Who is the Graduate Diploma in World Heritage Conservation for?
This cross-disciplinary, part-time, online, distant learning course is intended for those professionals and decision makers who want to understand the working of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and the process for the inscription and monitoring of properties on the World Heritage List.

The UCD Grad Dip World Heritage Conservation programme is designed to accommodate applicants with a variety of academic qualifications including Archaeology, Architecture, Geography, Biology, Arts, Agriculture, Engineering and Economics. We would like to welcome a diverse group of participants with a wide range of experience in different areas of cultural and natural heritage, to provide for a dynamic forum for discussion and interaction.

What will I learn?
The World Heritage Conservation programme will provides participants with sufficient grounding in the working of the World Heritage Convention to understand the process for inscription and monitoring of properties on the World Heritage List and best practices for the long term conservation and preservation of sites. The programme comprises online lectures, practical and tutorial material and discussion boards, which will broaden your knowledge and understanding, improve communication skills and improve your ability for independent thinking and for developing creative solutions.

How will I benefit?
Your Grad Dip in World Heritage Conservation will be recognised and valued by employers responsible for or working on projects concerning World Heritage Sites and potential World Heritage Sites and will give you a competitive advantage as a heritage professional.

You will develop a comprehensive understanding of the World Heritage Convention and of the conservation challenges facing site managers and policy-makers.

Modules are taught by a combination of experienced academic staff and experts from related national and international agencies to provide students with an understanding of the latest conservation practices and a skills set to address identified needs within the World Heritage system.

What is the programme about?

The UCD Grad Dip World Heritage Conservation programme provides a comprehensive course of education and training in World Heritage Site nomination and conservation.

We aim to give you the knowledge and skills to become a qualified professional that understands the working of the World Heritage Convention and that will prepare you for decision making positions in areas related to the nomination and conservation of heritage sites. The flexible online programme will contribute to your continuing professional development and introduce you to the science that underpins the practice of nature conservation and heritage protection.
You will receive a comprehensive curriculum designed to provide you with knowledge and understanding of the following topics:

Key stages of the processes of inscription of World Heritage Sites; analysing necessary conditions for selection, protection and management of cultural and natural World Heritage Sites; the role of International legislation such as Directives, Regulations & Conventions in the strategy for global heritage conservation; monitoring, reporting and mitigation of threats to sites including climate change effects; management of tourism in protected sites; historic and urban landscape management.

 GDIP/GCERT World Heritage Conservation (PDF Brochure)

Programme Highlights

The online format allows you to study at your own pace, any place and any time (within given timeframes). Moodle is a free web application designed especially for online learning and allows anyone with even basic computer skills to be ready to cope with distance learning in a very short space of time.

To take the course online you will need access to a computer with a modem and an Internet link. You will be assessed through continuous assessment which will be submitted online and you will be asked to participate in online discussion forums. The advantages of distant learning include reduced costs associated with travel and living abroad, however it is very different to traditional, on-campus courses with face-to-face lectures and access to your tutors and peers. It is important that you like to learn independently, that you are self motivated and that you can manage time effectively.

The online forum will allow you to share your heritage experience with other professionals and people with similar interests from a diverse range of countries and backgrounds which will create a dynamic and valuable learning environment.

We look forward to welcoming you to the programme and are ready to offer advice and support on your distant learning experience.

The Grad Dip in World Heritage Conservation is a two-year, part-time, online, distant learning programme.  It is worth 60 ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer System). Each student completes 30 ECTS credits in Year 1.

Three core modules are offered in Year 1. These modules deal with the legal issues of the WH Convention & International legislation and introduce you to cultural heritage conservation and natural heritage conservation.  In Year 2, you have the opportunity to complete a management report, on a site of your choice, worth 15 ECTS credits. The remaining credits can be obtained by successfully completing a combination of the option modules from either a natural heritage theme or a cultural heritage theme.

List of Modules:

Year 1
ZOOL 40350 Cultural Heritage Conservation (10 ECTS)
ZOOL 40360 Heritage Legislation (10 ECTS)
ZOOL 40410 Natural Heritage Conservation (10 ECTS)

Year 2
ZOOL 40390 Literature Review (5 ECTS)
ZOOL 40400 Management Plan (15 ECTS)

OPTION MODULES:
ZOOL 40340 Conservation  of Historic Landscapes (5 ECTS)
ZOOL 40370 Heritage, Conservation  & Archaeology (5 ECTS)
ZOOL 40380 Impacts of Climate Change (5 ECTS) )
ZOOL 40420 Principles of Conservation Biology (5 ECTS)

Students may exit with 30 credits after year 1 and receive a Certificate in World Heritage Conservation

Where can I go?
Career opportunities include positions and promotions in institutions working on projects for  World Heritage Site nominations and conservation, such as government departments, local authorities, consultancy firms, international conservation agencies, NGO’s, heritage organisations.

This is the first year of the online distant learning programme which builds upon the success of our MSc programme in World Heritage Management. Graduates from the MSc are building successful careers in the interdisciplinary field of heritage protection, management and research in Australia, China, England, Ethiopia, France, Ireland, Italy, Tanzania, Uganda and the U.S. to name a few countries. Graduates are working with international organizations, national authorities and in the private sector. They have secured positions in World Heritage Sites, National Parks and Museums, in senior government positions and positions in education. Graduates have also continued their research at PhD level and pursued further studies.

If English is not your native language, unless you have done your primary degree through English in an English speaking country, an English language qualification is required for all programmes.

Graduate Diploma in World Heritage Conservation

You will need:
A good primary degree and motivation for independent distant learning as well as an interest in heritage conservation