Think about the Taj Mahal in India, the Angkor Vat in Cambodia or the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. These structures have lasting aesthetic, historical, cultural and economic value. They are symbols of our cultural and religious identities, centers of tourism, and revenue drivers. The preservation of such structures and artifacts is, therefore, an important occupation.

Widespread realization of the importance of preserving tangible cultural heritage has made heritage conservation a popular and rewarding field of study. BrainGain magazine brings you a list of 5 of the best postgraduate courses in heritage conservation from universities across the world.

1. The Courtauld Institute of Art, UK
   
   The Courtauld, as it is commonly known, was founded in 1932. It is a part of the University of London, and specializes in the study of the history of art and conservation.
   
   In 2011 & 2017, The Guardian University Guide gave it the number one rank in the UK for History & History of Art. The alumni have gone on to become directors in major museums such as Metropolitan Museum of Art & Museo del Prado (Madrid).
   
   The Courtauld offers interesting courses such as MA in Buddhist Art: History & Conservation, MA in Conservation of Wall Painting, PGDip in Conservation of Easel Paintings, etc. The courses include significant fieldwork and travel opportunities.
   
   The MA is of a 3-year duration. For overseas students, the fee is approximately 18,500 GBP per annum.
    
2. University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
   
   The University of Amsterdam is the only Dutch university offering programs in heritage restoration & conservation.
   
   The MA in Heritage Studies has five specializations: Museum Studies, Heritage & Memory Studies, Archival Sciences, Museum Curator, Preservation & Presentation of Moving Image. The MA in Archaeology offers three specialization: Landscape & Heritage, Mediterranean Archeology, Archaeology of North Western Europe.
   
   The fees for international students is approximately 15,000 Euros. The courses are of a maximum 1 or 2-year duration.
   
    
3. The University of Sydney, Australia
   
   The University of Sydney is the first university in Asia-Pacific to offer a Masters program in heritage conservation (MHeritCons).
   
   The program enables graduates to work with valuable heritage sites by imparting a dual understanding of their construction and significance. Graduates can go on to work as consultants, social commentators and historians. They have been employed in urban planning, government councils, and so on.
   
   The course duration is 1.5 years. For students commencing the course in 2017, the fee for the first year will be 30,500 AUD.
   
    
4. University of California, Los Angeles, US
   
   The University of California, Los Angeles offers an interdepartmental MA degree in Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials, jointly with The Getty Institute.
   
   The 3-year course is administered through the Cotsen Institute of Archeology. It consists of 2 years of coursework, with a 10-week summer internship between the 1^st & 2^nd year. In the 3^rd year, students take on a 9-month internship.
   
   The UCLA offers a few fellowships for MA students including the Graduate Opportunity Fellowship. Outside funding sources include Jakob K. Javits Fellowships and the George Stout Grant.
   
    
5. Tulane University, US
   
   The university’s Tulane School of Architecture offers undergraduate and graduate programs in Preservation Studies.
   
   The Master of Preservation Studies has four main themes of learning – preservation and planning, technology, theory or law, and architectural history. However, the program focuses on urban preservation within the rich historical context of New Orleans.
   
   The course takes an interdisciplinary approach with modules like building preservation, history of North American architecture, international practice and the economics and business of preservation.
   
   The Masters degree is delivered over three semesters (1.5 years) and costs approximately 32000 USD per year.