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Study programme World Heritage Studies (WHS) Master of Arts (M.A.)

Curriculum and Specialisations

The World Heritage Studies programme offers a broad curriculum covering different aspects of heritage. Students can shape their studies according to their interests and may complete the programme as World Heritage Studies in general or choose to specialise in one of three focus areas.

Students do not need to decide on a specialisation in their first semester. They can use the first semesters to explore different areas of the curriculum before deciding whether and in which area they wish to specialise.

The general curriculum

The programme includes mandatory modules, mandatory elective modules, Study Projects and a Master’s thesis. The overview below shows the structure of the four-semester programme and the range of mandatory elective modules available.

Students who wish to specialise can choose from three focus areas:

  • UNESCO Heritage Governance
  • Heritage Studies
  • Heritage Conservation and Management

To obtain a specialisation, students must complete at least 24 credit points from modules in the chosen focus area, as well as a related Study Project and Master’s thesis. The specialisation is then officially recorded on the degree certificate.

Please click on the respective specialisation for further information.

Details of the specialisation

UNESCO Heritage Governance

The specialisation in UNESCO Heritage Governance examines how heritage policy is shaped and implemented within the framework of UNESCO and related international institutions. It explores international decision-making processes, legal and institutional structures, and the negotiation of heritage values in global contexts.
Students critically reflect on key principles such as Outstanding Universal Value, intergenerational responsibility and the role of heritage in diplomacy and peacebuilding, while analysing how global frameworks are translated into national and local practice.

Heritage Studies

The specialisation in Heritage Studies introduces students to reflexive and critical approaches to understanding heritage as a social and cultural construction. It engages with key theoretical debates and encourages students to question how heritage narratives are shaped by power, knowledge and positionality.
Particular attention is given to the ways in which global and local inequalities – including those related to gender, race and class – influence the production, interpretation and negotiation of heritage. Students develop the ability to work collaboratively across diverse perspectives while critically engaging with current research and contemporary debates in the field.

Heritage Conservation and Management

The specialisation in Heritage Conservation and Management focuses the history, theory and practice of conserving and managing heritage across diverse cultural and temporal contexts. Students engage with the conceptual foundations of architectural conservation and the evolving understanding of heritage from antiquity to the present day.
The emphasis lies on assessing the significance of historic buildings, sites and artefacts, and on developing strategies for their preservation, management and communication. Contemporary challenges – including the management of change, sustainable development and human rights considerations – are critically examined, equipping graduates to respond to complex social, political and environmental contexts in professional heritage practice.