Historic Preservation Certificate
Introduction
Historic Preservation is significantly more than the restoration of buildings from the past. It is frequently a part of dynamic and inviting public spaces. It is at the forefront of the green building movement and environmental sustainability, and it can advance social equity while celebrating cultural diversity.
The Historic Preservation Certificate is designed for students and professionals who are pursuing or already hold a Master of Architecture, Master of Urban Planning, Master of Landscape Architecture, or anyone who wants to explore the diverse issues around Historic Preservation.
The Certificate is a 15 Credit Hour Program which can be completed in conjunction with other CAP programs or as a separate area of study for students or professionals who are already in the work environment.
Admissions
Application to the Historic Preservation (HIPR) Certificate is open to all students holding a Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) degree from an accredited institution, or are currently pursuing or have completed a master’s degree from an accredited institution. Upon submitting an application, students currently pursuing a master’s program in the College of Architecture & Planning (CAP) will be admitted on an automatic basis. Submission of one of the following applications is required for any student interested in pursuing the HIPR Certificate:
All interested program participants must complete one of the online application forms found on the CAP website. Failure to submit an official application may result in the inability for CAP to officially award the certificate upon student completion.
Certificate Completion Form
All students pursuing the Historic Preservation Certificate will be required to submit a CAP Certificate Completion Form upon successfully completing the certificate curriculum. Failure to submit this form will result in your certificate not being official certified or posted to your CU Denver transcript. Please only submit the form in the semester in which you are completing the certificate. Applications submitted for future semesters will not be accepted. The CAP Certificate Completion Form does not replace the required graduation application for degree-seeking students. If you are also completing a degree program in the current semester, you must follow the graduation procedures for your college.
Certificate Requirements
Historic Preservation Certificate students will complete five graduate-level courses for a total of 15 hours. The following are the required courses for the certificate:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 5232 | Historic Preservation | 3 |
| HIPR 6210 | Historic Buildings in Context | 3 |
| HIPR 6220 | Adaptive Reuse: Business and Practice | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Special Topics in Historic Preservation | ||
| Regionalisms & the Vernacular | ||
| Reusing Buildings for a Changing Climate | ||
| Cultural Resource Management and Preservation Law | ||
| Contextual Design in Historic Districts | ||
| Documentation, Analysis, Representation | ||
| The Politics of Preservation | ||
| Urban Conservation: Context for Reuse | ||
| Building Materials Conservation | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Optional Course Selection Suggestions
Students are permitted to select any combination of courses within the "select two of following" portion of this program. However, students in the Master of Urban and Regional Planning or the Master of Architecture programs may find the following suggested course options to be the most relevant to their interests and studies.
- For Master of Architecture students, it is recommended that they select HIPR 6510 Building Materials Conservation and HIPR 6250 Contextual Design in Historic Districts.
- For Master of Urban and Regional Planning Students, it is recommended that they select HIPR 6240 Cultural Resource Management and Preservation Law and HIPR 6230 Reusing Buildings for a Changing Climate
These are not required course tracks for students in either program. Selecting the above suggested courses does not result in a special designation for the certificate on a transcript. Students who are not in the Master of Urban and Regional Planning Program or Master of Architecture program are welcome to take the suggested combination of courses above as well.
Grading Policy
A minimum of a 3.0 GPA in the above course work is required to earn the Historic Preservation Certificate, and no grade below a B- will count toward the certificate.
Certificate Learning Outcomes
Student who successfully complete the Historic Preservation Certificate will be able to:
- Be familiar with the philosophical foundations of preservation and possess a fundamental understanding of how to apply philosophical consideration in the preservation of the past.
- Assess a building or site for its historical significance and develop a preservation strategy based on the level of significance.
- Plan for the proper restoration or preservation of the building or site utilizing proper materials and methods.
- Demonstrate awareness of environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic development and how to incorporate these issues into the practice of historic preservation.