USC Heritage Conservation Programs

About USC Heritage Conservation Programs

The University of Southern California's graduate program in heritage conservation challenges traditional notions of historic preservation. Located in Los Angeles, our planning-based program focuses on modernism and the recent past, cultural and intangible heritage, and telling the stories of underrepresented communities. Our students love history and relate it closely to physical space. They want to tell the stories of their community. They’re curious about the world around them. They see historic places as tools for social justice, community revitalization, and sustainability. They want an academic approach that integrates urban planning, elevates cultural heritage, and pushes the boundaries of the field. They want not only an advanced degree but a close community of scholars, friends, and future colleagues. Or, they’re not sure what they want and seek a supportive space in which to find out. The global term for historic preservation, heritage conservation more accurately reflects the work within the discipline, as well as the continuum of conservation from the natural environment to built and intangible heritage. A postwar metropolis and one of the most diverse and complex cities on the planet, Los Angeles is an ideal setting for this area of study. Much of the history we teach was made in Southern California, from a rich legacy of modern architecture to the long-standing fight for social justice. The Master of Heritage Conservation (MHC) degree exposes students to the vast possibilities in the field. Taught by both academics and leading conservation professionals, the curriculum exposes students to disciplines throughout and beyond the School of Architecture. We offer a dual degree with urban planning and plan to offer two new dual degrees in fall 2021, with landscape architecture and building science. We invite you to learn more and contact USC/MHC Director Trudi Sandmeier for a conversation (sandmeie@usc.edu).

View contact profiles from USC Heritage Conservation Programs