Ph.D. in Historic Preservation

The Ph.D. program in Historic Preservation is oriented toward the training of scholars in the discipline of historic preservation. Its structure reflects the understanding of the role of the scholar within historic preservation at large, as both teacher and researcher engaged in contributing original historical, theoretical, and practical knowledge to the discipline. The academic curriculum provides a solid foundation in the historical understanding of the discipline’s evolving challenges and purposes, promotes theoretical speculation on alternative modes of disciplinary engagement suited to the new ethical, technical, aesthetic, and social problems of the twenty-first century, and fosters a critical scholarly culture conducive to training the discipline’s future leaders. Students are expected to conduct independent research, supported by the preservation faculty’s wide range of expertise, the Historic Preservation Laboratory, Avery Library, as well as strong connections to the rest of GSAPP’s scholarly community, and other departments within Columbia University.

The curriculum requires two years of coursework, one year to prepare and take general exams, and two years for independent research and writing. The total time to completion is expected to be five years.