Specialization in Cultural Resource Management

As part of the Master of Public Administration program, students are able to obtain a specialization in Cultural Resource Management (CRM). This specialization is offered through the Cultural Resource Management Program – a unit of the Department of History.

What is Cultural Resource Management?
Cultural Resource Management is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the study of preserving and administering those items, places, and ideas that make up the cultural assets of a population. The term “Cultural Resource Management” was first coined in the 1970s, and at that time it applied mostly to archaeology. Today, CRM is a very broad field that encompass many areas, including the following:

  • Native American Burial Mounds
  • Historically or Architecturally Significant Buildings
  • Historical Documents
  • Arrowheads
  • Paintings
  • Shipwrecks
  • Religious Sites
  • Historically Significant Sites
  • Clothing
  • Urban & Rural Historic Districts

Career Prospects for CRM Specialization Students
In addition to the general training and career avenues that are open to all students with a Master of Public Administration, those with the specialization in Cultural Resource Management will be further employable at entry level or intermediate level positions in the following types of areas:

  • Department of the Interior (including such agencies as the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management).
  • Department of Agriculture (primarily the Forest Service).
  • Other federal agencies employing cultural resource managers (like some agencies of the Department of Defense, the Department of State, or the General Services Administration).
  • State historical and cultural agencies (such as the West Virginia Division of Culture & History or the Ohio Historical Society).
  • Non-Profit historical and cultural organizations (such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, and many museum/historical societies).
  • City and county management positions in such areas as community development, housing, redevelopment, and related fields.

How to Obtain the CRM Specialization
Twelve credit hours are necessary to obtain the MPA specialization in CRM. First, students should speak with their academic advisor. Then, students should speak with Dr. Melissa Bingmann, the CRM Coordinator, to register their intent to complete the specialization. Students will be required to complete the following curriculum:

Tier I (1 Course – 3 Hours)
HIST 600 – Introduction to Cultural Resource Management

Tier II (2 Courses – 6 Hours)
HIST 412 – Introduction to Public History OR
HIST 489 (will be HIST 625) – Introduction to Historic Preservation

HIST 613 – Local History Research Methodology

ART 552 – Art History: American (focuses mostly on the history of
American architecture)

RPTR 442 – Advanced Interpretive Techniques
(or a graduate level RPTR interpretive class)

Tier III (1 Course – 3 Hours)
ART 493T – Curatorial Practices
ART 493W – Arts Management
ART 552 – Art History: American (not applicable if used for Tier II)
ENVP 460 – Environmental Impact Assessment w/ Laboratory
FOR 693Z – Sustainable Tourism
GEOG 530 – Land Use Policy
GEOG 625 – Planning : Theory and Practices
GEOG 651 – GIS Technical Issues
GEOG 711 – Regional Development
GEOG 752 – Advanced GIS
GEOG 755 – Advanced Remote Sensing
HIST 411 – Industrial Revolution, 1600-1900
HIST 441 – 17th Century Colonial America
HIST 442 – 18th Century Colonial America
HIST 473 – Appalachian Regional History
HIST 610 – Historic Site Interpretation & Preservation
HIST 611 – Archives Management
HIST 612 – Practical Historical Editing
HIST 615 – Museum Management
HIST 755 – Readings in American History 1763-1800
HIST 773 – Readings in Appalachian Regional History
HIST 791H – Advanced Topics: Oral History
HIST 793 – Special Topics in History
LARC 570 – Meanings of Place (same as RPTR 570)
LAW 737 – Land Use Planning
PUBA 710 – Administrative Behavior in Public and Non-Profit Organizations
PUBA 791G – Advanced Topics: Alternative Dispute Resolution
RPTR 448 – Ecotourism Development
RPTR 570 – Meanings of Place (same as LARC 570)
RPTR 714 – Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
RPTR 738 – Tourism Planning

Questions
For any questions about the specialization or the field of Cultural Resource Management, please contact Dr. Melissa Bingmann, Assistant Professor of History.