Conservation of the Built Environment University of Cape Town

Overview

At University of Cape Town you can choose to study a Master of Philosophy in Conservation of the Built Environment.

Overview

The course is situated in a contemporary South African and global context in which heritage and conservation practices intersect powerfully with the politics of spatial transformation, urban change, social justice and development. Within this context, built environment professionals and managers are often required to work with or to take account of heritage and heritage resources. 

To do so productively requires a thorough technical and legal understanding of heritage resource management; but beyond this, the ability to grapple critically with the relationships between conservation, heritage, transformation and sustainable futures. We operate from the position that the built environment can only be understood as part of a network of social, political, commemorative, spatial, economic and other meanings. The course aims to enable graduates to practice effectively in the field, supported by a thorough understanding of contemporary debates and issues in heritage and conservation.

The MPhil is offered part-time over two years, including six taught modules and a research report. Teaching takes place in one-week full-time blocks, designed to accommodate working professionals as well as students who are not permanently based in Cape Town. The course provides input from and opportunities to connect with established heritage professionals, researchers, academics and built environment practitioners. It includes field trips, site visits and hands-on experience to provide a well-rounded foundation in conservation practice and theory.