Overview

The complete Guide to the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation is available for download from this webpage in these formats:

Since 1975, George Washington University has offered a unique interdisciplinary program in historic preservation through its departments of American Studies and History. The program affords a strong intellectual perspective on critical issues in the preservation as well as a sound practical training for the field.

Historic preservation is examined as an intricate process that involves many participants and can vary in its complexion, focus, and goals. Topics examined include the legal framework, the nature and dynamics of preservation organizations, economic factors in rehabilitation, long-range planning and management techniques, the role of community activism, the opportunities for adaptive use and community revitalization, the management of historic sites, and the theoretical bases for current practices.

The program further presents the opportunity to deepen one's understanding of the richness and complexity of the built environment as a cultural landscape and the historical significance of its varied parts and relationships; to develop skills in documenting, assessing, and protecting this legacy; and to recognizing the design and planning issues that are central to managing the forces of growth and change within a historic context.

The curriculum also provides an unparalleled variety of cultural views, drawing from the fields of architectural, social, urban, women's, and African-American history; historical archaeology; folklife; and decorative arts -- all offered by the sponsoring departments. The program is home-based in the Department of American Studies and is closely tied to that department’s multi-faceted approach to the historical study of society and culture.

In addition, numerous opportunities exist for fieldwork and interaction with local officials and citizens.

The program provides a framework for synthesizing the multi-faceted concerns of preservation. The ability to solve problems in the field is emphasized over any set of administrative or political procedures. As a result, graduates of the program have succeeded in pursuing a wide variety of tracks in the preservation field, working in the private and public sectors at the local, state, and national levels. From the president of Preservation Action to the chief of Technical Preservation Services division in the National Park Service, from the director of Preservation Dallas to the founder of Historic St. Michaels (Maryland), from deputy state historic preservation officer for the District of Columbia, to National Register coordinator for the state of Oregon, from principal of a major historic resources consulting firm in Atlanta to historic preservation director for the Fairmount Park Commission in Philadelphia, alumni have achieved distinction in the field nationwide.

 

 

Inquiries should be addressed to:

Richard Longstreth
Director, Graduate Program in Historic Preservation
American Studies Department
George Washington University
Washington DC 20052
Voice: (202) 994-6070
Fax: (202) 994-8651
Email: rwl@gwu.edu

 

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