National Council for Preservation Education

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR PRESERVATION EDUCATION STANDARDS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION DEGREE GRANTING GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
WITH PROTOCOLS FOR EVALUATING NCPE ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

1.0. PHILOSOPHY:

1.1. The purpose of the standards is to foster the attainment and maintenance of excellence in preservation education, while recognizing the importance of program diversity, and the plurality of disciplines and skills demanded in the field. Every program should provide experience in and engender respect for this interdisciplinary nature and the recognition that preservation focuses on cooperative work.

1.2. Each program should develop a Mission Statement identifying its purpose and objectives, and describing the means used to achieve them. Programs with special emphasis in archeology, architecture, heritage education, history, landscape architecture, planning, etc., shall clearly identify this focus.

1.3. The Council believes that self evaluation, rather than regulation, provides the most effective assurance of quality of student preparation.

1.4. It is expected that each program should undertake a review of its Mission Statement and resources (faculty, space, financial support, computer capabilities, etc.) on a regular basis.

2.0. PROGRAM ORGANIZATION

2.1. The program must have a director or coordinator.

2.2. The program shall be supported by an identifiable faculty, full-time and adjunct, whose educational preparation and professional experience qualify them to teach preservation.

2.3. Completion of the program should contribute to the award of a university degree at the graduate or undergraduate level.

3.0. PROGRAM CONTENT
Consistent with the Council's belief in diversity, it should be noted that these elements or suggested standards are intended as minimum guidelines for preservation programs that lead to a graduate or undergraduate degree, and are not intended as a curriculum model.

3.1. FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENTS
Recognizing the diversity of approach and expertise required in the field of preservation, the Council expects that all programs will develop specialities in one or more of the following areas of knowledge. The objective of such instruction will vary in response to the goals of the individual program as identified in the Mission Statement, and may extend from awareness of the issues in a particular topic, through understanding, to the development of expertise.

The Council expects that all programs will provide instruction in, or require as a prerequisite, the following skills and knowledge deemed common and essential in the field of historic preservation:

3.1.1. Instruction equivalent to at least two (2) courses in the history of the designed environment, (including, for example, the history of architecture, urban development, landscape architecture, archeology, or material culture.)

3.1.2. Instruction equivalent to at least one (1) course devoted to the history and theory of preservation.

3.1.3. Instruction equivalent to at least one (1) course devoted to documentation and recording techniques used in preservation and archeology.

3.1.4. Since preservation required the field application of knowledge, including communication skills, the program should encourage a significant period of practical experience, equivalent to an internship, practicum, or apprenticeship.

3.2. SPECIALIZED COMPONENTS:

3.2.1. Design Issues
Issues of appropriateness, restoration rehabilitation, in-fill, exterior and interior concerns at a variety of scales, and their effect on buildings, neighborhoods, communities and landscapes.

3.2.2. Technological Issues
History, evaluation and conversation in the normal range of building materials and systems.

3.2.3. Economics Issues
Marketing principles, private and public finance, property management, and budget preparation.

3.2.4. Legal Issues
Constitutional law, preservation case law, federal, state and local regulatory legislation and administration.

3.2.5. Planning Issues
Fundamentals of zoning, strategic planning, housing, and the social aspects of real estate development, archeology and cultural landscapes.

3.2.6. Curatorial Issues:
Site development, interpretation and management.

4.0. ALUMNI PERFORMANCE:

Since programs are measured by the performance of their graduates, programs should have a system of placement for their graduates and for monitoring their career progress.

PROTOCOLS FOR EVALUATING NCPE ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

• Each program should provide a mission statement clearly defining the purpose of the program and how it contributes to preservation education.  This should be evaluated in reference to the Standards for Non-Degree Preservation Education Programs, Section 1.0 Philosophy.

• Each program seeking to be an Associate Member should reference the Standards for Non-Degree Preservation Education Programs and define:

• How the program is organized and operated (Section 2.0).
• Which fundamental components are addressed (Section 3.1).
• Which specialized components are addressed (Section 3.2).

• If the program is offering a certificate, define how that certificate is earned in terms of coursework, studio projects, thesis, internship or other requirements.  The program should also define how that certificate is recorded in terms of degree requirements, if any.  If the program offers continuing or seminar-based educational opportunities, it should define how the success of these opportunities are evaluated.

• Each program should define how attendees and graduates are placed, evaluated and monitored (Section 4.0).

National Council for Preservation Education

www.ncpe.us