Department Overview

Building on our singular status as the longest running architectural history program in the nation, we are actively reimagining the power and potential of architectural history, historic preservation, critical heritage, public history, and cultural landscape studies for the 21st-century. In order to grapple effectively with the most pressing problems of our time, from rapid urbanization to climate change, we must understand how we arrived where we are today. When we better understand the past, from multiple perspectives, we gain powerful insights for envisioning and building better futures.

WHAT DISTINGUISHES ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY AT UVA?

We are the only Architectural History program that is situated in a UNESCO World Heritage site – the University of Virginia’s Academical Village — and in a region featuring captivating cultural landscapes and historic sites. Our students have access to an extraordinary learning laboratory, within and beyond UVA — places where innovative approaches to the history of the built environment are being tested and where long-overlooked voices are inspiring new conversations.

Our students benefit from unique opportunities:

Gaining hands-on experience documenting & interpreting historic sites & cultural landscapes
Experimenting with new digital tools for documentation & interpretation
Exploring existing archives & creating new ones
Tailoring coursework to support varied interests, drawing on offerings in the department as well as across & beyond the School of Architecture
Developing foundational skills of critical thinking & writing
Pursuing original research for a thesis in close dialogue with a faculty advisor

Even as we take full advantage of the rich historical landscapes that surround us in and beyond Charlottesville, Architectural History @ UVA opens windows onto histories of cities, buildings, and landscapes around the world. Many of our students take advantage of study-abroad opportunities in Rome and Venice, as well as wide-ranging internships and fieldwork opportunities, often drawing on our exceptionally generous alumni network.

DEGREE PROGRAMS

Bachelor of Architectural History (BArH)

4-year undergraduate program
Optional concentration in Historic Preservation

Master of Architectural History (MArH)

2-year graduate program
Optional Certificate in Historic Preservation

FACULTY

Architectural History Department

Affiliated Faculty

Lisa Goff, American Studies + English, Director of the Institute for Public History
Michael Lee, Landscape Architecture
Angel Adams Parham, Sociology
Erin Putalik, Landscape Architecture
Andrea Roberts, Urban & Environmental Planning
Jessica Sewell, Urban & Environmental Planning

Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows in Race, Place, and Equity

Olanrewaju Lasisi (2023-24)
Ana Ozaki (2023-24)
Rina Priyani (2024-26)

Faculty Perspectives

UVA Architectural History Chair Sheila Crane and Professor Louis Nelson share highlights of the program.

Architectural History