PGCert in Cultural Heritage Research
Buildings are a direct link to the past – to the people who built them, to the people that lived in them, and to economies and societies that produced them.
Course overview
Cultural Heritage is all around us. It is at the centre of current political debates around identity, how we feel about our past, and who we as a country want to be on the international stage. To be part of shaping the UK’s cultural heritage landscape is a rewarding and challenging career, requiring a wide and varied range of skills and knowledge.
If you are interested in studying cultural heritage research but cannot commit to the full MSc programme then studying for a Certificate (PGCert) may be the route for you. It is designed to give learners a broad and thorough grounding in the sector to pursue a variety of careers.
What is a Postgraduate Certificate?
The PGCert - or Postgraduate Certificate – is the shortest of our Postgraduate level offerings, which is completed by studying four modules (60 credits). It allows you to study business skills in depth but takes less time to complete than the MSc or Postgraduate Diploma.
The PGCert is a great way of fitting postgraduate study around a busy life. Full-time students can complete the course in as little as one year. Part-time students can choose to spread the course up to two years, giving you lots of time for thinking and writing between modules. It is ideal if you want to study a specific subject but would rather not commit to a full MSc with its attendant time and financial costs.
It can be a great way to boost your career or enter a new industry, but if you desire to continue your studies PGCert credits can be used to contribute towards a PGDip or even an MSc qualification later down the line. Completing studies using this route is often likened to building blocks – one step at a time – the first step being a PGCert.
*Please note, Visa students must be full-time (a min of 15 hours per week) and will need to attend all sessions in person due to UKVI visa requirements.
Course content
All sessions are offered in a hybrid format and you can choose whether to attend any session in-person or to participate remotely, as best suits your needs. We do recommend that you attend field trips in-person to get the most from your experience. All in-class sessions are recorded live and made available to students who prefer to access the sessions asynchronously.*
Our sessions are built around exercises to support and scaffold the learning process, and to provide valuable opportunities for peer-to-peer learning. Material is taught in workshop format combining formal elements, such as lectures, with more hands-on exploratory or consolidatory exercises, for example discussions, ‘live’ group research to explore or apply a particular concept, group-critique sessions, supported writing exercises, and problem-based learning.
*Visa students will need to attend all sessions in person due to UKVI visa requirements.
Course structure
Our PGCert is designed to be ultra-accessible. All classes are offered both in person and synchronously online, with session recordings available for students unable to attend a particular session.
Timetables
Timetables are normally available one month before registration.
The in-person teaching sessions are timetabled on Thursdays and Fridays, with each module being taught 10:00-12:00 and then 13:00-15:00/16:00 on the same day, each week, for the full year (both semesters). This allows you to fulfil other commitments you may have, such as work, family and interests. Full-time students study on both days, with part-time students on just one.
Modules
- 4765 Specialist Project by Practice or Research: Learn the fundamentals of research design, methodologies and project management and receive group and one-to-one support for an individual piece of research, practice or project work
Plus ONE module from the list below:
- 4729 Landscape Archaeology: Examine the historical context and chronological frameworks of a range of historic landscapes
- 4731 Excavation and Post-excavation: Understand the excavation process, from written statements of investigation, decisions on trench design and recovery methods, stratigraphic excavation methods and contexts identification, as well as management issues around health and safety, risk assessment
- 4733 Understanding Buildings and Landscapes: Understand the form and function of historic buildings and how they are impacted by local landscape and geology
- 4736 Heritage Interpretation: Evaluate the concepts of heritage and cultural heritage and the many settings and multiple ways in which they are employed
- 4737 The Past in Principles and Practice: Gain a solid grounding in how the cultural heritage sector operates covering areas from archaeology to listed buildings and museums, collections, landscapes and legal protections
- 4762 Regeneration and Placemaking in the Historical Environment: Understand the principles and practice of social, economic and environmental regeneration
- 4761 Practical Conservation, Retrofitting and Sustainability: Demonstrate a knowledge of practical building conservation methods & skills and assess their suitability for the repair and alteration of historic buildings and structures
* Optional additions to the course will incur additional charges
Disclaimer information
The University has established various rules and regulations that you must agree to and follow if you accept an offer to study with us. View our full disclaimer notice.
