COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Science in Historic Preservation (MSHP) at the University of Colorado Denver is a flexible yet rigorous graduate program structured to prepare students for professional practice and advanced study in the preservation of the built environment. The program emphasizes field-based learning, offering opportunities for Maymester and summer travel study that allow students to engage directly with historic sites and preservation challenges in real-world contexts. In addition to structured coursework, students may pursue independent studies by proposing individualized research topics in collaboration with faculty mentors, enabling them to tailor parts of the curriculum to specific interests within preservation, architecture, planning, or heritage conservation. The program also supports research assistantships, providing students with paid opportunities to contribute to faculty-led projects and gain practical experience in preservation research and applied methodologies. The curriculum itself is designed to accommodate both students with prior experience in architecture or preservation-related fields and those entering from different academic backgrounds, ensuring accessibility while maintaining academic rigor. To complete the degree, students must earn a total of 45 semester hours. This includes 15 credit hours of core preservation courses that establish foundational knowledge in theory, methods, and practice; 6 credit hours of approved design history coursework that situates preservation within broader architectural and cultural contexts; 9 credit hours dedicated to a capstone requirement that typically involves a significant applied or research project; and 15 credit hours of electives that allow students to deepen expertise in specialized areas such as urban history, materials conservation, or planning policy. Students with relevant prior academic preparation or approved transfer credits may be able to reduce their overall time to completion in consultation with an academic advisor. Overall, the MSHP program combines academic flexibility with applied learning, preparing graduates for careers in historic preservation, urban redevelopment, cultural resource management, and related fields.