XClose

UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage

Home
Menu

Heritage Management student testimonials

Discover what alumni from UCL's Sustainable Heritage MSc think about the programme.

Natalie Ioannou - square
Natalie Ioannou

Studied 2020 -21

"The Sustainable Heritage MSc is perfect for someone looking for an intellectual challenge, and complements a variety of future careers relating to the built environment or museum collections. I not only gained a wealth of knowledge, but I have also widened my skillset through teamwork and project management, which will be invaluable in my new role."

Find out more about Natalie's experience


Xinrui Dan with friends from the programme
Xinrui Dan

Studied 2020-21

"My experience on the MSc Sustainable Heritage course led to a successful internship opportunity at Historic England, where I had a very enjoyable internship after graduating. Meanwhile, the knowledge I gained during my postgraduate studies helped me to become more certain about the kind of work I want to do in my future career in relation to public engagement and urban renewal."

Find out more about Xinrui's experience


Ed Gritten

Studied 2020-21

"The MSc helped me to broaden my view about what sustainability is and how best a holistic approach can be implemented, whilst providing the technical skills and using systems thinking in various fields."

Ed Gritten Sustainable Heritage MSc graduate

Find out more about Ed's experience


Sally Giza
Sally Sabbahy

Studied 2016–17

"Coming out of a writing and journalism background to join the MSc, I never expected that I would be able to fuse the two worlds together to create something new and better-suited for the coming phase of my life, but that’s exactly what happened."
 

Read more of Sally's testimonial...

"The interdisciplinary nature of the course and the diverse professional backgrounds of my fellow classmates created an environment where I was able to flourish and hone my writing skills and critical approaches, while taking on the challenging materials and case studies provided in the course. Because of this, I can proudly say that the best written work I have ever produced is my dissertation, and I owe a large part of that to the excellence of the course, our passionate tutors, and a cohort of extraordinarily supportive classmates and alumni.

"I was able to secure an internship at the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) over the summer as I wrote my dissertation, and began working in their project archives. My role soon expanded to producing a publication about ARCE’s restoration of the sarcophagus of Ramesses VI in the Valley of the Kings, and I was additionally contracted to produce written content highlighting the organisation’s countless conservation, documentation and restoration projects to accompany their website relaunch.

"Thanks to the skills, knowledge and confidence I acquired through the Sustainable Heritage MSc, I’ve successfully incorporated my previous professional skills into a new and fulfilling direction in the vast and, at times, overwhelming field of Egyptian cultural heritage".


Student 2
Tessa Harvey

Studied 2014–2016

"Embarking on a mid-life career change from publishing to heritage was a daunting prospect, but from the moment I met the UCL Sustainable Heritage course tutors and my fellow students I knew I’d done the right thing! The course stretched me in ways I couldn’t have anticipated."

Read more of Tessa's testimonial...

"The teaching was broad-ranging and fast-paced, providing a critical framework with which to navigate the sector and practical skills to offer in work placements. I valued the enthusiasm and help of UCL staff; it was also wonderful to be part of such a supportive and diverse student cohort. By the end of my time at UCL I knew I wanted to work on community-led heritage projects, and I was thrilled to join the Regeneration Taskforce of the Churches Conservation Trust. 

"I would recommend the Sustainable Heritage MSc to anyone with an interest in interdisciplinary approaches to heritage, a willingness to be challenged, and a commitment to collaborative working."


Student 3
Sara Serafi

Studied 2014–2015

"Joining the MSc as a fresh graduate coming from an architecture/design/building background, my perception of heritage was mainly associated with ‘historic building conservation’. Safe to say, it didn’t take long on the course to realise how myopic that perception was."

Read more of Sara's testimonial...

"Right from the start, through a wide range of case studies and interdisciplinary discussions, the MSc introduces you to the different meanings, concepts and approaches associated with heritage. Upon completion, the MSc allowed me to take on various opportunities in the field. With the help of Dr. Kalliopi Fouseki, MSc course director, I was able to further my dissertation into a UNESCO publication co-written with Dr. Fouseki.

"The course also acted as the stepping-stone to my career today: taking on heritage consultancy at Atkins. I can definitely say if anyone is planning to pursue a career in the heritage sector, specifically in the UK, this course will introduce you to all things heritage-related, aiding you with applicable skills/ tools, and positioning you in the right mind-set to take off in this sector."


Student testimonial image 3
Hilary Jarvis

Studied 2014–2015

"UCL’s Sustainable Heritage MSc was the first step on the route to a new career for me, after 17 years in finance. I’d long had an interest in old buildings, so it was a real boon, in amongst all the other projects and topics, to find myself studying environmental management strategies for historic houses with the person responsible for this area at the National Trust. He then agreed to mentor my dissertation, which centred on conservation heating at three National Trust properties, and from there I never really looked back."

Read more of Hilary's testimonial...

"The dissertation opened the way for volunteering opportunities with the National Trust’s preventive conservation team, who have just taken me on as part of a two-year internship, under the joint supervision of ICON. If you’re interested in pursuing or furthering a career in heritage, whatever the field, UCL’s Sustainable Heritage MSc will provide you with the contacts and experience to get you on your way."

Students Heritage