MS in Historic Preservation

Thomas Jefferson University

United States of America, Philadelphia

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Thomas Jefferson University

United States of America , Philadelphia

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Application Fee

USD 50

Credit point

49 Points

Campuses

East Falls

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesMay-2023

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 2 year(s)

Tuition Fee

USD 1,399 / credit

Next Intake May-2023

MS in Historic Preservation

About

Meet the Challenges of Tomorrow — Preserve the Past to Shape the Future

Today, Historic Preservation is a major force in maintaining our cultural heritage and in shaping the neighborhoods and cities of tomorrow.

Jefferson’s MS in Historic Preservation (MSHP) 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.

Adaptive Reuse, Sustainability & Climate Change

A perspective view into student Christopher Gartley’s design for a coffee shop/library adaptive reuse of the Sanctuary of the former St. Michael’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia. Course: Adaptive Reuse & Urban Regeneration, Fall 2024.

Historic Preservationists are fond of saying that “the greenest building is the one already built.” Studies have shown that the demolition of buildings accounts for 48% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Reusing and retrofitting existing buildings constitutes “recycling” on a grand scale, reducing these emissions dramatically.

In studio-based courses, for real clients, using real sites, students gain hands-on experience developing research, documentation, and conservation skills needed to lead in the revitalization of buildings, conserving the embodied energy in historic materials and preserving community character. Heritage buildings serve as potent historical documents and invaluable design opportunities for future use.

A section through student Stephanie Sosa’s adaptive reuse design to transform a vacant historic Philadelphia church, the former St. Michael’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, into co-working space. Course: Adaptive Reuse & Urban Regeneration, Fall 2024.

Students in the Adaptive Reuse & Urban Regeneration course addressed the loss of historic religious properties in Philadelphia by exploring the adaptive reuse potential of the former Saint Michael’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia. The goal of the course is to provide conceptual design ideas to the current owner, a developer sensitive to the site’s historic significance and importance to the community.

Video: Take a Closer Look at Our Program

Hear first-hand from our students about what it’s like to be in the 4+2 BS in Architectural Studies and MS in Historic Preservation program at Jefferson.

Visit our YouTube channel to view a playlist of program videos.

“Jefferson’s MSHP program makes a concerted effort to provide its students with opportunities to engage with the Philadelphia built environment and preservation community, which is something I greatly value as a student.”

Emma Connolly, MS in Historic Preservation Class of 2025

Urban Regeneration

Rendering of the reimagined landscape and buildings of an industrial site, "Bartram's Yard" on Bartram Avenue in Philadelphia, adjacent to Bartram's Garden, a National Historic Landmark. Bruce Brumbaugh, Julie Carbone and Shannon McClain for Design 10: Adaptive Reuse Studio, Spring 2019.

A vital preservation issue is 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. Students explore 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.

Wigwam.
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Canoe and wigwam.
Wigwam.
Ojibwe wiigiwaam dakota style tipis white earth
Canoe and wigwam.
Wigwam.

Student Nika Faulkner's The Ojibwe Wigwam of Lake Superior: Defining Significance and Addressing Historic Preservation in Indigenous Contexts, Master’s Thesis, 2023.

“While working with the city, I learned that working as a public servant in the realm of preservation means that your duty is first and foremost to the community and to facilitate productive discussions concerning the cultural resources that belong to them.”

Nika Faulkner, MS in Historic Preservation Class of 2023

New & Emerging Technologies

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.

Students created a laser scan of the upper floor ballroom of the Aces Veterans Museum. The scan was rendered into a 3D model using Blender. Above, the class is experiencing their 3D model in a virtual environment at Jefferson’s MechDyne cave installation in Gutman Library.

Working with community partners, students apply both analog and digital documentation methods to real-world projects at multiple scales, from the micro of individual buildings to the macro level of community planning.

David Zaveloff, Photogrammetry, Weber Hall, East Falls Campus. Course: Documentation & Forensics, Fall 2022.

Watch "New Technologies for Historic Preservationists in the 21st Century" with Professor Andrew Hart

Dr. Suzanne Singletary: A Legacy of Preservation and Scholarship

New Technologies for Historic Preservationists in the 21st Century

Program Highlights

As a graduate from Jefferson's Master of Science in Historic Preservation, you will acquire the knowledge and skills to address the challenges facing preservation today.

Develop preservation protocols tailored to unique character of early and mid-century modern architecture
Implement physical documentation and forensic analysis in the assessment of individual structures and sites as intrinsic to the current practice of architecture and preservation.
Acquire competency in the application of analogue and digital techniques and software, particularly freehand sketching, constructed hand drawn drawings, model building, and CAD, 3-D modeling, LIDAR, Photogrammetry, and GIS.
Assess and implement sustainable methods in the retrofitting of historic structures.
Execute a holistic approach to preservation planning, as applied to the adaptive reuse of historic buildings and their role in urban regeneration via real world, community based projects
Apply economic and legal aspects of preservation to projects at multiple scales from micro to macro
Support preservation as a model of embodied energy and as a sustainable solution to our environmental crisis via the adaptive reuse of historic structures

Explore Related Programs

Architecture
Architecture Studies
Master of Architecture (M.Arch)

Disciplines

College of Architecture & the Built Environment

Requirements

Entry Requirements

International applicants may be required to submit results from an English Language Proficiency Exam. Additional information about the English Language Proficiency requirement can be found on the Admissions Information page for your program of interest.

Students who have taken coursework outside of the United States should submit a course-by-course academic credential evaluation from a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member credentialing organization. Applicants who do not have a NACES evaluation are required to submit official transcripts, along with an official English translation, to Jefferson for review. Thomas Jefferson University reserves the right to outsource student academic credentials to our NACES member partner for evaluation.

Career

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

Software Developer

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

USD 1,399

Application Fee

USD 50

How to Apply

After submitting the application, you will receive instructions on how to submit the supporting application materials listed below through your online MyJefferson account. If you prefer, you may also mail your materials to:

Thomas Jefferson University
Application Document Processing
4201 Henry Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144

You will receive a MyJefferson identification number via email once you submit your application for admission. Be sure to include your name and MyJefferson ID on all documents that you mail to Jefferson.

Supporting Materials

The Admissions Committee emphasizes a holistic review process that examines the entirety of an applicant's academic aptitude, motivation, problem-solving skills, leadership potential and life experiences. Admission decisions are individualized to the specific attributes of the applicant.

Transcripts: Submit official undergraduate and graduate transcripts from all regionally accredited institutions you have attended and/or from which you earned credit. Official transcripts must be sent electronically by the institution to [email protected] or mailed to the address above. Before applying to Jefferson, please review the prerequisites required for admission for this academic program.

Personal Statement: Submit a statement of purpose outlining your interest in the program, how the course of study relates to your desired career path, and your academic and job-related experiences that are relevant to the program.

Letters of Recommendation: Submit three letters of reference that provide insight into your academic and/or professional competence. References from college or university faculty members or professional sources are accepted. You may request recommendations through your MyJefferson account.