The Practical Nature of Heritage Management Courses

After attending two semester’s worth of heritage management courses at Centennial College’s Culture and Heritage Site Management program, students are able to apply for work at local, national, cross border, and possibly international organizations. What’s even cooler is that among these organizations are: national historic sites, municipal and not-for-profit museums, galleries, national and provincial parks, historic sites, zoos, world heritage sites; federal, provincial and municipal cultural funding agencies, government departments, arts service organizations; and related not-for-profit arts, cultural and heritage organizations. More specifically, Canada has 2,500 museums and related institutions that include not-for-profit museums, art galleries, science centres, aquaria, archives, sports halls-of-fame, artist-run centres, zoos, and heritage sites that attract more than 59 million visitors annually; a further 60 million visit Canada’s historic sites and natural parks.

The reason grads of Centennial College’s heritage management courses are able to find employment in such a variety of workplaces is because the curriculum covers such a wide range of topics that engage students in practical management topics as well as industry-based subjects relevant to this largely publicly run or not-for-profit culture and heritage sector. All Centennial College heritage management courses also ensure that students pursue an in-depth exploration of issues and cases pertinent to current challenges confronting cultural and heritage organizations at home and abroad. Among the specific heritage management courses are: Culture and Heritage Management Essentials, Financial Management and Planning for the Culture and Heritage Sector, Culture and Heritage Marketing and Strategy; Grants, Fundraising and Sponsorship, Innovative Technologies in the Culture and Heritage Sector, National Historic Site Management and more.

Additionally, to supplement culture courses and heritage management courses, partnerships with local, regional, provincial and national institutions and establishments facilitate in-session learner field placements during the second semester. The two-day-per-week, 15-week field placement is an opportunity for those taking culture courses and heritage management courses to apply what they have learned as well as work side by side with industry professionals currently practicing their art.

The culture course in this program are geared at mature students who, during the application process, must be able to prove they have already obtained a college diploma or university degree in any discipline. Applicants are also required to submit a resume with relevant work experience. The Culture and Heritage Site Management program will, however, consider applicants with partial post secondary education and relevant work experience in the field.