Six new Masters degrees are being introduced by the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland in 2016, including a Master of Heritage Conservation (MHerCons), which will be the first qualification of its type in New Zealand.

The other five new degrees on offer combine courses from the School of Architecture and Planning’s Master of Architecture (Professional), Master of Heritage Conservation, Master of Urban Design and Master of Urban Planning curriculum.

The five combined Masters degrees have been developed in response to the increasingly multi-disciplinary nature of working in the built environment. For example, they will produce urban planning graduates with increased design ability, and architecture graduates with greater urban design knowledge and experience.

“I am particularly excited about the combined Masters degrees which include heritage conservation,” says Dr. Julia Gatley, acting head of the School of Architecture and Planning.

“The heritage industry is very diverse and with these degrees, both architecture and planning postgraduates will have the option of also learning about heritage processes and working on heritage buildings as part of their selected programme.”

Full list of new degrees below:

• MHerCons: a programme with one year and one-and-a-half year options (120 point and 180 point options).
• MArch(Prof)/MHerCons: a two-and-a-half year (300 point) programme.
• MArch(Prof)/MUrbDes: a two-and-a-half year (300 point) programme.
• MArch(Prof)/MUrbPlan(Prof): a three year (360 point) programme.
• MUrbPlan(Prof)/MHerCons: a two-and-a-half year (300 point) programme.
• MUrbPlan(Prof)/MUrbDes: a two-and-a-half year (300 point) programme.

The University has been working with the architecture and planning accreditation bodies to ensure that the new combined Masters are fully accredited by the relevant body.