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World Heritage Management & Conservation

MSc (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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The UCD Masters Programme in World Heritage Management & Conservation has been conceptualized to address the skills and knowledge required to help heritage managers in solving heritage conservation and management problems, enabling them to directly contribute to the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

  • The only World Heritage Management course in Ireland and one of the first of its kind in the world.
  • A multidisciplinary programme, the course recognises that heritage encompasses the natural, cultural, tangible, intangible and moveable. 
  • An innovative programme, we strive to demonstrate the shared challenges faced by heritage locally, nationally and internationally and provide practical training in how to address them.
  • Visit Ireland's most iconic World Heritage Site, Bru na Boinne.

Heritage managers play a significant role in planning site management, ensuring sustainability, contributing to sustainable development and transforming the function of heritage in the life of the community. The UCD Masters Programme in World Heritage Management & Conservation  is aimed at students who wish to develop their knowledge and skills to excel at managing cultural and natural heritage sites and protected areas. We value motivated students who show a commitment and enthusiasm for tackling conservation challenges and recognise their responsibility as global citizens.

As a multi-disciplinary subject, heritage studies incorporates a wide diversity of heritage resources valued differently by many stakeholders. At UCD we recognise heritage encompasses natural, cultural, tangible, intangible and moveable assets that face many challenges. A key issue in the management of these resources is that cultural and natural features are treated separately even though they face similar challenges and are functionally interlinked. Our unique programme strives to account for these interlinkages in the management of cultural and natural heritages by removing dichotomy and considering them holistically. In doing so we can welcome students from diverse backgrounds and offer you the skills and expertise needed to deal with heritage management and conservation as a whole.

This innovative programme demonstrates the shared challenges to heritage conservation locally, nationally and internationally and provides practical training in how to address them. Furthermore, in recognition of the fact that the importance of heritage is interpreted through how it is valued, we also provide training in how to recognise stakeholders, collate and accommodate their perspectives and mediate and resolve conflict where stakeholders have conflicting interests.

This will be achieved through the use of in-depth globally sourced case studies, national and international field trips and classroom-based training with visiting speakers enabling students to observe best practices in heritage management. Our interactive and supportive learning environment will encourage students to develop their capacity for critical thinking, problem solving, project management and teamwork. The assessment strategy is designed to replicate real-life scenarios and include tasks such as role play, compiling or evaluating management and communication plans, using maps and IT software to assist in inventorying and monitoring as well as critically assessing sustainability at heritage sites.

About This Course

  1. Define heritage and explain the concepts associated with its management and conservation, including sustainability, authorized heritage discourse, heritagization, conceptualisations of community and indigeneity amongst others.
  2. Demonstrate the benefits of viewing cultural and natural heritages holistically.
  3. Describe the difference between heritage interpretation and communication and devise an effective communication plan for a heritage site drawing on different mechanisms for dissemination.
  4. Critically assess the implementation of the policy and legislation associated with heritage management and conservation nationally and internationally.
  5. Use a risk management methodology to Identify and evaluate solutions for key threats to heritage affecting its sustainability including climate change, tourism, development and exploitation, conflict and looting.
  6. Discuss the challenges faced by heritage managers around project management, heritage economics, marketing and human resources.
  7. Develop and apply practical skills to create and implement an appropriate management plan for heritage sites, including stakeholder identification, collection, collation and integration of conflicting heritage values, devising effective boundaries and buffer zones and strategies for monitoring.
  8. Formulate research questions and design and undertake research to address them using appropriate data collection. Locate, synthesise and critically review scientific information and data to produce an original professional document that communicates findings and ideas clearly and effectively.

Graduates are building successful careers in the inter-disciplinary field of heritage protection, management and research in Australia, Canada, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, European Union, Ethiopia, Georgia, India, Mexico, Uganda, U.K. and the USA.

Employers include national authorities, international organisations,and in the private sector. Graduates have secured positions in World Heritage properties, National Parks, Botanic Gardens and Museums, in senior government positions and positions in education. Examples of roles graduates have obtained include world heritage and protected area manager, heritage officer and education officer, civil servant, natural resources manager, positions in heritage consultancy firms and research and international conservation agencies.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
 ARCH41390 Masters Dissertation 2 Trimester duration (Spr-Sum)  30
Stage 1 Core Modules
 ARCH41010 Heritage Marketing & Management Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 ARCH41030 Conflict Resolution & Heritage Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 ARCH41240 Heritage Management Challenges Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
 ARCH41250 Nature & Culture: A bridge Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
 ARCH41410 Presenting & Managing Heritage Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Students should choose at least two option modules (i.e. a total of 20 credits of option modules should be chosen).
 RDEV40780 Community-Led Local Development Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Students should choose at least two option modules (i.e. a total of 20 credits of option modules should be chosen).
 ARCH31000 People & Extreme Environments Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Students should choose at least two option modules (i.e. a total of 20 credits of option modules should be chosen).
 ARCH41340 GIS, Cultural Heritage and Spatial Thinking Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 2 of:
Students should choose at least two option modules (i.e. a total of 20 credits of option modules should be chosen).
 LAW42040 Culture, Heritage and Human Rights Spring  10

Graduate Profile
Eiru Olinga Moses, Uganda
Wildlife Authority

The World Heritage Management course is an interdisciplinary programme which enhances interaction between nature, culture and man. Through this course, I was able to develop practical skills, pedagogic proficiency and theoretical insights on aspects that make up this interaction. The course included approaches to working in and sharing experiences with other students. This has improved my communication skills and enhanced my ability to craft solutions to various conservation challenges.

MSc World Heritage Management & Conservation (F098) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 9100
nonEU    fee per year - € 22600

MSc World Heritage Management & Conservation (F099) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 4430
nonEU    fee per year - € 11300

***Fees are subject to change

Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. In terms of higher education, notwithstanding Brexit, UK students will still be eligible for the EU fee rate.

Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.

Students on this programme are also be eligible to apply for the Kay Mahon bursary, valued at €3,000 to be set against fees. See School of Archaeology website for details.

 

  • Applicants are normally expected to have a minimum of a lower second class honours degree or the international equivalent. However, in special circumstances, relevant work experience may be taken into account.
  • Applicants with diverse academic backgrounds including Archaeology, Architecture, Geography, Biology, Arts, Agriculture, Engineering and Economics will be considered.
  • Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element), or equivalent.
  • Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the  English language requirements, may enter the programme upon  successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/ 

These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes 

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No


The UCD MSc World Heritage Management & Conservation programme is designed to accommodate applicants with a variety of academic qualifications including Archaeology, Architecture, Arts, Agriculture, Biology, Business, Geography, Engineering, Economics and Law. We normally have a diverse group of students with a wide range of experience in different areas of cultural and natural heritage, which creates a dynamic class.


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General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to World Heritage Management & Conservation:

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt F098
World Heritage Management & Conservation
Master of Science		 Full-Time
Commencing 2024/2025 September		 Graduate Taught Apply
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt F099
World Heritage Management & Conservation
Master of Science		 Part-Time
Commencing 2024/2025 September		 Graduate Taught Apply
* you can change options at the top of the page
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