
• Consultancy
• Regeneration projects
• Heritage management bodies—such as National Trust and Historic England
• Conservation training centres

Supporting You

Master's study is more focused on independent learning than undergraduate study, but you'll get lots of support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed.

You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:

Types of Support

• Personal tutor
• Student support advisor
• Creative skills tutors
• IT and computing support
• Disability advice and additional support
• Wellbeing and mental health support
• Library support

Apply

Unlike undergraduate applications, which go through UCAS, applications for this Master's course are made directly to us.

There's no deadline for applications to this course. We accept applications right up until the start dates in September and January, as long as there are places available.

If you're applying as an international student, remember that you'll need to leave plenty of time to get your visa organised.