MA Heritage Studies for a Global Society

Mission

The History Department educates students holistically, promoting interdisciplinary discourse, well-roundedness, and a commitment to social justice in accordance with the mission of Regis College and the Sisters of St. Joseph. 

Goals

• Through a process of scholarly engagement, dialogue, and demonstration students will recognize and analyze key historical events, ideas, individuals, artifacts, and institutions that have shaped our knowledge of the world
• Through an interwoven process of coursework and practical experiences, students will learn the historiography, methods, and theories associated with heritage studies in a core curriculum which draws on several disciplines and serves to develop the central theme: understanding the meaning, function, and values associated with culture, heritage; and practically applying these ideas, in conjunction with the skills developed in their courses, in a way that serves and educates their community in accordance with the mission of Regis College and the Sisters of St. Joseph.
• Ultimately students will be asked to reflect upon their experiences, helping them to become better consumers of historical constructs and their contexts

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

• Identify key events, ideas, individuals, artifacts, and institutions that have shaped our knowledge of the world; explain the process by which these factors have come to not only shape our knowledge, but how they have constructed the framework through which we authenticate our perspective of culture, heritage, and identity.
• Identify and analyze a current issue relating to the student’s chosen area of interest as it intersects with the goals of the program from the perspective of social ethics and responsible decision-making.
• Analyze current historical concepts – as they relate to culture, heritage, and identity – in a scholarly manner by undertaking original research which includes critical analysis of primary and secondary sources, peer-reviewed works, and alternative forms of cultural memory, including but not limited to oral history, folklore, material culture, literature, and ethnography.
• Engage in dialogues which cross disciplinary lines by opening historical inquiry to the methods, theoretical models, collected data, and perspectives of complementary disciplines.
• Utilize interdisciplinary approaches, in a historical context, in such a way which serves to place history, heritage, culture, and identity into a global perspective, illuminating common issues and threads extending from the local level to the world community.
• Demonstrate, through experiential learning opportunities, field work, co-curricular activities, and internships, how to apply historical consciousness and the historian’s craft in a way that serves the community.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the skills, theories, methods, and models associated with the student’s chosen area of concentration as they intersect with the goals of the program.
• Integrate the themes, theories, practices, and methods acquired in the Heritage Studies curriculum in a practical way which reflects an understanding of program objectives and a commitment to community education fostering the mission and goals of Regis College on campus and beyond.

Concentrations

• Public Heritage: Applied Theater
• Public Heritage: Museum Studies
• Hispanic Culture in Literature
• Religion, Culture, and Teaching
• Biocultural Diversity

What is Heritage Studies?

Heritage can be described in Geertzian terms as the narrative people tell themselves about themselves. We define it as: Self-identification of a personal and social connection to a collective past (real or imagined) which transcends the traditional constructs of time, space, nation, and ethnicity; interpretations of meaning and value are passed down from a perceived ancestor and retained in both tangible and intangible artifacts – cultural memory, archaeology, oral and written tradition, ethnohistory, performance, language, literature, ritual, and folklore – and are maintained by epistemologically significant links between the past and present, strengthened by the desire for preservation for the benefit of future generations.

This program responds to social and economic demands for practical application of liberal arts skills in a variety of contexts. As historical, material, and cultural artifacts – ancient or modern, local, national or international, written or traditional – are lost, destroyed, or misrepresented and poorly understood, competent professionals with theoretical training across the disciplines will be in high demand. Our students are prepared for two pathways: academic and professional. The rigorous curriculum reinforces a student’s aptitude for successful scholarship, and the high standard – including an individualized thesis – prepares students for continued studies in graduate or professional schools, or Ph.D. programs in one of our affiliated universities. It is also a tool for skill sharpening and experience building in order to either gain or enhance professional employment in a variety of areas:

• Museums and archives
• Heritage tourism and historic site interpretation
• Public history
• Education (community college teaching, professional enhancement for K-12 teachers, adult education and training, private educational institutions, religious education, non-classroom education programs, etc.)
• Publishing and editing
• Historic preservation
• Human services and health care
• Community organizations (Tribal and ethnic organizations, NGOs, social services, etc.)
• Human Resources (diverse corporations, cultural mediation, etc.)
• Law and Government (legal services, law enforcement, special interest groups, activism, etc.)
• Consulting and research
• Non-profit organizations

Program Details

The program can be completed full or part time, or as a 3+1 BA/MA. There are 9 courses and a capstone experience completed in 4 phases: Core Curriculum (four foundational courses); Professional Application Exploration (choose 2 from 6 professional content areas); Concentration (3 courses within a particular content area); Capstone (Oral Comprehensive Exam, Professional Internship, and Thesis).

Up to two courses may be taken prior to applying to the program. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.