“La Tierra Mía” mural in Chicano Park, Barrio Logan, San Diego, CA
Overview
The graduate Minor in Heritage Studies and Preservation offers broad coverage of different approaches to heritage theory and practice, including interdisciplinary perspectives from anthropology, archaeology, architecture, education, geography, historic preservation, history, landscape architecture, information sciences, and urban and regional planning. Heritage studies faculty work collaboratively at Illinois and across the globe, focusing on a range of cultures and time periods. We have particular strengths in issues related to industrial heritage, deindustrialization, and strategies for community engagement.
To declare the minor, students must file a formal petition with the Graduate College. Instructions can be found here:
https://grad.illinois.edu/academics/curriculum-changes-and-transferring-credit
Students must be admitted to a graduate program at the University of Illinois in order to undertake the Minor in Heritage Studies and Preservation. Admission to the Minor is contingent upon approval of the student’s home department. New students interested in pursuing the Minor should contact Prof. Kathryn Holliday, Chair of the Minor, upon matriculation to the University to declare their intent and to develop a course of study. Students already enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Illinois may also apply for admission to the Minor at any time, but they are advised to do so as early in their studies as possible so as to have time to complete its requirements.
There are no prerequisites for admission to the Minor in Heritage Studies other than admission to a university graduate program. The Minor does not require prior practical experience in heritage work, though students are encouraged to obtain such experience during their graduate work at the University of Illinois. The Steering Committee for the Minor in Heritage Studies and Preservation reviews student progress in consultation with each student’s academic advisor.
The Steering Committee for the Minor in Heritage Studies includes Prof. Kathryn Holliday (Chair, Biallas Professor of Historic Preservation and American Architectural History and Professor of Landscape Architecture), Prof. Magdalena Novoa (Assistant Professor of Planning), and Prof. Erin Riggs (Assistant Professor of Anthropology).
“La Tierra Mía” mural in Chicano Park, Barrio Logan, San Diego, CA
Course requirements
To complete the Minor in Heritage Studies, students must take 2 of the following 5 core courses:
- ARCH 419 Historic Building Preservation
- ANTH 420 Case Studies in Global Heritage
- LA 594 / ANTH 594 Cultural Heritage
- RST 570 / ANTH 570 Cultural Aspects of Tourism
- UP 420 Planning for Historic Preservation
Take two additional course(s) from either list above or other standard offerings listed on the Heritage Studies and Preservation program web page. Other course offerings may be
considered as a course substitution with approval from the Chair of the minor. Graduate students should consult with the Chair, Prof. Kathryn Holliday and Dr. Lori Davis, Academic Programs and Student Affairs Coordinator in the Department of Landscape Architecture, to monitor progress and for assistance in certifying the completion of requirements.
In addition to coursework, the minor requires students to complete a brief self-assessment upon completion of the minor. While the minor formerly required a capstone project, for students enrolling in 2025 or later this requirement is no longer in place.
Additional elective courses may include (but are not limited to)
- ANTH 456: Contemporary Archaeology (Riggs)
- ARCH 490: A Sense of Where You Are (Holliday)
- ARCH 591: Spatial Justice (Zhao)
- UP 476: The City Through the Body (Novoa)
Questions?
