Master of Science in Historic Preservation

The Master of Science in Historic Preservation (MSHP) is for students seeking training in spatial, technical, and design aspects of the broader field; it encompasses architecture, cultural landscapes, preservation, planning, building technology, project management, documentation, interpretation, and representation.

Program Information

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The Master of Science in Historic Preservation (MSHP) is a 45 credit hour program, usually completed in 15 or 18 months (three regular semesters and possibly part or all of one summer). It is designed to accommodate the background and needs of both those students with substantial experience and those new to the field.

Historic preservationists come from a variety of backgrounds. Some are well-educated in the humanities and desire to increase their technical understanding. Those familiar with the social sciences might be seeking “real world” applications for their expertise. Many already with “first professional degrees” in design and planning disciplines, as well as law and business, seek to deepen their competence in the vibrant and interesting professional niche of historic preservation. Our program is compliant with National Council of Preservation Education Standards. 

Program Highlights

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Field-Based Learning

CAP offers multiple opportunities for Maymester and summer travel study. Some of these are particularly useful for historic preservation students.

Independent Studies

Faculty members are open to proposals from students for a topic of study not regularly offered in the curriculum. Typically, the student will suggest a topic and together with the faculty tutor develop a work plan and evaluation strategy.

Research Assistantships

Opportunities exist for students to engage in paid research assistantships with the college’s Center of Preservation Research (CoPR).

Curriculum

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The course of study for the Master of Science in Historic Preservation is designed to accommodate the background and needs of both those students with substantial experience and those new to the field.

The curriculum is flexible but rigorous, requiring a total of 45 semester hours to complete:

Course Type	Semester Hours Required
Core Courses in Preservation	15 semester hours
Approved Core Design History Courses	6 semester hours
Capstone Requirement	9 semester hours
Electives	15 semester hours

Students receiving significant transfer credit and those with a related degree may further reduce the time required for the MS in Historic Preservation degree and should work with an academic advisor to confirm.

Our program is compliant with National Council of Preservation Education Standards.

Core Preservation Courses

Course #	Core Course Name	# Credits
HIST 5232	Historic Preservation	3
HIPR 6210	Historic Buildings in Context	3
HIPR 6220	Adaptive Reuse: Business and Practice	3
HIPR 6310	Documentation, Analysis, Representation	3
HIPR 6510	Building Material Conservation	3
	Core Course Total	15

 

Design History Courses

Some examples are listed below. Several other CAP and History Department courses may also qualify.

Course #	Design History Course Name	# Credits
Student's choice of TWO of the following 3-credit courses:
HIPR 6110	Regionalism & the Vernacular	3
HIPR 6610	Reading the City	3
LDAR 5521	History of Landscape Architecture	3
URPL 6350	Form and Formation of Cities	3
HIPR 6410	Urban Conservation	3
	Design History Course Total	6

 

Electives

 

Course #	Electives Course Name	# Credits
	Electives Course Total	15

Historic preservation students typically choose electives from the following departments: Historic Preservation (HIPR), History (HIST), Geography (GEOG), Public Administration (PUAD), Architecture (ARCH), Landscape Architecture (LDAR), and Urban Planning (URPL).

These departments typically offer elective courses that have ties to preservation or allow students to make their education more interdisciplinary. This list is not exhaustive, and several other departments have courses that may qualify.

Capstone Work

The capstone portion of the MS in Historic Preservation gives students the chance to dive deeper into a topic of your choice, whether it’s through a professional project or through a research thesis. The capstone allows for students to gain real-world experience while completing unique preservation projects.

During the 2019/2020 school year, three historic preservation students worked on a professional project as a team that focuses on the adaptive reuse of the historic motels on Colfax Ave. What started as a class project turned into something much more, where they did a survey analysis of the motels, attended community meetings, created design proposals, and presented the work at multiple preservation conferences. (A quote from
one of the girls on this project will be included here.)

