Spring 2026 Courses

Spring 2026 Courses: Registration Opens December 17, 2025

Payment for these courses will be accepted online via the registration links below starting on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. We are able to accept payment by purchase order for these courses.
If you prefer to pay by check or PO, email preservation@camden.rutgers.edu with your name, the course(s) and/or workshop(s) you want to take, and your intention to pay by check or PO, and we will provide you with instructions for completing your registration.

Materials and Techniques of Restoration and Rehabilitation

Thursday, January 8, 2026 – Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
10-week class | credit/no credit | 2 CEUs
In-Person at Rutgers University – Camden – The Writers House – 305 Cooper Street, Camden, NJ 08102
Students must take either Materials and Techniques of Restoration and Rehabilitation or Preservation Planning to earn the Certificate in Historic Preservation

This course offers an overview of different materials commonly used in our region and the techniques for their repair. Repairing existing regional materials not only maintains historic aesthetics, but preservation also reduces demands on natural resources from a sustainability standpoint. Materials to be examined are: masonry (stone, brick, concrete, terra cotta, mortar), wood, finishes, plaster, and metals. The class will discuss techniques utilized to read historic evidence in buildings and provide an introduction to the NJ Rehabilitation subcode.

Instructor: Bob Russell

Schedule: 10 weeks starting Thursday, January 8, 2026 – Thursday, January 12, 2026

Who should register?: Students who wish to earn the Certificate in Historic Preservation should take this course.

Required technology: None

Cost: $275 – We accept Purchase Order (PO) requests.

Course Number: HP-104-Sp26

Register (limit 20): Register here. If the class is full, you will be added to the waiting list. If a spot opens on the waiting list, we will let you know.

About the Instructor:

Bob Russell is a partner in the Princeton-area firm HMR Architects. He has over forty years of experience and has carried out historic preservation projects at such notable sites as Absecon Lighthouse, Drumthwacket, Craftsman Farms, Batsto Village, and High Point Monument. He and his firm have also done significant work at the Princeton and Rutgers University campuses, particularly in the restoration of old buildings. He previously taught in the Drew University Historic Preservation program.

Topics in Public History: Interpretation at Historic Sites for the 250th Anniversary

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 – Tuesday, April 10, 2026 at 7 – 9 p.m.
10-week class | credit/no credit | 2 CEUs
Online via Zoom and Canvas (Rutgers course management system)

How do preservation practitioners effectively and meaningfully convey the significance of historic sites to their audiences? Tracing the evolution of public history from the Bicentennial in 1976 to the present, this course explores how audiences of U.S. history have developed over time, and how interpretation has adapted to meet their needs. This semester, the Special Topics in Public History course focuses on the 250th anniversary, or Semiquincentennial.

In 2026, stewards of historic sites face shrinking budgets and a public discourse clouded by misinformation. This course prepares students to harness interpretation to foster critical thinking and deepen audience engagement at their historic sites. Using case studies spanning the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act to the present, this course analyzes methods of interpretation at historic sites, including those with no artifacts or limited budgets, to develop programming for the 250th. This course explores the evolution of language in historiography, the movement from instructive to affective portrayals of history, and American social theories such as the Melting Pot and Mosaic to connect and deeper understand case studies.

By the end of this course, each student will create an interpretive guide to implement at their respective historic sites or museums for the 250th. Lectures are supplemented by moderate readings, and students will answer weekly research questions connecting course material with their sites. Each student will compile their responses to form their own interpretive guide, graded in two parts as the final project for the course. Students not representing a historic site/museum may choose a case study or create a general interpretive guide.

Instructor: Olivia Chaudhury

Schedule: 10 weeks starting Tuesday, February 3, 2026 – Tuesday, April 7.

Who should register?: This course will be useful for employees and volunteers at historic sites and museums developing their sites’ interpretation and programming for the 250th, and is also accessible to anyone interested in historical interpretation, public history and audience engagement.

Required technology: Computer with webcam and microphone and a reliable internet connection.

Cost: $275 – We accept Purchase Order (PO) requests.

Course Number: HP-137-Sp26-Online

Register (limit 20): Register here. If the class is full, you will be added to the waiting list. If a spot opens on the waiting list, we will let you know.

