Historic Preservation

 

  

Students work at Bay View during summer HP workshop

Mission Statement:
The mission of the Eastern Michigan University Historic Preservation Program is to prepare students from a variety of educational and career backgrounds for professional service in the fields of preservation planning, historic administration, and heritage interpretation. The program fosters stimulating, creative, and professional interaction among students, faculty, local and regional planning agencies, and local preservation groups in order to provide both classroom theory and practical experience. The program aims to produce preservation professionals who, as cultural stewards, will improve the awareness and effectiveness of the preservation movement in the United States.

Award Winning Program:
In its first twenty years, the Historic Preservation Program has received several awards. In 1989 the Program was the recipient of the American Association of State & Local History's coveted "Certificate of Commendation" for ten years of nationally recognized performance within the field of historic preservation education. The award program sponsored by AASLH is the nation's most prestigious competition for local history achievement. In 1999, at Preservation Wayne's (Detroit's leading preservation organization) "Annual Honor Awards and Auction," EMU's Historic Preservation Program was presented with the "Lucy Hamilton Education Award" for contributions to historic preservation in Michigan and Detroit coincident with the program's twentieth year of existence. Also in 1999, program founder Marshall McLennan received the "Lifetime Achievement" Award from the Michigan Historic Preservation Network.

 

Degrees and Certificates Offered and Administration of Programs:
The historic preservation programs include a 36 credit hour Master of Science Program in Historic Preservation with concentrations in preservation planning, historic administration, and heritage interpretation and tourism, a five-course graduate level certification program in historic preservation, and an undergraduate minor in historic preservation. Though the program is housed in the Department of Geography & Geology, participating departments have included History, Art, Construction Technology, and the Division of Continuing Education. A field school in Preservation Technology is offered in the summer term.
Aims of the Programs:
The master's program, now one of the largest and most comprehensive in the country, concentrates upon career development in historic preservation planning, administration, and interpretation. Entry level jobs for aspiring preservationists are most readily available with federal, state, and local planning agencies, consultant planning firms, quasi-public foundations, historic museums and societies, park and recreational agencies, and in heritage tourism. The curriculum has been designed to foster a four-way interaction between students, faculty, regional and local planning agencies, and community preservation groups. Use is made of adjunct professors and visiting speakers with community and/or agency experience in dealing with preservation and cultural resource management problems. Students also are encouraged to participate in off-campus experiences such as cooperative education employment, internships, group and individual projects, and community site visits.

 

©2005 Eastern Michigan University: Department of Geography & Geology ||Last Updated December 14, 2007