Sustainable Building Conservation (MSc)

In the context of climate change, this distinctive programme addresses current challenges facing the conservation of historic buildings worldwide.

Accredited by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), this distinctive masters’ qualification addresses current challenges recognised worldwide.

We place emphasis on the role of sustainability within the historic context at both technical and strategic levels. By using our established expertise as a research locus for sustainable design, the course addresses these concerns, which have been identified internationally by the International Council on Monuments and Sites UK (ICOMOS), as the critical future direction of conservation education.

The course is offered on both a full time and a part time basis and attracts students from a broad range of backgrounds who benefit from the opportunity to exchange and build their expertise.

Who is the programme for?

It is designed for graduates who want to pursue a career in this area and whose first degree was in a related area such as Engineering, Planning, Architecture, Archaeology, Surveying or Construction. It is also open to people who may have equivalent experience in the construction industry or in heritage management.

Former students have come from backgrounds including Architecture, Planning, Surveying, Engineering, Project Management, Construction, History, Archaeology and Fine Art Conservation. Many are employed in Local Authorities or Private Practice; some run their own businesses as conservation contractors, project managers or architects. We also have students who are recent graduates. The diversity of skills and experience amongst the students is key to the vitality of discussion, reflecting the complex nature of practice in this area.

In summary, the course aims to:

• Broaden your career opportunities by enabling you to gain expertise in conservation leading towards professional accreditation.
• Augment your current expertise by developing skills to assert detailed and strategic responses to complex issues regarding building conservation in the context of a sustainable agenda.
• Ensure you possess the requisite knowledge but also to know where to refer for advice in order to take responsibility when making reasoned decisions in relation to multifaceted conservation issues.
• Enable you to use project-based case studies in order to develop a clear understanding of relevant legislative frameworks.
• Enable you to develop autonomous judgments of appropriateness regarding responses to the historic built environment.

Accreditations

• Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC)

Careers

The programme is designed for those who want to pursue a specialised career in building conservation with an emphasis on the current and future challenges of sustainability.

Our students typically come from backgrounds including architecture, planning, surveying, engineering, project management, construction, history, archaeology and fine art conservation. Many are employed in local authorities or private practice; some run their own businesses as conservation contractors, project managers or architects.

Working closely with students from a broad range of backgrounds, you will benefit from the opportunity to exchange and build your expertise, learning together and building future networks.

Our graduates have gone on to transform their professional practices both in the UK and internationally. Variously they have gone on to win funded PhD studentships, to take up senior management roles in government heritage agencies, to be specialist advisors within professional statutory and non-governmental organisations.

Placements

Placements are not offered through the course. However, relevant job opportunities are circulated as and when they arise.