A Doctor of Philosophy, or PhD, is an advanced degree awarded by a university after the completion of research and study for three or more years. Most consider it the highest academic degree a student can earn.

What is a PhD in Historic Preservation? This is an upper graduate-level program that allows doctoral candidates to specialize in historical knowledge. The courses can teach them how to find effective ways to protect and reuse buildings and landscapes of significant value. To help students gain this ability, classes are often offered in preservation history, conservation laws, field methods, and dissertation preparation. Courses may also be taken in historic site management, historical conservation, and documentation.

As PhD students learn to communicate their findings verbally, they often develop confidence and self-esteem as they meet pressure-filled work deadlines. The development of analytical skills and the ability to define problems can also help them advance into supervisory and management positions.

The cost to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy in Historic Preservation can vary between universities. To get a better idea of specific tuition fees, it is suggested that potential students contact their chosen school and request information on program prices.

After earning a doctorate in historic preservation, graduates may find careers in private corporations or government agencies with conservation, heritage, and archive sites and institutes around the world. Positions may also be found as historic site managers, nonprofit preservation directors, and archive librarians. Graduates may also choose careers with government agencies documenting, preserving, interpreting, evaluating historic properties. For graduates who love research, archival librarian, historical curator, or antiquities cataloger may be a career choice.

Online and on-campus doctoral classes in historic preservation can be found globally. To find courses that work for you, search for your program below and contact directly the admission office of the school of your choice by filling in the lead form.