About the Instructor:

Olivia VF Chaudhury is a Historic Preservation Specialist at the New Jersey Historic Trust. Ms. Chaudhury holds a B.S. Urban and Regional Studies and an M.A. Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University, where she wrote her M.A. thesis, “How America Remembers Itself: An Analysis of Programming in the Bicentennial, Semiquincentennial and American Girl, Centering Indigenous Perspectives.” She served as a Principal Researcher at the John W. Jones Museum in Elmira, NY and as the Reisinger Scholar at the New York Preservation Archive Project in New York, NY.

American Architectural History

Wednesday, February 4, 2026 – Wednesday, April 15 at 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. There will be no class on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
10-week class | credit/no credit | 2 CEUs
Hybrid: Online via Zoom and Canvas (Rutgers course management system) and in-person field trips.
Required to earn the Certificate in Historic Preservation

Our built environment, including landscapes, buildings, and other features, is shaped by ecological, cultural, technological, political, and economic forces, to name just a few.

In this course we will explore how these different forces have impacted the built environment in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States from the Native American period to around 50 years ago. We’ll also examine relevant examples of the built environment from other parts of the world to place the development of our local architecture in context.

Within each period, we will discuss examples of urban and rural landscapes, a wide variety of building types, and significant engineering and industrial structures. The goal will be to understand the diversity of the built environment and the people who lived there during each period, so we can appreciate why it looked the way it did, what has been lost, and what has survived to the present day.

Each week, you will be required to complete assignments that will help you develop a critical eye for the built environment that you experience every day. You will also develop a final project narrative that focuses on a site of your choice and will include a description of the site; changes over time; and impacts of the significant forces that have shaped your site.

At the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Understand the relevance of the built environment in your day-to-day life for the purposes of interpretation, research, and advocacy in the field of historic preservation
  • Identify key moments, styles and trends in the history of the American built environment, with a focus on the Mid-Atlantic region
  • Analyze the built environment for clues about the date of construction and changes over time
  • Articulate why components of our built environment look the way they do

This class is a blend of asynchronous lectures of around 45 minutes and weekly 1-hour classes, totaling 20 hours of instructional time. Students must be prepared to dedicate 45 minutes week to fulfilling the lectures in addition to synchronous class time.

Instructor: Lori Aument

Schedule: 10 weeks starting Wednesday, February 4, 2026 – Wednesday, April 15. There will be no class on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

Who should register?: This course is intended for audiences of all educational and professional backgrounds who have an interest in historic preservation. We welcome both professionals in the field of historic preservation and related fields, as well as those who volunteer with historic organizations and buildings, own their own historic homes, or who have a general interest in the topic.

Required technology: Computer with webcam and microphone and a reliable internet connection.

Cost: $275 – We accept Purchase Order (PO) requests.

Course Number: HP-102-Sp26

Register (limit 20): Register here. If the class is full, you will be added to the waiting list. If a spot opens on the waiting list, we will let you know.

About the Instructor:

Lori Aument has 25 years of experience as a building conservator and is currently a Senior Associate at WJE in Philadelphia. Her expertise is in the history of architecture and the practical methods needed to protect and repair historic sites. She holds a BS in Art History and a MS in Historic Preservation. In 2019, Lori launched the Philadelphia history podcast, Found in Philadelphia, to engage listeners with stories from the past that still impact our lives today. She is also adjunct faculty in the Historic Preservation department at Thomas Jefferson University.

Contemporary and Past Debates in Historic Preservation

Thursday, March 26, 2026 – Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
6-week class | credit/no credit | 1.2 CEUs
Hybrid: Online via Zoom and Canvas (Rutgers course management system). Final class on Thursday, April 30 will be held in-person at Rutgers University – Camden

This seminar series is designed to engage students in conversation about specific topics, issues and debates in the historic preservation field – past, present and future. The seminar will be held in five, two-hour, virtual sessions, each beginning with a 10-15 minutes presentation on the topic. The final class will be in-person on the Camden campus.  Participants will be prepared to dissect each topic based on reading assignments, listening to others and thoughtful consideration. Instructor will moderate as needed. Credit will be given based on participation and final project. Topics subject to change.

This seminar series is designed to engage students in conversation about specific topics, issues and debates in the historic preservation field – past, present and future. Topics will include public policy, housing, local attitudes, and climate change and sustainability. Each class will feature a short presentation before opening for discussion, culminating in a final class and project where the class, broken into teams, will formally debate the topics covered in previous weeks.

