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Preservation Practices (M.S.)

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Overview

Degree Level(s)
Graduate Certificate
Graduate Pathway Program
Master's
Modality
In Person
School
Cummings School of Architecture

About the Preservation Practices Graduate Program

The M.S. in Preservation Practices program at RWU prepares students for careers stewarding the historic built environment through adaptive reuse, cultural resource management, community and environmental planning, and publicly-engaged history. Housed in the Cummings School of Architecture, the program offers students a lively interdisciplinary environment to explore issues of community revitalization, preservation design, and sustaining cultural heritage.

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    Preservation Practices Program Facts

    Details

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    Format

    On Campus (Bristol)

    Full-time

    Part-time

    Schedule

    Fall or Spring start

    Day and evening coursework

    Credits Required

    34-53 (depending on undergraduate background)

    Time Commitment

    1 to 2 years

    Cost

    2026-2027 Academic Year
    $1,176 perCredit
    $2,437 Additional Fee for Studio Classes

    Fees

    2026-2027 Academic Year
    $490 per semester (full-time students)
    $165 per semester (part-time students)

    Ways to Save

    Scholarships Available

    Apply By

    Fall: March 1 (priority), June 15 (regular), August 1 (final) 

    Spring: November 1 (priority), December 15 (regular), January 6 (final) 

    Summer: March 1 (regular), April 1 (final)

    Upcoming Events

    Click here for all upcoming events

    Gropius House

    Preservation Practices Graduate Program Overview

    Cultural Resource Management and Planning 

    Examine practices for managing and intervening in the historic built environment as part of environmental and urban planning and design practices. Learn how preservation laws and regulations designate, manage, and affect stewardship of the historic built environment at the federal, state, and local levels. 

    History of the Built Environment and Cultural Landscape Studies

    Gain a strong foundation in the history of the built environment and the dynamics of cultural landscapes through work in the field and in the classroom. Engage in a landscape approach to preservation encompassing consideration of design, technological, historical, and cultural and social significance. Explore the complexity of the historical development of the southern New England region and learn to “read the landscape.”

    Rough Point

    History, Philosophy, and Ethics of Historic Preservation

    Explore changes in the values and ethics of preservation and urban conservation as well as the frameworks for judgments and choices made in preservation projects. Assess practical and ethical issues related to historic preservation such as heritage tourism, governmental and NGO roles, diverse cultural perspectives on the past, and responses to natural disaster and war.

    Historic Construction Materials and Methods

    Engage with the historic materials, art, and technology of building construction spanning selected culture regions of what is now the United States. Learn how to use historic material to trace the evolution of building activities. 

    adaptive reuse and revitalization strategiesHistoric Building Documentation, Evaluation, and Research Methods

    Participate in hands-on learning about methods for documenting existing conditions and the historical development of buildings and sites for design, planning, and preservation-related interventions. Learn the skills needed to complete a variety of due diligence and planning documents, including historic structure reports, historic designation or evaluation documentation, and existing conditions reports. 

    Adaptive Reuse and Revitalization Strategies

    Learn about the planning and financial aspects of preserving and rehabilitating historic buildings, public and private financing strategies, place-based revitalization, and issues of shrinking cities, gentrification, and displacement.

    Preservation Practices Graduate Program Degree Requirements

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    M.S. Preservation Practices

    The Master of Science in Preservation Practices engages students in the fundamentals of cultural resource management, from individual sites to large-scale development and infrastructure projects, and of place- and people-based community planning, revitalization, and redevelopment. 

    Our Model: Field-Based, Community-Engaged, Interdisciplinary

    RWU students participate in the interdisciplinary, team-based work of historic preservation practice through engagement with local municipalities, nonprofits and the private sector on preservation planning and rehabilitation projects through field-based workshops, studios, and a paid internship. Students complete the program with an intensive two-semester sequence of a planning workshop and collaborative studio with design students focused on a major historic rehabilitation or revitalization project. Students may also opt to pursue a thesis under the advisement of program faculty. 

    Career Investment Program for Historic Preservation Students

    All accepted Historic Preservation students will be awarded a guaranteed paid assistantship or internship grant through the Career Investment Program. Full-time students will receive $4,000 per academic year, paid at $20 per hour for up to 200 hours.  

    Marjorie Drew

    Historic Preservation on St. Thomas

    Marjorie Drew, RWU Class of 2019
    Preservation Practices (M.S.)

