Master of Cultural Resources Management

Earn your Master's in Cultural Resources Management at Sonoma State University. Ideal for international students seeking career opportunities in preservation. Apply now!

Program Description Established in 1978, Sonoma State’s Master of Arts in Cultural Resources Management (CRM) is one of the oldest such programs in the United States. Its alumni have gone on to assume high-level positions at universities, private firms, and local, state, and federal agencies. CRM involves the identification, evaluation, and preservation of cultural resources, as mandated by cultural resources legislation and guided by scientific standards within the planning process. A goal of the master’s program in Cultural Resources Management is to produce professionals who are competent in the methods and techniques appropriate for filling cultural resources management and related positions, and who have the theoretical background necessary for research design, and data collection and analysis. Persons with an M.A. in CRM will be qualified to hold positions within the United States and its territories. Some individuals will also be qualified to serve outside of the United States in an advisory capacity in establishing and managing cultural resources management programs within environmental protection and preservation contexts of other nations. The CRM program emphasizes: Experience in developing projects and programs in cultural resources management Experience in conducting analyses of archaeological, osteological, linguistic, and sociocultural data for purposes of assisting public and private sectors in the implementation of environmental protection and historic preservation legislation Training in the professional traditions of inquiry within anthropology and history to enable the student to assess the research significance of archaeological and ethnohistoric resources Experience with anthropological techniques of field and laboratory analysis, and archival and museum preparation Experience with existing cultural resources management data-keeping facilities. Students in the program, under the supervision of a primary faculty advisor, develop a plan of study and thesis project that reflects their special interest in cultural resources management. In addition, students are encouraged to present the results of their work and research in professional meetings, research publications, and public documents.