Consisting of 15 days of classes over a two-and-a-half-week period, these courses, taken as a whole, are intended to act as a general introduction to the field of historic preservation. Courses are led by noted preservation experts from Southern California and the United States. Designed for students, design professionals, community leaders, established preservationists, planners, and developers seeking to situate their practice within a contemporary context, this series of short courses in historic preservation will be of interest to any individual concerned with the conservation of our cultural heritage.

In addition to lectures examining the history and philosophy of the preservation movement, field trips to historic sites throughout the Los Angeles area will introduce students to a broad range of legal, economic, aesthetic and technical issues associated with the documentation, conservation, and interpretation of historic structures, landscapes, and communities. Among sites visited are the Gamble and Freeman Houses, Rancho Los Alamitos, and the Getty Conservation Institute. Courses may be attended individually or in combination and qualify as AIA Continuing Education units.