    After 19 years as a respiratory therapist, Marjorie Drew ’19 wanted a change. Graduating with a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from RWU, Drew set out in December of 2019 for a new adventure working as a Historic Preservation Specialist for FEMA in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

    Read full story

    Student Work and Preservation Design

    Cultural Resource Survey: Steep Brook - Fall River, MA

    Prepared for Fall River Historical Commission in PRES 341/541 Building & Site Documentation and Research Methods

    Historic Structures Report: Wind Hill - Bristol, RI

    Prepared for Roger Williams University Office of Facilities Management based on work completed in PRES 341/541: Building & Site Documentation and Research Methods

    Historic American Building Survey Documentation: Townsend-Greene House - Newport, RI

    Prepared for the Newport Restoration Foundation in PRES 341/541 Building & Site Documentation and Research Methods

    Adaptive Reuse Feasibility Study: Rochambeau Avenue Fire Station - Providence, RI

    Prepared for the Providence Redevelopment Agency in HP 525 Preservation Economics Course

    Neighborhood Revitalization Study: Riverside Square - East Providence, RI

    Riverside Square Revitalization Assessment in PRES 341/541 Building & Site Documentation and Research Methods

    Adaptation Without Loss: Newport’s Point Neighborhood - Newport, RI

    Developing Design Solutions and Guidelines for Elevating Historic Buildings in Newport's Point Neighborhood in ARCH 517 Collaborative Revitalization Studio

    Reimagining Sacred Spaces: ARCH 517 Collaborative Revitalization Studio - Providence, RI

    Sacred Spaces - Preserved, Adapted, Added Onto Rather Than Abandoned in ARCH 517 Collaborative Revitalization Studio

    Application Requirements

    Application Process

    To be considered for admission to the M.S. Preservation Practices and Graduate Certificate programs, applicants must hold an earned Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university (4+1 students must be enrolled and in good standing in an undergraduate program.) 

    Each application will be reviewed using a portfolio approach - all parts of the application will be considered, inclusive of grades and trend of grades, letters of recommendation, the letter of intent, and other information that candidates for admission may wish to submit.

    How to Apply Apply Now

    Application Materials

    1. Completed application form and $55 application fee
    An application fee is not required for RWU students.

    2. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework
    The Office of Graduate Admission will obtain transcripts on behalf of RWU students.

    3. Letter of Intent (no more than two double-spaced pages) describing your interest in the M.S. Preservation Practices Program, career goals, relevant experience, and how you can positively contribute to the graduate program at Roger Williams University

    4. Two letters of recommendation, academic or professional, attesting to your potential to succeed in graduate school
    Required for applicants into M.S. Preservation Practices program only

    5. Scholarly Research Paper
    More information in additional materials section

    Uploading Materials

    Once an applicant has submitted the application form they will have access to a portal to upload all supplemental materials (transcript copies, letter of intent, portfolio, resume, etc.)

    Alternatively, documents can be submitted via email to gradadmit@rwu.edu. 

    Any official documents that must be mailed (i.e. transcripts) should be sent directly to:
    Office of Graduate Admission
    1 Old Ferry Rd.
    Bristol, RI 02809

    Contact Us

    Additional Requirements and Testing

    Applicants to the M.S. Preservation Practices program are required to submit a scholarly research paper, 10 pages minimum, with sources cited employing a conventional style. In most cases, students are able to submit a paper written as part of his/her undergraduate program. Please contact the Office of Graduate Admission if you have difficulty fulfilling this requirement and an alternative option may be provided by the faculty. 

    The Graduate Records Examination (GRE) is not required for admission. Applicants with an overall GPA below 3.0 are strongly encouraged to take either the GRE or MAT. 

    Applicants for the Joint M.S./J.D. must apply separately to the School of Law, and must submit an LSAT score. 

    International Applicants

    International applicants are required to submit an external transcript evaluation.  If your first language is not English, an official report of TOEFL or IELTS results is also required to apply to graduate programs.

    International applicants should read additional requirements for non-U.S. residents using the link below.

    Additional Requirements for International Students Accepted International Student Information

    Faculty Experts in Preservation Practices

    Elaine Stiles
    Elaine Stiles
    Associate Professor of Historic Preservation Faculty Director, RWU Public Humanities and Arts Collaborative
    Ginette Wessel
    Ginette Wessel
    Associate Professor of Architecture
    Gail Fenske
    Gail Fenske
    Professor Emerita of Architecture, Art and Architectural History

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    Contact Us

    Stephen White, AIA, Dean
    Emailswhite@rwu.edu