The post-professional masters in architectural heritage is a part-time study program running over 3 years, accounting for 90 credits (ECTS). This is equivalent to 1,5 years of fulltime study. Formalised teaching runs over 2 years (4 semesters), the third year being used for writing the masters thesis. The studies lead to the title “Master of Architectural Conservation”. Programme seminars are organized in nine independent modules thematised around history, criticism and practice. The modules examine the cultural, social and technical conditions for architectural heritage in society. Particular emphasis is put on examination of social and cultural processes that lead to the definition and proclamation of certain cultural objects as cultural heritage. Specific case studies are used to investigate the process of how contemporary and historic theories shape the understanding of architecture as cultural heritage. From this the programme moves to engage in examination of the roles and characters of different organisations and institutions, which administer and motivate architectures role as cultural heritage.
The masters course is aimed primarily at practising architects, while also addressing the other disciplinary concerns of museum and administrational institutions, engineers, antiquarians and other professionals focussing on topics related to cultural heritage. The programme is limited to a maximum of 20 students. Candidates must have academic education corresponding to a bachelor degree (minimum 3 years of higher education), in addition to a minimum of 2 years professional experience. The programme provides students with skills to develop techniques and tools to analyse, identify and evaluate the varying cultural, technical and social challenges to which architectural heritage is currently exposed.
AHOs masters in architectural heritage is organised in collaboration between the Institute of Form, Theory and History (FTH) and the Institute of Urbanism, and shares modules with the post-professional master class in urbanism. National and international guest lecturers participate in the programme. The studies are based on individual work (“distance learning”) and intense teaching and working periods at AHO. Module assignments are presented as written texts and oral project presentations, including necessary documentation for examination. The programme concludes with an individual masters thesis. Separate modules can be taken as independent study courses. Study trips both nationally and abroad are part of the programme. In addition, students are expected to participate in AHO’s broad array of lectures, seminars and symposia. The Masters in architectural heritage cooperates with AHO’s research projects Norwegian Architectural History and Collecting Architecture. Students may participate and contribute to these research projects through studies and individual cases.
Programme director: Thordis Arrhenius, Professor
Coordinator: Lothar Diem, Master of Architectural Conservation
Teachers:
Thordis Arrhenius, Professor, AHO
Lothar Diem, Master of Architectural Conservation, AHO
Kolbjørn Nesje Nybø, amanuensis, AHO
Mari Lending, Professor, AHO
Mari Hvattum, Professor, AHO
Ola Storsletten, Dr, NIKU
Elisabeth Seip, Professor, AHO