Skip To Content

Athabasca University

Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management*
Program Regulations

* This program was previously called the Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management (PBD:HRM).

Students may study in the Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management (GD:HRM) program on a full- or part-time basis. The degree can be completed in 30 months or less. Some learners may need as little as one year to complete this diploma but can take as long as five years for program completion.

Residency Requirement

To meet the residency requirement, students must complete 12 credits through Athabasca University. Six credits can be transferred. The practicum must be completed through Athabasca University.

Program Structure

 

Program Structure

  
Total graduate credits in program 18 credits
Residency Requirement (12 credits must be completed at Athabasca University). 12 credits
 

Core Courses
HERM 501 Issues in Heritage Resources Management (3)
HERM 512 Advanced Methods in Heritage Research (3)
HERM 691 Heritage Diploma Practicum (6)
  Total 12 credits
 

Elective Courses (choose 6 credits)
HERM 542 Issues in Planning Historic Places (3)
HERM 561 Advanced Issues in Interpretive Programming (3)
HERM 670 Industrial Heritage (3)
HERM 671 Documentation and Condition Assessment (3)
HERM 672 Heritage and Risk Management (3)
HERM 673 Architectural Conservation (3)
  Total 6 credits
Note: The Practicum requires the completion of a 400-hour project. In consultation with the Heritage Resources Management program professor, students will identify in advance on their application for enrolment in the practicum, details of their practicum project and a suitable on-site practicum supervisor. The professor will act as the course professor for the practicum. Students should plan to make application for their practicum several months before they plan to begin it. The application is to be submitted to the HRM program. Please see the HERM 691 syllabus for details and contact the HRM office for further instructions.

Undergraduate Foundational Courses

Students must demonstrate competency in HERM 322, HERM 327, HERM 339, and HERM/PHIL 334. Competence in these subjects can be demonstrated in one of two ways:

  • taking the Undergraduate Certificate courses, or
  • having transcripts assessed by the HRM Program Director to receive competency through prior undergraduate courses.

In most cases, HRM graduate students will have to complete at least some of these four undergraduate courses. Note that these undergraduate courses do not have to be completed prior to admission to the graduate program; rather, they must be completed before graduating with the GD:HRM. Thus students may take the undergraduate and graduate courses at the same time.
HERM 322 Heritage Collections (3)
HERM 327 Heritage Policy in Canada (3)
HERM 339 Conservation (3)
HERM/PHIL 334 Professional Ethics in Heritage Resources Management (3)

Completion Time Limits

Students can complete the degree in 30 months or less. Some learners may need as little as one year to complete the diploma. Students may study in the program on a full- or part-time basis. Students must complete three credits of course or project work during a one-year academic period (September 1 to August 31) in order to maintain program status. Failure to meet the requirement may result in an inactivation of a student's program status.

Program Deferral

Students may interrupt their studies by submitting a Request for Program Deferral Form (PDF) to the GD:HRM office and receiving approval from the Program Director. There are no fees associated with this request. The maximum length of one deferral is one (1) year. In special circumstances, students may reapply for a second year of deferral during their time in the program.

Program Withdrawal

Students may withdraw from the Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management program by submitting their request in writing to the GD:HRM office. Students who withdraw may be reactivated in the program by requesting approval to the Program Director and paying a reactivation fee.

Information effective September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020.

Updated June 17 2019 by laurab

AU, CANADA'S OPEN UNIVERSITY, is an internationally recognized leader in online and distance learning.