Course #	Course Name	# Credits
Professional Project
HIPR 6930	Internship	3
	Pre-approved travel education or pre-approved related elective	3
HIPR 6851	Professional Project	3
Thesis
LDAR 6949	Research Tools & Methods	3
HIPR 6951	Thesis	6
	Required Capstone Course Hours	9

 

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the field of historic preservation as it relates to civic engagement and public policy.
2. Analyze complex heritage situations and formulate a strategy for preservation.
3. Communicate acquired historic preservation expertise to diverse stakeholders.
4. Assess the significance of the built environment and cultural landscapes.
5. Possess the ability to perform fundamental professional activities such as: cultural resource surveys, historic designation nominations, resource management plans, preservation, and restoration project plans.

Travel Study Opportunities

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View Your Travel Opportunities

Tuition & Fees

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The University of Colorado Denver has one of the most affordable tuition rates in Colorado.  Our tuition and fees are set by the Board of Regents, the governing body of the University of Colorado.  Tuition is based on student classification (undergraduate, graduate, academic program, resident or nonresident) and you can find out what rates will apply to your situation here.

All CAP Graduate Programs have WICHE-WRGP (Western Regional Graduate Program) status, which grants in-state resident tuition to students from 15 western states including California, Washington, Oregon and Arizona.

View Tuition and Fee Information

Required Materials

• Online Application?
• Statement of Purpose: The statement of purpose should be a 750-1000 word essay that describes your interest in historic preservation and CU Denver, as well as your academic and professional goals.
• A compact portfolio (max. 20 pages 8.5” X 11”) of writing samples, and optionally, graphic work and professional resume is strongly recommended. Please upload of PDF to the online application.
• Submission of Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores is recommended for applicants without evidence of prior successful graduate level accomplishment. [There is an expedited application procedure for current CU Denver students in another CAP masters program. Please inquire to the MSHP Program Director.]
• Transcript(s):
  • Domestic transcripts: One official copy of your transcript from each institution you have attended, except for study abroad courses, should be sent to the following:
    • Electronic Transcripts: cap-admissions@ucdenver.edu
    • Mailing Address:
      College of Architecture and Planning
      University of Colorado Denver
      Campus Box 126
      P.O. Box 173364
      Denver, CO 80217-3364
  • International transcripts: Do not submit transcripts from foreign (non-US) institutions to CU Denver. You must provide a course-by-course evaluation report from Education Credential Evaluators to complete your application. You will send your transcripts to ECE, and ECE will send their evaluation report to CU Denver. After you submit your CU Denver application, you will receive an email with a link to the landing page where you can order your report for CU Denver’s use. For more information, please visit our International Admissions office.

Application Deadline - Fall 2023

Application Opens: September 1, 2022
Application Closes: March 1, 2023

Please contact  Jodi Stock to inquire about space availability. 

Expectations

The MSHP program is fully integrated into a college emphasizing design and graphic excellence. While HP students need not have fully developed skills in advance of matriculation we have found that students have benefitted from some previous exposure to : 

• Manual drawing/sketching
• CAD graphics
• Graphics software such as Adobe Creative Suite.

These competencies can be demonstrated by previous coursework or by portfolio/resume submission. Should any of these competencies for an admitted student be judged insufficient by the faculty, the program director may require the student to gain supplemental instruction prior to, or upon matriculation to, the MS degree in Historic Preservation program.  Any credit awarded for such supplemental work will not be counted toward the required number of credit hours for the degree.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit of up to 12 credit hours (up to 15 credit hours for those seeking/holding a related master's degree from CU Denver) may be awarded for equivalent graduate (post-bachelor's) course work at the discretion of the program director and in keeping with CU Denver Graduate School Rules?.

Undergraduate Course Work

Undergraduate course work substantively equivalent to an MSHP required course may be accepted as a substitution for that course at the program director’s discretion, but such substitution will not reduce the total number of credit hours required for the degree.

 Students admitted into this program must have completed an undergraduate degree before they will be able to begin this program. An official conferred degree transcript is required by the university. For additional information, please see Graduate School Policies and Procedures.