波士顿建筑学院

The Master of Design Studies in Historic Preservation is a 4-semester, 33-credit degree that gives students the knowledge, technical expertise, and leadership skills necessary to promote and preserve historical buildings and cultural landscapes. Designed for professionals in the fields of design, planning, real estate, and advocacy, the program addresses the technical, cultural, and policy dimensions of preservation using Boston’s historical built environment as a framework.

The curriculum combines theory and practice, with topics ranging from preservation philosophy, law, and finance to traditional building methods, historic research, documentation, and an in-depth, mentored thesis project. Students have opportunities to travel to destinations with rich history that are doing significant work in the preservation field. The BAC also connects preservation with its nationally recognized curriculum in sustainable design.

The MDS in Historic Preservation is open to both design professionals and those in the allied fields of planning, real estate, and advocacy. This gives students direct experience with the kinds of preservation coalitions necessary in the real world. The program caters to everyone, from practicing professionals to those who are embarking on a new career. Our graduates go on to work in architecture, design, public sector planning, federal government, advocacy, nonprofit management, and private consulting.

Classes that fit your schedule

The Master of Design Studies is delivered in an innovative distance format that allows students to work full time while they study. The BAC uses a range of digital tools to support and enhance online learning, including Skype, Voice Thread, and WebEx desktop sharing. Students can study from anywhere in the world, working at their own pace and on their own schedule.

Students contribute to a vital online studio culture, exchanging comments and critiques with colleagues, working together on projects, and supporting each other throughout the program. Students can continue to advance their careers while earning their master's degree and their professional work informs their studies as their coursework feeds their professional growth.

In-person intensives bring your coursework to life

Each semester in August, students come to Boston to study in residence for 8 days of in-person instruction, field trips, and hands-on studios. From the BAC’s central urban location, the buildings and neighbourhoods of Boston serve as the student's classroom. These innovative intensive weeks give students and faculty the opportunity to build strong relationships, setting up a positive, connected studio culture that enhances the online learning throughout the rest of the semester.

The low-residency/online format of the BAC's Historic Preservation master's degree enables it to be completed in four semesters, although the program allows some flexibility in scheduling online electives to allow room for work and other demands. Included in the degree is a thesis project that connects theory and practice through mentored research and design. Students with a design background may choose a building, landscape or interior project to design. Others may focus on a research, policy, cultural resources management, or a more conceptual topic. The result is an educational experience that establishes a foundation of knowledge for launching a career in historic preservation.