Heritage Resources Management at Athabasca University

Protecting our heritage today to build a better tomorrow.
Your future — and the future of heritage — starts here.

Heritage can play a role in our global search for environmental sustainability and social justice. But we have to know how to identify, conserve, and responsibly use our heritage — it’s critical now more than ever. With the knowledge, skills, and know-how to manage heritage in a way that respects values and ethics, embraces community, elevates diverse voices, and protects it for present and future generations, you can make a positive impact on our heritage and our world.

Learning how to manage heritage at Athabasca University is an accessible, empowering experience like no other. As Canada’s only fully online program for Heritage Resources Management, it’s easier than ever to access life-changing knowledge. You’ll leave AU with the real-life experience and critical theory needed to manage heritage while promoting sustainability and inclusivity, both locally and globally.

Why heritage?

Heritage is all around us: from Indigenous cultural places like Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai'pi and its rock art, to the landscape of Grand Pré and the cultural heritage of Old Québec; from natural heritage places such as Dinosaur Provincial Park to archaeological and historical artifacts, and cultural belongings such as ceremonial clothing and objects; and from intangible cultural heritage and practices to contemporary artwork.

It is cultural places, historic buildings and landmarks, artwork and rare manuscripts, natural phenomena and landscapes, and languages and traditional dances.

Heritage is the shared memory of humankind. It’s how we pass our stories on through the generations.

And heritage is alive and evolving. Far from being a dusty time capsule of old artifacts, heritage is integral to solving today’s most pressing challenges, from Indigenous justice to climate change.

Why Athabasca University?

  • Open, flexible, and accessible learning for all

    We are the only fully online program of our kind in Canada, and we’re accessible to students around the globe.

  • A bridge between local, national, and international heritage

    We take a holistic approach to connect and contextualize local, national, and international heritage conservation issues.

  • Learning grounded in current realities affecting our world

    We believe heritage isn’t just for display: it’s for making real, tangible global differences in favour of social justice, sustainability, and climate action — now and in the future.

  • Real-life learning, beyond theory

    We go beyond theory in our classes, ensuring your education balances rigorous scholarship with real-world application.

  • Diverse knowledge, diverse skills, diverse opportunities

    Our concept of heritage resources management doesn’t stop at one type of heritage or one worldview. We prioritize the entire spectrum of what’s considered heritage, including collections and belongings, and the natural and built environments, among diverse communities worldwide.

  • People-first approach

    Our approach to heritage is values-based and community-centered. We amplify Indigenous and non-Western voices to foster a nuanced understanding that is applicable globally.

Our courses cover important themes

  • Climate change, impact, and adaptation
  • Community engagement
  • Cultural landscape approach
  • Decolonization
  • Indigenous heritage and conciliation
  • Sustainability

Our heritage, your future

A Graduate Diploma/University Certificate in Heritage Resources Management (HRM) can take you wherever you want to go — whether that’s doing place-based heritage conservation, planning and management, or working in a historic place, museum or archive.

You’ll leave with the knowledge and skills to become a leader in an exciting and rapidly evolving field. Through AU’s HRM program, you’ll become knowledgeable about the entire lifecycle of heritage management, from leading research methods to effectively managing heritage and sharing its value with community groups.

Expect your classes to cover

  • Collections management
  • Conservation
  • Heritage places documentation
  • Heritage places planning
  • Heritage policy and professional ethics
  • Heritage research
  • Interpretation

After graduation, you might find yourself becoming an

  • Anthropologist
  • Archaeologist
  • Archivist
  • Collection manager
  • Community engagement advisor
  • Conservator
  • Cultural heritage expert
  • Cultural landscape expert
  • Curator
  • Heritage project manager
  • Heritage planner
  • Heritage researcher
  • Interpreter
  • National park manager

Check out our heritage careers page for more inspiration.

General Information

The HRM program is offered as an Undergraduate Certificate and a Graduate Diploma .

If you do not already hold an undergraduate degree and are not in a degree program, then your only choice is to enrol in the Undergraduate Certificate, as you must have a degree to join the graduate program.

If you are in an undergraduate program already, you should contact the HRM office to discuss your options. Depending upon how far along you are in the program, you may want to either complete the Undergraduate Certificate alongside your degree, or if you are nearing the end of your degree, your best option may be to complete the four foundational undergraduate courses required by the Graduate Diploma, thereby readying yourself for the graduate program.

If you already have a degree of any type, in ANY discipline, you should only be considering the Graduate Diploma in HRM. While you could technically enrol in the Undergraduate Certificate, we strongly advise against this route for a number of reasons.

The UC-HRM does offer more flexibility as the courses are all unpaced, and it also costs less than the graduate program, but there are a number of benefits to following the grad route for students that qualify for admission to the GD-HRM.

Firstly, the material and level of discourse in the courses is more advanced and therefore in keeping with the academic abilities of someone who already holds a degree. Also, peers in a graduate class would be at a level better matched to your scholastic skills, so you have a good networking opportunity, especially since the grad courses incorporate discussion forums that are not possible in the unpaced undergrad courses. Finally, more undergraduate-level training would have a minimal impact on your professional credentials, while more graduate work will significantly help your resume, future career prospects, and it would also strengthen your academic position should you wish to continue your studies either for a master's degree, or for studies at the doctorate level.

The readings and assignments are heavier at the grad level, and of course there is more structure to the schedule of the paced grad courses, but these are relative minor differences compared to the advantages of having our graduate diploma. Keep in mind, you'll still be doing a lot of work for the undergrad program, and although the courses will be good for you personally, it won't help to build your professional portfolio as much as it could, considering the level that you are already at. It would be unfortunate for a student qualified to study at the graduate level to follow the undergrad route now, and later realize that they have missed the opportunity of adding a significant graduate credential.

Undergraduate Certificate

The Undergraduate Certificate is designed for students who do not already hold a University Degree. Certificate students must complete all of the HRM Certificate courses including the Practicum. This totals 30 credits (8 courses worth 3 credits each plus a 6 credit Practicum). The Practicum requires 240-hours of work. All courses are offered in distance format with tutor support.

Graduate Diploma

A baccalaureate degree is required for admission to the Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management ( GD-HRM). Students must complete 18 credits (four courses worth 3 credits each plus a 6 credit Practicum). The Practicum requires 400 hours of work. All courses are offered in online distance format utilizing discussion boards and other interactive techniques. All courses have full-time Instructor support.

GD-HRM students must also demonstrate competence in the topics covered in HERM 322 (Heritage Collections), HERM 327 (Heritage Policy in Canada), HERM 339 (Conservation), and HERM 334 (Professional Ethics in Heritage Resources Management). See the list of Certificate courses for details. Competence in these subjects can be demonstrated in one of three ways:

  • taking the Undergraduate Certificate courses
  • having transcripts assessed by the HRM Program Director to receive Competency through prior undergrad courses

Students

Students fall into one of three categories:

  • regular Program students who are enrolled in the Undergraduate Certificate or the Post-Baccalaureate Diploma programs
  • other Athabasca University undergraduate and graduate students who are taking HRM courses as electives for other programs or as visiting students.
  • Historical Resources Intern Program students who are enrolled in the Undergraduate Certificate or the Graduate Diploma in HRM

All students take the same courses together, creating a diverse student body.

Updated January 20, 2026 by Digital & Web Operations ([email protected])