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Heritage Science

Heritage Science Pic

 

 

Introduction

The School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology (GAP) at Queen’s University Belfast offers a taught postgraduate programme in Heritage Science. This builds on the School’s expertise across many of the key areas that constitute Heritage Science and is used to support an integrated set of qualifications at Masters, Diploma and Certificate levels. These have a strong emphasis on the emerging field of ‘digital documentation of heritage’ and are constructed around project based modules with a strong focus on skills training and practise-related experience.

What is Heritage Science?

The term ‘Heritage Science’ is used to encompass all technological and scientific work that can benefit the heritage sector, whether through improved management decisions, enhanced understanding of significance and cultural value, or increased public engagement with natural and cultural heritage.

Background

Across the world, the heritage industry contributes significantly to the economies of many countries acts as the practical guardian of the tangible artefacts that underpin their cultural identity. Within the UK, the importance of the science that supports this industry was recognised in 2006 in a major report from the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee. This concluded that the Heritage Science sector, which had once been held in high regard, urgently needed support for the effective transfer of new scientific research to heritage practitioners, which has to be linked to the training of a new generation of heritage scientists.

Expertise within the School

Research strengths in GAP are founded on key research groups supported by state-of-the-art research facilities. These include the Geomaterials Research Group for landscape and built-environment conservation, the leading GIS centre in the University, the CHRONO Centre for dating and chronology, the Centre for Data Digitization and Data Analysis (CDDA) and a world-leading group of historical-cultural geographers. Researchers in these groups through extensive collaboration have established the School as an internationally-acknowledged centre for the digital documentation of natural and cultural heritage.


This has helped us to establish an extensive network of regional, national and international collaboration with heritage professionals and organisations, many of whom share our appreciation of the need for a new generation of heritage scientists. This network underpins a key element of the taught Heritage Science programme with its emphasis on hands-on and field-orientated learning, and established linkages with external heritage organizations which facilitates the programme’s internships.

For a list of staff teaching on the programme click here.

Programme Emphasis

  • Core training in the digital documentation of heritage, including data capture, processing and presentation.
  • The integration of natural and built heritage.
  • Short-term internships with heritage professionals.
  • Exploration of the threats to heritage posed by environmental (especially climate) change and societal pressures.

For information about the programme structure and module content click here.

Target Careers

  • Professionals involved in providing scientific understanding in support of decisions regarding heritage protection.
  • Professionals engaged in the digital documentation and portrayal of heritage structures and landscapes.
  • Those seeking a targeted training in the use of digital data handling, especially through the application of GISci.
  • Those wishing to develop a career in heritage conservation and or management based initially on a sound base of understanding of the science that underpins it.

Programme Director
Dr Keith Lilley (k.lilley@qub.ac.uk)