Historic Preservation Program, Southeast Missouri State University

Southeast Missouri State University’s nationally
recognized historic preservation program is one of
only a few such undergraduate degree programs in
the United States.
Historic preservation is a very broad term
used to describe the activities that promote the
protection and continued use of buildings and their
environment. The scale of problems considered
within this field may be large (e.g., a plan for
preserving an agricultural region, an island or a city),
or it may be small (e.g., the disassembly, storage
and re-use of an architectural detail). Southeast’s
program draws on a wide range of disciplines
within the traditional divisions of the University:
archaeology, architectural history, art, business,
cultural geography, economics, folklore, history,
political science, public administration, industrial
technology and interior design.
Historic preservation is a major that combines
formal classroom learning with a variety of field
experiences in which students and faculty work
together to study, understand and preserve our past.

Career Opportunities

Southeast graduates are currently employed from
coast to coast in highly competitive positions such
as museum director, site administrator, archivist,
preservation planner, architectural historian, main
street manager and curator.
Students are qualified to work for government
agencies, private companies (such as architectural
firms) and museums (as technicians or curators).
Students can work as cultural resource managers,
local history researchers, heritage educators
or consultants to archaeologists. No additional
certification or license is needed after graduation.

Educational Preparation

The Bachelor of Science degree in Historic
Preservation is administered by the University’s
Department of History, but it is an interdisciplinary
degree requiring students to take courses in a broad
spectrum of academic subjects.
Core courses, such as Introduction to Historic
Preservation, help give students a foundation in
understanding the profession. In addition to classes
in the preservation of the built environment, students
in the program also take breadth requirement
courses in various aspects of public history, such as
museums, historic sites and archives.
Besides the formal classroom work, Southeast’s
program utilizes hands-on training through varied
applied history projects in nearby communities.
Such a practical application of classroom lectures
and reading assignments allows students to refine
their skills, determine areas of professional interest
and put into practice the ideas about which they
read and hear.
The degree encourages a minor in one of
the following areas: anthropology, archaeology,
architectural design, art, environmental studies,
interior design, history or marketing.

Areas of Study

Historic Preservation

Field work in historic preservation offers the
opportunity to practice classroom theory. Students
use the local communities to produce historic
structure reports, building condition assessments,
nominations of a building or site to the National
Register of Historic Places and historical/
architectural surveys.

Museums

Courses in museum studies offer handson
teaching and learning opportunities in an
environment where students are allowed practical
experience in developing displays and exhibits. In
the community, the Cape River Heritage Museum
has collections related to the Mississippi River and
the development of Cape Girardeau and is the site
for many student-created exhibits.

Archives

The University’s Kent Library has nearly one
million bound and microform volumes and more
than 2,600 current periodicals and newspapers. It is
both a state and federal government depository. In
addition, the library houses the University Archives,
a depository for historical documents from the
region. Students interested in archival study receive
hands-on training in collections management and
document preservation.

Site Administration

Working closely with historic sites in the region,
students learn the fundamentals of operating a
historic site, whether that site is a single house
or a complex arrangement of buildings. Students
prepare strategic plans—including furnishing,
interpretive and development reports—and gain
experience in writing grants and working with
collections management software.

Internships

One aspect of Southeast’s unique program is the
opportunity for each student to practice classroom
theories in the field. Internships are usually taken
during the summer between the junior and senior
year of study.
This application of research and theory is a
hallmark of the program. Internships provide handson
experience in the varying aspects of historic
preservation and public history in museums,
archives, site administration and preservation of
buildings and landscapes. Internships help in job
networking, which often leads to employment.
In addition, students are encouraged to attend
professional historic preservation conferences
and meetings to help develop acquaintances with
individuals active in the profession.