Interdisciplinary Programs

Admission Students wishing to enter the Historic Preservation program must first be admitted to one of the four graduate departments in the School of Architecture. In order to insure proper academic advising and program coordination, students interested in the Historic Preservation Program should file a letter of intention with the Director of Historic Preservation. Students who complete the required 24 credits of preservation coursework receive a Certificate in Historic Preservation in addition to their department's master's degree. Students are normally able to complete the coursework during the same period for completion of their departmental program.

Historic Preservation Certificate Curriculum The Historic Preservation program courses are grouped into three general areas of study.

1. Foundations of Preservation Core is made up of five courses that provide an ethical and conceptual overview of preservation. Certificate candidates will take four of the five courses (12 credits):
   1. Historic Preservation Theory and Practice
   2. Preservation Planning
   3. Design Approaches to an Existing Context
   4. American Arch. Through Jefferson or Later American Architecture
   5. Technology, Materials and Conservation of Traditional Buildings

2. Community History, Design and Planning Core is a year-long interdisciplinary research, design and planning project that focuses on preservation-related projects in a single community (6-9 credits).
   1. Community History workshop (3 credits, fall semester, for all Certificate candidates) and one of the following:
      1. Community Preservation Studio (6 credits, spring semester, for architecture and landscape architecture students)
      2. Community Public History Seminar (3 credits, spring semester, for architectural history students)
      3. Community Cultural and Environmental Planning (3 credits, spring semester, planning students)

3. Specialized Courses in Historic Preservation permit students to pursue work in their own particular discipline with greater depth (3-6 or more credits).

A required internship permits students to obtain valuable experience in preservation-related work. Inquiries should be addressed to: Director, Historic Preservation Program, School of Architecture, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. 22903.

American Urbanism Program   The program of Advanced Studies in American Urbanism provides opportunities for the rediscovery and examination of the fundamental symbolic and pragmatic values that underlie American urban form. In an interdisciplinary setting, students explore the application and adaptation of these values to contemporary aspirations, beliefs, and conditions. Architects, landscape architects, planners and historians independently and jointly investigate the interacting influences and spatial strategies by which cities take on form and meaning.

The core of the program is the studio, where initial efforts involve the analysis of significant examples of American urbanism as unique phenomena particular to their new world mythology, both as displaced and transformed sets of European ideals and forms, and as responses to the dominant entrepreneurial view of land as a commodity to be individually owned and controlled. This is followed by investigations of specific urban contexts through analyses and design, with the intention of defining generic issues and solving local problems. Concurrent seminars deal with basic operational mechanisms of the city such as building and land-use regulation, transportation and development economics, as well as urban history and theory.

Admission Admission to the program is limited to eight to ten students each year, and is open to qualified graduate students in the School of Architecture's four departments, and to professionals in practice who seek to expand their understanding of urban form and processes. Satisfactory completion of the 24 credit hour program leads to the Certificate in American Urbanism. Graduate students in the School will normally be able to complete the Urbanism requirements and earn the certificate within the time required for their graduate degree program. For professionals pursuing the certificate only, it is expected that the requirements can be completed within two semesters.

To be eligible for admission to the Program of Advanced Studies in American Urbanism, graduate students in Architecture, Path B and C and graduate students in Landscape Architecture, Planning, and Architectural History must have exceptional academic records and at least two years experience working in a field related to the planning, development, conservation and renewal of the city.

Working professionals will be admitted based on consideration of their academic and professional backgrounds, which should include evidence of interest in and experience with the fields cited above. Outside applicants should write to the director expressing their interest and intentions and include a resume of their education and experience. Inquiries should be addressed: Director, American Urbanism Program, School of Architecture, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903.

American Urbanism Certificate Curriculum Enrollment in the two semester, 12 credit urbanism studio is required of all candidates for the certificate. The remaining 12 credits will be made up of some appropriate combination of research and coursework which will reflect the background and interests of the candidates and is determined in consultation with the program's director.

Continue to: Programs Abroad
Return to: Chapter 6 Index