Sonoma State University

Cultural Heritage and Resources Management, MS

The master of science in Cultural Heritage and Resources Management (CHRM) involves the identification, documentation, evaluation, and preservation of cultural heritage and cultural resources, as mandated by policy and legislation, and guided by scientific and ethical standards. A key goal of the program is to produce graduates who excel in the methods and techniques appropriate for filling positions in cultural heritage and resources management, and who have the theoretical, legislative, analytical, and practical skills necessary for the identification, assessment, and evaluation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, along with its interpretation and preservation for a diverse array of engaged communities. 

Persons with an MS in CHRM will be qualified to hold management and supervisory positions within all sectors of the heritage and cultural resources management industries. Graduates meet the qualifications for professional certification in the United States, but are also well grounded in international heritage legislation and practice. They will be specially trained to employ technologies and skills from the natural sciences (e.g., GIS, remote sensing, osteological analysis, soil science) for the purposes of legal and regulatory compliance and in service of community-engaged goals.

The MS in CHRM has two concentrations, which are united by a core curriculum grounded in the social sciences. Students in the Natural Sciences and Technology concentration are trained to employ technologies and methods from the natural and social sciences that focus on documenting and managing natural and cultural resources (e.g., conservation biology, GIS and remote sensing, human remains analysis). Students in the Social Sciences and Interpretation concentration are trained to employ theories and methods from the social sciences that focus on interpreting and managing heritage for the public and in collaboration with stakeholders (e.g., museum studies, archival research, public policy, ethnography).

Coursework should proceed in conjunction with a student’s interests and developing expertise, so that by the time they are ready to write a research design for the culminating experience, the completed courses help focus the upcoming research project. Students in the program, under the supervision of a primary faculty advisor, design and execute a traditional thesis, journal-ready thesis, or project with written component that reflects their particular interests or desired areas of specialization in CHRM. In addition, students are encouraged to present the results of their work and research in professional meetings, research publications, and public documents.