COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

About the Program

A master’s degree in Cultural Heritage Management provides students with a strong theoretical grounding in anthropology along with more practical skills and knowledge they need to be successful in the field of heritage management. This includes areas such as cultural resource management, historic preservation, museums and heritage sites, and public history. This coincides with a historically high and rapidly increasing demand for skilled workers in heritage management, both regionally and nationally. This program is designed to provide essential training for people looking to advance their cultural heritage management career. This includes individuals in a variety of settings including museums, historical societies, cultural resource management companies, and related disciplines.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 3 years

Campus Location: Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: In order to be certified as full-time, a student must engage in at least 9 credits of coursework each term or the equivalent in supervised teaching, dissertation research or writing. In special circumstances, the department permits part-time enrollment, but such students are not exempt from the guidelines concerning reasonable academic progress toward the degree.

Interdisciplinary Study: Students take courses in all areas of literary studies and are encouraged to develop their interests in related areas, such as History, Philosophy, Psychology, the arts and non-print media.

Job Prospects: Graduates find jobs in the Philadelphia area and in all parts of the United States as teachers, editors, and journalists, and in all professions that value writing and critical thinking.

Financing Opportunities: Assistantship monies are typically reserved for doctoral students. 

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: July 31

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 3

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from college/university faculty members familiar with the applicant's academic abilities.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A baccalaureate degree in Anthropology or related discipline is required.

Statement of Goals: In approximately 600 to 1,000 words, share your research interests, completed coursework that has especially interested you, and the relevance of the MA to your future goals.

Standardized Test Scores: GRE: Optional. Scores may be submitted if available.

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

• TOEFL iBT:
  •  On or after January 21, 2026 – 5
  •  Before January 21, 2026 – 105
• IELTS Academic: 7.0
• PTE Academic: 72

Resume: Current CV or resume required.

Official Transcripts: Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts from all accredited institutions attended—and/or from which 6 or more credits were earned—must be submitted.

In addition to official transcripts, international applicants must also provide an official copy of their degree, diploma, certificate, and marksheets. If these documents cannot be obtained, applicants may instead submit a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES-accredited organization (such as World Education Services – WES) to verify the completion and conferral of all degrees, diplomas, certificates, and marksheets.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 31

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
ANTH 5396	History of Anthropological Theory	3
ANTH 5172	Seminar in Northeastern Archaeology	3
ANTH 5173	Indigenous North America	3
ANTH 5272	Collections Management and Curation	3
ANTH 5275	Heritage Management Laws and Regulation	3
ANTH 8013	Professionalization in Heritage Management	1
ANTH 8014	Writing for Heritage Professionals	3
Experiential Learning
ANTH 5189	Field Session in Archaeology	3
or ANTH 5285	Internship in Heritage Management
Electives 1		9
Total Credit Hours		31

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Students may take approved electives in the Department of Anthropology. Courses in other departments may be considered and must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Contacts

Department Contacts: