Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management
Regulations effective Sep. 1, 2024, unless otherwise noted.
Heritage resources management is a process involving the identification of the various elements of the past that a society defines as its heritage, and then the determination of why and how these associated resources are significant, and what is entailed in conserving and using them in a manner that respects them as a public trust.
While Athabasca University's Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management (GD-HRM) program stresses many common features in the heritage field, it also respects the differences that arise from different kinds of practices.
Courses accordingly employ a broad framework within which general principles and approaches, case studies, and situations representative of various types of heritage practice are explored.
The program gains additional strength from its association with the Historical Resources Intern Program, an innovative partnership between Athabasca University and the Government of Alberta in which the university provides scholarly training in heritage resource management for interns working at various museums, historical places and sites operated by the Government of Alberta.
Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree in order to apply to the program. In order to obtain the GD-HRM, students must complete a total of 18 credits (four courses worth three-credits each, plus a six-credit practicum). There is no requirement to attend campus. Students will work with their instructor in the online learning management system and other electronic conferencing tools in the course of their studies. The educational methods used in this program provide learners access to training and education without the added expense of time and travel for in-residence training.
Athabasca University has developed program learning goals that can assist you in making informed decisions about your career options upon graduating.
Applicants to the Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management (GD-HRM) must possess:
- a baccalaureate degree, and
- must demonstrate competence in the topics covered in:
HERM 322, HERM 327, HERM/PHIL 334, and HERM 339.
Competence in these subjects can be demonstrated in one of two ways:- take the Undergraduate Certificate courses, or
- have transcripts assessed by the HRM Program Director to receive competency through prior undergraduate courses.
English language proficiency
There are minimum English language proficiency requirements allowed for admission to a graduate program at Athabasca University. It is the student's responsibility to ensure they meet the minimum requirements.
Non-program students
The GD-HRM program will accept a limited number of non-program students. Non-program students will be permitted to register in courses on a first-come, first-served basis, space permitting. Those courses taken as a non-program student may be directly applied toward the program diploma requirements, if and when the student chooses to enrol in the program. Athabasca University is, however, under no obligation to admit non-program students into the GD-HRM program.
To apply as a non-program student and for more information, visit the non-program page on the HRM website.
Before an applicant can be considered for the Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management (GD-HRM) program, all components of the program application package must be received, including the required fees. Unfortunately, we cannot start the application review until the Admission Package has been completed and submitted.
Program applications will be received and reviewed on a continuous admission basis. Students may wish to start taking courses as a non-program student before being accepted as a program student.
To apply as a program student and for more information, visit the admissions page on the HRM website.
| Fall 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sep. 2 | Labour Day | University closed |
| Sep. 3 | First day of Fall grouped study courses. | |
| Sep. 30 | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | University closed |
| Oct. 3 | Last day for early withdrawal from Fall grouped study courses with partial refund. | |
| Oct. 14 | Thanksgiving Day | University closed |
| Oct. 15 | Winter grouped study course registration open online for program students. | |
| Nov. 11 | Remembrance Day | University closed |
| Dec. 13 | Last day of Fall grouped study courses and last day to withdraw without academic penalty. | |
| Dec. 25/24 – Jan. 1/25 | The University will close at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 24, 2024, and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, January 2, 2025. | University closed |
| Winter 2025 | ||
| Jan. 6 | First day of Winter grouped study courses. | |
| Feb. 6 | Last day for early withdrawal from Winter grouped study courses with partial refund. | |
| Feb. 15 | Spring grouped study course registration open online for program students. | |
| Feb. 17 | Family Day | University closed |
| Apr. 18 | Last day of winter grouped study courses and last day to withdraw without academic penalty. | |
| April 18 – 21 (inclusive) | Easter break | University closed |
| April 27 | Deadline to apply for graduation in June. All final grades must be received by the Office of the Registrar, and all program requirements must be completed by this date. Plan ahead. Allow professor at least 10 days for grading, and the FHSS office 5 days for processing final grade report(s), in advance of this deadline. | |
| Spring 2025 | ||
| May 5 | First day of Spring grouped study courses. | |
| May 19 | Victoria Day | University closed |
| May 31 | Deadline to register for Convocation 2025 (Note: in order to apply to graduate in June, requirements must be met by April 27. See above.) | |
| June 5 | Last day for early withdrawal from Spring grouped study courses with partial refund. | |
| June 5 – 7 | Convocation 2025 | |
| June 15 | Fall grouped study course registration open online for program students. | |
| July 1 | Canada Day | University closed |
| Aug. 4 | Heritage Day | University closed |
Students may study in the Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management (GD-HRM) program on a full- or part-time basis. The degree can be completed in 30 months or less. Some learners may need as little as one year to complete this diploma but can take as long as five years for program completion.
Residency requirement
To meet the residency requirement, students must complete 12 credits through Athabasca University. Six credits can be transferred. The practicum must be completed through Athabasca University.
Program structure
| Total graduate credits in program | 18 credits |
| Residency Requirement (12 credits must be completed at Athabasca University). | 12 credits |
Core courses | |
| HERM 501 – Issues in Heritage Resources Management | (3) |
| HERM 512 – Advanced Methods in Heritage Research | (3) |
| HERM 691 – Heritage Diploma Practicum | (6) |
| Total | 12 credits |
Elective courses (Choose 6 credits) | |
| HERM 542 – Issues in Planning Historic Places | (3) |
| HERM 561 – Advanced Issues in Interpretive Programming | (3) |
| HERM 670 – Industrial Heritage | (3) |
| HERM 671 – Documentation and Condition Assessment | (3) |
| HERM 672 – Heritage and Risk Management | (3) |
| HERM 673 – Architectural Conservation | (3) |
| Total | 6 credits |
Note: The Practicum requires the completion of a 400-hour project. In consultation with the Heritage Resources Management program professor, students will identify in advance on their application for enrolment in the practicum, details of their practicum project and a suitable on-site practicum supervisor. The professor will act as the course professor for the practicum. Students should plan to make application for their practicum several months before they plan to begin it. The application is to be submitted to the HRM program. Please see the HERM 691 syllabus for details and contact the HRM office for further instructions.
Undergraduate foundational courses | |
| Students must demonstrate competency in HERM 322, HERM 327, HERM 339, and HERM/PHIL 334. Competence in these subjects can be demonstrated in one of two ways:
In most cases, HRM graduate students will have to complete at least some of these four undergraduate courses. Note that these undergraduate courses do not have to be completed prior to admission to the graduate program; rather, they must be completed before graduating with the GD-HRM. Thus students may take the undergraduate and graduate courses at the same time. | |
| HERM 322 – Heritage Collections | (3) |
| HERM 327 – Heritage Policy in Canada | (3) |
| HERM 339 – Conservation | (3) |
| HERM/PHIL 334 – Professional Ethics in Heritage Resources Management | (3) |
Completion time limits
Students can complete the degree in 30 months or less. Some learners may need as little as one year to complete the diploma. Students may study in the program on a full- or part-time basis. Students must complete three credits of course or project work during a one-year academic period (September 1 to August 31) in order to maintain program status. Failure to meet the requirement may result in an inactivation of a student's program status.
Program deferral
Students may interrupt their studies by submitting a Request for Program Deferral Form (PDF) to the GD-HRM office and receiving approval from the Program Director. There are no fees associated with this request. The maximum length of one deferral is one (1) year. In special circumstances, students may reapply for a second year of deferral during their time in the program.
Program withdrawal
Students may withdraw from the Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management program by submitting their request in writing to the GD-HRM office. Students who withdraw may be reactivated in the program by requesting approval to the Program Director and paying a reactivation fee.
Course delivery
All Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management (GD-HRM) courses are delivered as grouped study courses, with the exception of HERM 512: Advanced Methods in Heritage Research and HERM 691: Heritage Diploma Practicum, which are offered as individualized study courses. Students will communicate with their course instructor via email or internal mail (Athabasca University’s learning management system) and send assignments over the Internet. Computer conferencing may be used as part of the learning environment. Learners will require access to a computer with configurations and software as outlined in the computer requirements. As instructional support is provided through an online environment, it is important that students have regular and reliable Internet access.
Course are offered via the Internet either in paced seminar format (fall, winter, spring) or as individualized study (starting the first of every month). Registration requests must be received by the HRM office at least one month before the requested start date.
Course extensions
Students opting for the individualized-study course have the flexibility to determine their own timelines for completing it within their six-month contract period. Should students experience time problems, they may extend the course contract by submitting a completed Course Extension Request Form, along with the appropriate fees, to the HRM Office. Individualized-study courses may be extended three times for a period of two months each. Contact the HRM office for more information on extensions.
Incomplete
In exceptional circumstances, and where the course instructor concurs, students may be assigned a grade of Incomplete (INC). This allows students to take an additional two months to complete and submit the course work. Two months after the original course completion date, a grade will be assigned to the course.
If the required course work has not been submitted, a failing grade of F will be assigned.
Re-registration
Students may re-register in a course only if they have received a final grade of 59 per cent or lower, or have withdrawn from the course in good standing. In re-registering, students must complete all course requirements and pay the full course fee. Both the initial registration and the re-registration will appear on the student’s transcript.
Course withdrawals
Students may withdraw from a course up until the contract end date by completing and submitting a Withdrawal Request Form. The date of withdrawal will be the postmark on the request, or if the notice is hand-delivered or faxed, the University date stamp.
If a student withdraws from a course within the first 30 days of the course start date, the record of registration will be deleted from their official transcript (refer to Course Refunds below). If a student withdraws from a course after the first 30 days of the course start date but before the contract end date of the course, the official record and transcript will show that the student withdrew without credit and without prejudice or academic penalty and no refund will be issued.
Course refunds
Students will only receive a refund of the full course tuition fees minus the course withdrawal processing fee (refer to Fees) if they withdraw from the course within 30 days of the course start date or before the first day of class. Do not return the learning resources. A refund is not granted to students who withdraw 30 days after the course contract start date.
Grading system
With the exception of HERM 691, which will be graded on a pass/fail basis, all courses will be graded using the Alpha/4.0 grading scale.
Please review the Graduate Grading Policy and Academic Records FAQ for more information on grading scales.
A non-refundable convenience charge will be charged when using Visa or Mastercard to pay student fees. American Express is no longer an accepted method of payment. For more information on the convenience charge, please visit the Financial Services website.
The following fees are effective for courses starting Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025. All fees are quoted in Canadian dollars and are subject to change. Academic-related fees are exempt from the Federal Goods and Services Tax (G.S.T.). G.S.T. is added to all other goods and services, for example, workshops, some publications, self-help seminars, and Athabasca University promotional sales items.
| Program application fee (non-refundable) required each time a person applies: | $197 |
| Program admission fee (payable upon acceptance into the program and non-refundable) | $255 |
| Non-program application fee (non-refundable) required only once and waived if previously an AU student: | $124 |
Course tuition fees (includes all required materials)
| Students living in Canada: practicum fees: | $1,8841 $2,3831 |
| Students living outside Canada: practicum fees: | $2,1291 $2,6281 |
1 Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management (GD-HRM) Course Tuition fees now include a Course Administration fee of $158 and Course Materials fee of $37 per course, plus the Athabasca University Graduate Students Association (AUGSA) fees of $14 per credit.
Estimated program tuition cost (2024-2025):
The total tuition cost for a student living in Canada who takes all courses from Athabasca University, would be $9,919 ($1,884 x 4, three-credit course equivalents, plus the $2,383 practicum fee). AUGSA, the Course Administration and Technology fee and the Course Materials fee are included in this calculation. Application and admission fees are not.
Note: One of the requirements of the graduate diploma is competence in topics covered in HERM 322, HERM 327, HERM 339, and PHIL/HERM 334. See Admission Requirements for more information.
Other fees
| Transfer credit evaluation fee: | $348/course |
| Letter of Permission fee: | $100 |
| Continuation fee: | $136 |
| Course extension fee: | $334 |
| Western Deans' Agreement administration fee (non-AU visiting students) | $250/course |
| Course withdrawal processing fee2: | $453 |
| HERM 670 on-site fee (charged in addition to tuition) | $1,063 |
| HERM 671 on-site fee (charged in addition to tuition) | $1,020 |
| AU Graduate Student Association Fee | $14/credit |
2 The course withdrawal processing fee is a mandatory administrative fee charged when a student withdraws from a course. For early withdrawal only, the student will be refunded the full course tuition fees (see above) less the course withdrawal processing fee. Refer to Withdrawals.
Fee information effective Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025.
Information effective Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025.
Helpful links and resources:
Updated December 11, 2024 by Office of the Registrar (calendar@athabascau.ca)