Overview
HERM 301: Introduction to Heritage Resources Management introduces students to heritage resources management and creates a base for further study of the contemporary heritage field. Students study types of practice and current and emerging issues, as well as the social context, controversies, ethical questions, and general concerns that characterize efforts in heritage preservation and the work carried out in museums, archives, historic places, and interpretive centres. Within this theoretical and applied framework, students will begin to develop approaches and skills in administration, collection, conservation and preservation, interpretation, audience development, and visitor services.
Learning outcomes
HERM 301 will introduce students to heritage resources management and create a base for further study in the field. After completing this course, students should be able to:
- Describe the types of practice that characterize the heritage field.
- Explain how social context and issues shape the heritage field.
- Describe current and emerging issues in the heritage field.
- Address the social controversies, ethical questions, and approaches to practice that characterize the contemporary heritage field.
- Begin to apply skills and methods for collecting, exhibiting, interpretation, audience development, and visitor services.
Evaluation
To receive credit for HERM 301, students must complete and submit all the assignments and achieve a minimum grade of D (50 percent) for the course.
Students will be evaluated on their understanding of the concepts presented in the course and on their ability to apply those concepts. The final grade in the course will be based on the marks achieved for the following activities.
| Activity | Weight |
| Experiential Journal (ongoing) | 15% |
| Essay on Readings | 20% |
| Research Essay Outline | 10% |
| Research Essay | 30% |
| Critical Review of an Online Exhibition Outline | 5% |
| Critical Review of an Online Exhibition | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Tracy, William, Dorothy Field, Patricia A. Myers, J. Rod Vickers, and Marlena Wyman. In Time and Place: Master Plan 2005 for the Protection, Preservation and Presentation of Alberta’s Past. Edmonton: Alberta Community Development, 2005.. Edmonton: Alberta Community Development, 2005.
Physical course materials
The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
Willie, Crystal, ed. Standard Practices Handbook for Museums, 3rd ed. Edmonton: Alberta Museums Association, 2014., 3rd ed. Edmonton: Alberta Museums Association, 2014.
Important Note: Standard Practices Handbook for Museums will be used in other courses in the Heritage Resources Management Program. Students must keep this textbook if they intend to take other courses in the program. Conversely, if students have already received this textbook with another course, it will not be included in their course package.
Other Materials
All other course materials are available online.