Overview

Depending on what you want to accomplish in your career, you’ll choose between two concentrations of study. The Cultural Heritage concentration focuses on giving you an in-depth knowledge of international cultural heritage and its role in politics and diplomacy. You’ll also learn about how and why we conserve historical sites—and the damaging impact of looting and destruction of these places. If you choose the Cultural Heritage Administration concentration, your coursework will dive more into public policy and advocacy.

You’ll get to study the role that museums and nonprofits play in educating the public—plus you’ll study the fundamentals of running and managing an organization that promotes cultural heritage understanding. No matter which concentration you choose, you’ll take 27 hours of coursework, including Issues in Global Cultural Heritage Preservation: Practice and Policy. You’ll also earn three credit hours completing a practicum or internship. And to graduate, you’ll complete a research project that proves you have the skills needed to enter the field.

The Master of Arts degree in Cultural Heritage Studies from The University of Alabama at Birmingham is the only graduate program of its kind in the state. The M.A. degree in Cultural Heritage Studies provides students with the theoretical background and practical skills necessary to enter a career in the emerging fields of cultural heritage practice, policy, and management. The program is interdisciplinary; in addition to core and elective courses in art history, students will take additional relevant classes in anthropology and public administration. The small size of the program affords graduate students the opportunity to work closely with individual faculty members in seminars and directed research projects.

Fast Facts:

UAB’s M.A. in Cultural Heritage Studies is the only program of its kind in Alabama.

Programme Structure

Courses:

Issues in Cultural Heritage Policy and Practice
The Public Policymaking Process
Administrative Ethics
Scope of Public Administration
Capstone Internship: Experience and Presentation
Peace through Global Governance
Religion, Reconciliation, & Forgiveness

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-05-11 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-01 00:00:00
Starting 2026-08-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-01-12 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Birmingham, United States

Disciplines

Area & Cultural Studies Public Policy View 300 other Masters in Area & Cultural Studies in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

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98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

A minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) is required for acceptance into the program.

The applicant should have completed 18 semester hours in related coursework such as art history, anthropology, history, political science, or museum studies, although this requirement may be waived depending on the applicant's background and preparation.

Qualified applicants will be invited for a required personal interview, which may take place over Skype or similar.
The committee will consider all applicant information to select students who will be offered program admission.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

19470 USD / year

≈ 19470 USD / year
Out-of-State

18165 USD / year

≈ 18165 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

7410 USD / year

≈ 7410 USD / year

Living costs

Birmingham

United States

1019 - 1648 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Cultural Heritage Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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About

Overview

Fast Facts:

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Birmingham

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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