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Conservation of the Historic Environment - MA / PgCert / PgDip

Birmingham City University

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Birmingham City University

Course options

  • Qualification

    MA - Master of Arts

  • Location

    City Centre Campuses

  • Study mode

    Part time

  • Start date

    01-SEP-25

  • Duration

    2 years

Course summary

This Conservation of the Historic Environment course will help you obtain key knowledge in the conservation of buildings and the historic environment with practical skills-based workshops and lectures.

Our alumni find employment as conservation officers, and can apply via their professional body to become accredited conservation architects, engineers and surveyors, as well as skilled conservation contractors.

The programme is recognised as having the biggest cohort in the country (Conservation Course Directors Forum 2016). Accredited by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), if you need to understand a building or landscape in order to apply appropriate conservation techniques managing change in the historic environment, this course is for you.

What's covered in the course?

Through introducing a range of different skillsets and disciplines, our course gives you the skills to become a professional within the field of historic building conservation.

The foundations of conservation are introduced through firstly establishing the basic concepts, understanding philosophical, legal and historical aspects of British buildings.

You will experience an emphasis on practical learning within the course as you choose from a series of workshops surrounding building materials. Explore and acquire a range of specialist industry skills in areas such as metal and timber, ceramic building materials and the use of lime in historic buildings.

As well as instilling the fundamental skills needed to be a professional in the field of conservation, the course also prides itself on producing professionals that are able to manage and lead a project from visualisation and design, through to implementation. The second year provides insights into the realities of a project, such as ensuring sustainability and financial viability, encouraging forward thinking professionals that are able to see a project through to completion.

The second year also focuses on building elements and the historic environment, including working in a range of environments from historic interiors, parks and gardens to exploring the heritage of canals.

A dissertation at the end of the second year culminates all of the knowledge, perspectives and practical skills that you have developed whilst on the course, and provides the opportunity to specialise in an area of conservation that you have found most stimulating.

Enhancing your employability skills

Many past graduates have been commended by their employers by their knowledge of traditional materials, particularly lime. There are three main ways this programme enhances employability skills:

Delivery by specialists in conservation, this programme give the students a unique opportunity to network within the profession.
The practical workshops give students the knowledge and understanding of traditional building materials, and an ability to specify correct remedial measures.
The assessments are all based on industry templates – such as the Conservation Plan or a report on timber defects, or an assessment of sources of funding for a building conservation project.

These skills will enhance graduate employability and are intrinsic to professional membership of the IHBC.

Students can exit with PGCert & PGDip awards.

Tuition fees

Students living in United States
(International fees)

Information not available

Please check with the institution for most up to date details.

University information

University image

Birmingham City University

Birmingham City University

  • University League Table

    92nd

  • Campus address

    Birmingham City University, University House, 15 Bartholomew Row, Birmingham, Birmingham, B5 5JU, England

VIEW PROFILE
Live and study in an affordable multicultural city with a diverse multi-ethnic population.
Many master's courses offer international students six-month professional placements towards the end of their studies.

Subject rankings

  • Subject ranking

    Building

    25th out of 36 2

    25th out of 56 11

  • Entry standards

    / Max 158
    121 76%

    18th

  • Graduate prospects

    / Max 100
    77.0 77%

    29th

  • Student satisfaction

    / Max 4
    2.98 74%

    23rd

    11

  • Entry standards

    / Max 179
    132 74%

    16th

  • Graduate prospects

    / Max 100
    68.0 68%

    7th

    25

  • Student satisfaction

    / Max 4
    3.33 83%

    11th

    47

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