Walls can talk.
Old buildings aren’t just weathered wood – they’re portals to the history our ancestors lived. The University of Mary Washington’s historic preservation program is among the nation’s largest and best-regarded. Explore design, conservation and material culture in historic Fredericksburg, with fieldwork and internship opportunities in Washington, Richmond and Colonial Williamsburg. Build your research, analytical and communications skills as you work to preserve tangible connections to our history.
Historic Preservation Degree Requirements
The historic preservation major requires 37 credits from introductory, intermediate, and advanced course offerings within the department. Independent study and an internship are strongly encouraged.
What courses will I take?
Historic preservation at the University of Mary Washington encompasses architectural conservation, archaeology, urban planning and design, documentation, fieldwork, material culture, museum curatorship and management, and international preservation.
What can I do with a historic preservation degree?
Many University of Mary Washington historic preservation majors find immediate employment after graduation, in fields as varied as archaeology, city planning, museum administration, building restoration, transportation policy, archiving, and cultural resource management.
The Department of Historic Preservation maintains a job bank of internships and full-time positions across the country for which historic preservation majors and graduates may qualify.
Internship and Job Opportunities
Fredericksburg’s many museums and historic sites are a fertile ground for internships for historic preservation majors. And our proximity to Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., creates even more opportunities. Many UMW students find paid internship opportunities with the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior, and some positions are open only to historic preservation majors.
To be considered for honors in historic preservation, you must have achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 overall and at least 3.25 in historic preservation by the end of junior year. During the senior year, you’ll complete an honors thesis involving two semesters of original research and writing. It may be in any area of preservation, including archaeology, architectural conservation or history, folk culture, landscape, museums, preservation law, and preservation planning. The thesis must be accepted by the historic preservation faculty, which then decides whether to grant honors upon commencement.
UMW historic preservation majors can apply for numerous dedicated scholarships.