REGULATIONS FOR THE MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE STUDIES (MCHS)
Duration: 2 years
Minimum Credit Load: 360
Maximum Credit Load: 420
MBKS: 288
ZNQF level: 9
- Entry Requirements
An Honours Degree in: Cultural Heritage, Archaeology, Museum Studies, Fine Arts, Records and Archives Management, Culture and Languages.
- LEARNING OUTCOMES
2.1 Ability to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of cultural heritage management principles and practices
2.2 Ability to identify, create and implement diverse heritage management frameworks for different forms of cultural heritage.
2.3 Ability to conserve different heritage typologies with a critical understanding of their sensitivities and relations with communities.
2.4 Understanding of cultural heritage management planning processes.
2.5 Understanding local, national and international laws that govern the management of cultural heritage.
2.6 Use appropriate research methods to better manage cultural heritage resources and enable the beneficiation of local communities
- Programme Assessment
- a) Continuous assessment shall comprise at-least two assignments and will constitute 30% of the final mark.
- b) Candidates shall be required to sit for a three- hour examination on each module. The examination mark shall constitute 70% of the final mark.
- c) To pass a candidate should obtain at least 50% of the continuous assessment and examination combined.
- PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
Level 1 Semester 1
Code Module Description Credits
MCHS 702 Approaches to Conservation of Cultural Heritage 18
MCHS 706 Legal and Administrative Frameworks in Cultural Heritage Management 18
MCHS 714 Heritage Management: Concepts, Principles and Practice 18
Level 1 Semester 2
MCHS 701 Managing Archaeological Sites 18
MCHS 703 Research Methods and Publications 18
MCHS 715 Heritage Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Funding Strategies 18
Electives
MARC 701 Issues in African Archaeology 18
MMUS 702 Museum Management 18
MCHS 709 Rock Art of Africa 18
MMUS 709 Museum Exhibitions and Interpretation 18
Level 2 Semester 1
MCHS 712 Cultural Heritage Management Planning Process 18
MCHS 713 Heritage Field School 18
MCHS 716 Managing World Heritage 18
Electives
MCHS 717 Heritage, Conservation and Sustainable Development 18
MMUS 711 History of Art and Cultures of Zimbabwe 18
Level 2 Semester 2
MCHS 820 Dissertation 90
N.B Electives can be taken from the MA in Archaeology (MARC) or MA in Museum Studies (MMUS) programmes respectively.
- MODULE SYNOPSIS
MCHS 701 Managing Archaeological Sites and Landscapes
Heritage is a finite resource that must be managed appropriately to ensure its long- term survival. Concepts such as stewardship and sustainability are considered in this module. Core training is provided in documenting and assessing heritage, conservation, heritage- specific interventions which are consistent with international charters, visitor management, integrated management of historical properties and landscapes and collections management. A running theme in the module is that conservation of heritage can best be achieved through accountability, social and economic viability.
MCHS 702 Approaches to Conservation of Cultural Heritage
The module seeks to give students the theoretical context in which modern- day conservation and management of immovable cultural heritage in Sub-Saharan Africa is situated. This would ensure that students develop a better understanding of the major principles and concepts of conservation and their evolution. Students will also understand the relevancy of utilising these principles and concepts in the decision-making process for the management and conservation of immovable cultural heritage.
MCHS 703 Research Methods and Publications
This module provides the core research skills to consider different aspects of heritage by understanding and applying a range of techniques of data collection in practical settings, including investigating the environment (using archaeological sources and paper and digital cartographic resources, observing the landscape and the built environment); investigating archives (researching paper and digital manuscript and printed and visual sources); exploring objects and artefacts (using materials in museums and museum websites and private and public cultural settings); and researching intangible materials (exploring oral history and traditions and public and private memories).
MCHS 706 Legal and Administrative Frameworks in Cultural Heritage Management
The main objective of this module is to introduce participants to the legal and administrative aspects of the conservation and management of cultural heritage. The module will also contextualise the administration of cultural heritage within the legislative systems. Students should be able to understand the basic components of heritage legislation and the relationship between heritage legislation and other types of legal and administrative frameworks. This module also involves the evaluation of contemporary legal and administrative frameworks in use in Africa.
MCHS 709 Rock Art of Africa
It provides students with an overview of the principal rock art traditions of the continent, examining the San art of Southern Africa, the ‘Schematic rock art zone’ of central Africa, the East African art from Tanzania, the celebrated art of Tassili and the surrounding area of the Sahara desert. This module will also use the rock art of Africa to raise issues of debate that revolve around the recognition of style, sequence, composition, symbols and symbolism, the judging of relationships between figures, the application and relevancy of ethnography, the gender, the rock surface as a context, shamanism, vision experience, neuropsychology, polysemy, multivocality, art and agency.
MCHS 712 Cultural Heritage Planning Process
The module seeks to develop among students, the necessary skills for the development of simple, appropriate and realistic management plans for tangible and/ intangible cultural heritage. Students should be able to work on the development of management plans for selected sites. This module will also involve hands-on site management planning exercises involving the local communities.
MCHS 713 Heritage Field School
This is mandatory for 2 weeks of field school at selected heritage places. The Field School will provide hands training and learning to students. This field school will give students an opportunity to research, visit a number of heritage sites and institutions, interact with heritage professionals, collect and curate materials, engage with stakeholders, conduct documentation and condition assessments, design and review management plans. Assessment of this module will be based on field evaluations, a field journal and a technical field report.
MCHS 714 Heritage Management: Concepts, Principles and Practice
This module covers the principles, concepts and philosophy of cultural heritage management and conservation. It discusses the core values of heritage, identifies cultural heritage management processes and practices, the multiplicity of meanings and values attached to heritage and how these influence management decisions. It looks at heritage in all its forms: tangible and intangible, official and unofficial and critically examines how heritage works and happens.
MCHS 715 Heritage Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Funding Strategies
This module indulges in the business of heritage. Heritage business development strategies are discussed and so are the range of activities that individuals and heritage institutions to address a wide public. The module examines finance in heritage situations (eg. Fundraising and budgeting) and the basics of marketing theory, mechanisms of marketing, the media, market research and marketing strategies as they apply to heritage businesses and institutions.
MCHS 716 Managing World Heritage
The module examines the fundamental issues of preservation and management of World Heritage sites, implementation of UNESCO’s Conventions, Recommendations and Charters; selection, evaluation, and nomination of cultural properties for inscription as World Heritage sites and their protection from human and natural causes.
MCHS 717 Heritage, Conservation and Sustainable Development
The module discusses the various avenues through which heritage can be a driver for development in tourism development, income generation and heritage listing and its effects on urban and rural development and renewal. The module thus seeks to critically evaluate the role of heritage in the development agenda. Students will have the opportunity to discuss concrete actions that need to be taken to integrate cultural heritage conservation and promotion into the sustainable development debate. Heritage conservation strategies in infrastructural development will also be looked at especially the structure and practice of heritage Impact Studies.
MCHS 820 Dissertation
All students are expected to write a dissertation of about 120 pages which is the result of an individual research project undertaken during the course. This can be on any approved topic relevant to the degree and the taught components selected. Students are assigned a Supervisor to guide the main stages of the work.