Careers and graduate destinations
On completion of the course you will be able to work in local authorities, heritage organisations, museums, collections, as self-employed consultants, and in the private sector, which require specialists with an in-depth and applied understanding of cultural heritage.
It also provides an excellent grounding for further academic study, for example at PGDip or MSc level.
Entry requirements
We welcome applications from applicants with non-standard qualifications who are able to demonstrate knowledge, experience and skills developed in the workplace or elsewhere and which are relevant to the programme of study. Applicants will need to use their personal statement to provide further details supported by a CV. All non-standard applications will be considered by the Programme Manager on a case-by-case basis and applicants can expect that an interview may be required as part of the admissions process.
If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our English language requirements for the level of study. For postgraduate taught programmes this is IELTS Academic min. overall 6.5 with no element below 5.5 (or equivalent). English language tests usually have a validity of 2 years from the date the test is taken.
Offers will typically be made in line with the academic requirements set out above. Offers can be conditional or unconditional. An unconditional offer will be made to applicants who have already met the conditions and provided evidence that conditions have been met. Where academic or language requirements have not yet been fulfilled, applicants will receive a conditional offer stating the requirements that must be met.
Fees
2024-25 Applicants (including January 2025)
For the academic year 2024-25 the tuition fees for this course are:
| UK | *Overseas/EU | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | £3,650 per year | £6,017 per year |
| Part-time | Fees are calculated on a pro-rata basis depending on the number of modules taken. Please refer to Tuition Fees webpage | N/A |
2025-26 Applicants
For the academic year 2025-26 the tuition fees for this course are:
| UK | *Overseas/EU | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | £3,800 per year | £7,350 per year |
| Part-time | Fees are calculated on a pro-rata basis depending on the number of modules taken. Please refer to Tuition Fees webpage | N/A |
*Please note: International students can study on a part-time basis only if they are in the UK with a different type of visa (other than Student Visa/Tier 4 General) that allows them to undertake part-time study and their visa does not expire prior to the end date of the proposed course of study. Please check your Visa eligibility before applying.
There are no additional fees for any activity conducted during the teaching days. Expenses (travel and admission) incurred during self-directed visits will however fall to the student – all activities are structured so they can be undertaken at any heritage location near to the student and either free or at minimum cost.
Please contact admissions@rau.ac.uk before you apply to confirm your eligibility.
Tuition fees may be subject to an inflationary increase each year as set out in our Access and Participation Plan 2019/20.
For full details, please visit the fees and funding webpage.
Apply now for January 2025 or September 2025 entry
Applications to study for postgraduate degrees need to be made directly through the University using the online application form via the website.
Alternatively, if you are unable access the online form you can call Admissions on 01285 889 912, or email admissions@rau.ac.uk.
We recommend applicants keep a copy of the completed form for their records.
Application deadline, September entry:
- EU and overseas applicants should submit their application by 30 June 2025 at the latest
- UK applicants should aim to submit their applications the latest by 1 September 2025
Results deadline, September entry:
- EU and overseas applicants will need to meet their conditions by 1 August 2025
- UK applicants will need to meet their conditions by 15 September 2025
Application deadline, January entry:
- EU and overseas applicants requiring a study visa should submit their application by 1 December 2024 at the latest, applications received after this may be considered for September entry
- UK applicants should aim to submit their applications the latest by 6 January 2025
Results deadline, January entry:
- EU and overseas applicants will need to meet their conditions by 9 December 2024
- UK applicants will need to meet their conditions by 8 January 2025
If you are applying for a 2024 Chevening Scholarship you can submit your scholarship application prior to receiving a course offer. Further details can be found on the application timeline and eligibility criteria sections on the Chevening website.
Applicants will be notified via email once a decision has been made and decision letters will be emailed to you. If there is a deadline by which applicants must accept an offer of admission or pay a deposit, this will be stated in the offer letter.
Requests to defer the year of entry will be considered only when an applicant holds an Unconditional offer and need to be submitted in writing to the admissions team. We cannot guarantee that requests will be granted. Decisions on deferral requests are considered:
- For September entry at the end of August
- For January entry at the end of January
If the deferral request is granted applicants will receive a new offer letter with tuition fees which are applicable to their year of entry, at the opening of the next admissions cycle.
Please choose a course from the options below to apply.