Prerequisite Required: Introduction to Historic Preservation (HP-101)

Instructor: Dorothy Guzzo

Schedule: 6 weeks starting Thursday, March 26, 2026 – Thursday, April 30, 2026. Final class will be held in-person.

Who should register?: This course will be useful for anyone looking to broaden their understanding of current issues in historic preservation.

Required technology: Computer with webcam and microphone and a reliable internet connection.

Cost: $175 – We accept Purchase Order (PO) requests.

Course Number: HP-138-Sp26

Register (limit 24): Register here. If the class is full, you will be added to the waiting list. If a spot opens on the waiting list, we will let you know.

About the Instructor:

Dorothy P. Guzzo served as executive director of the New Jersey Historic Trust from 2008-2024. From 1995 to 2008, as the deputy state historic preservation officer for New Jersey, she oversaw the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, project certification to qualify for Investment Tax Credits, certifying local governments for implementing programs on the municipal level, historic and archaeological resource inventory and resource protection through state and federal regulations. She has held elected office and served on her municipal planning board and local historic preservation commission. Ms. Guzzo served on the New Jersey Heritage Tourism Task Force and was charged with creating a Heritage Tourism Master Plan for the state of New Jersey.

Steps Through History: Developing Walking Tours That Matter

Monday, April 6, 2026 – Monday, May 4, 2026 at 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
5-week class | credit/no credit | 1 CEU
Hybrid: Online via Zoom and Canvas (Rutgers course management system) and potential in-person field trips

History is everywhere! Learn the main components of building an inclusive history tour, including storytelling: identifying and layering histories, designing the geographic tour area(s), and creating accessible pathways and wayfaring ideas.

Instructor: Sheila McElroy

Schedule: Five weeks starting Monday, April 6, 2026 – Monday, May 4, 2026

Who should register?: This course will be useful for anyone looking to broaden their understanding of current issues in historic preservation.

Required technology: Computer with webcam and microphone and a reliable internet connection.

Cost: $150 – We accept Purchase Order (PO) requests.

Course Number: HP-139-Sp26

Register (limit 20): Register here. If the class is full, you will be added to the waiting list. If a spot opens on the waiting list, we will let you know.

The Five Pillars of Preventative Conservation

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 – Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
5-week class | credit/no credit | 1 CEU
Online via Zoom and Canvas (Rutgers course management system)

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the five core pillars of preventive conservation: policies and practices, environmental management, housing/storage and space, housekeeping and pest management, and emergency preparedness. Each week, students will learn about a new pillar of preventive conservation and why they are important when preserving historic resources and collections. Students will also learn strategies and policies they can introduce at their own institutions to promote responsible resource management and collections care.

Instructor: Shannon Bremer

Schedule: Five weeks starting Tuesday, April 14, 2026 – Tuesday, May 12, 2026, live online from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Who should register?: This course will be useful for anyone looking to broaden their understanding of current issues in historic preservation.

Required technology: Computer with webcam and microphone and a reliable internet connection.

Cost: $150 – We accept Purchase Order (PO) requests.

Course Number: HP-136-Sp26-Online

Register (limit 20): Register here. If the class is full, you will be added to the waiting list. If a spot opens on the waiting list, we will let you know.

About the instructor:

Shannon Bremer is a Historic Preservation Specialist for the New Jersey Historic Trust. She has overseen numerous grant-funded, preservation projects ranging from preservation plans and construction documents to ADA accessibility and capital improvement projects since she began working for the Trust in 2022. Ms. Bremer also provides technical assistance to grantees and the public at large as well as assists with the Trust’s Emergency Intervention Fund. Ms. Bremer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington (Fredericksburg, VA) and a Master of Arts in American Studies from the College of William & Mary (Williamsburg, VA). She also holds a certificate in Material Culture and Public History from the National Institute of American History and Democracy at the College of William & Mary.

Cancellation policy

  • Courses (three or more class meetings): Students may cancel their registrations prior to the start of class for a full refund.  For withdrawals within the first two weeks of class, cancellations will be refunded 50 percent.  After the first two weeks, no refunds will be issued.
  • Workshops (two days or less): Cancellations are fully refundable up to one week prior to the start of the workshop. No other refunds will be issued.
  • In all cases, registrations are non-transferable to another person.

*Class and workshop details subject to change.