URBS 437/ 537 Heritage Preservation
Online
Fall 2014 Syllabus
Prof. Beth Wielde Heidelberg
Office: 106 Morris Hall
Office Phone: 507/ 389-1714
Office Fax: 507/ 389-6377
E-Mail: beth.heidelberg@mnsu.edu
Office Hours:
Tuesday – 9:00 – 12:30, 2:00 – 5:00
Thursday – 9:00 – 12:30
Course Description
Historic preservation is more than the act of keeping old houses looking nice. It is a coordinated
effort between local, county, state, and federal officials and citizens using planning, policy,
construction management, civil engineering, and a host of other disciplines to preserve a
community’s historic integrity while encouraging growth and development to compliment, not
contrast with, the older districts.
This course is the first in a two-part series (and don’t worry – each semester is 3 credits, it’s not 3
credits spread out over the whole academic year). When dealing with historic preservation
policy, a city needs to understand its historic resources. Without that understanding, they cannot
properly plan or prepare documentation for historic resources.
This course will focus on the identification of historic resources; being able to identify them by
sight, being able to look beneath modern modifications, and being able to put the resource in its
proper historic context and identify its most likely era of construction.
Next semester’s course (438/538) will focus on historic preservation policy. In other words, how
to work with your historic resources – what preservation laws you need to know as a planner or
manager, or a consultant that works with governmental clients.
D2L Use
All students are expected to have an active D2L account. You will be expected to take online
quizzes throughout the semester. Be sure you check D2L at least once or twice a week for
announcements and other course information. If you have not yet activated your D2L account,
you must do so during the first week of class. If you experience problems activating your
account, contact IT Services at Jeff Henline, jeffrey.henline@mnsu.edu, 507-389-2323, or
Desire2Learn Support, desire2learn@mnsu.edu, 507-389-3295.
MSU e-mail
I will be using your @mnsu.edu e-mail account to contact you. You will need to make sure the
University has set you up with an account and that you check it regularly. Many students use
another account as their primary contact, but I will not be tracking individual e-mail preferences
(I have over 250 students a
Online Course Orientation
On D2L, there is an online course orientation that will guide you through the expectations I have
for students in my online classes. The material on the online orientation sessions serves as a
supplement to this syllabus, and policies/ procedures noted in the orientation session will be
enforced. So be sure to read through it.
Books and Materials
There is one book required for the course:
McAlester, V.S. (2013 edition). A Field Guide to American Houses. Knopf: New York, NY.
I recommend finding a copy on eBay, Amazon, or other sellers online if you can; the bookstore
will, of course, charge full price for the book. So if you can find it cheaper, by all means, do so.
FAQ: Dr. Heidelberg, I found an earlier edition of this book, in paperback, that is cheaper than
this current edition. Can I use that one?
Answer: I can’t force you to buy the current edition, which has been expanded and includes
more styles, but I warn you: I am writing exam questions using the 2013 edition. It’s your call as
to whether you want to go with the cheaper version that might not have the most current
information, but you risk losing points if the quiz questions aren’t covered in the earlier edition.
I am not going to go page by page to figure out exactly what is ‘new’ and what was carried over
from the earlier edition, I am simply going to use the 2013 version to write this semester’s
questions.
Those of you who have had classes with me know that I typically use non-copyrighted
government documents in lieu of a textbook, to keep expenses down. In this class, the book is
necessary and required.
FAQ: Should I do the McAlester readings before or after I look at the class sessions?
Answer: I don’t care. Just get it done. Some people will find it easier to read McAlester and
then do the online lectures, others will find it more effective to read my online lecture sessions,
then read McAlester. I work on a philosophy that you need to find the way that works best for
you. As long as both are done before the quizzes, it doesn’t matter what order you use.
Due
Date
Quiz/ Assignment
Points
Sept 22
Oct 27
Nov 3
Quiz 1: The Preservation Movement in America to Federal Era
Quiz 2: Railroad Era to Victorian*
GRAD: Quiz, Frank Lloyd Wright (Undergrads have an extra
credit opportunity here via a separate quiz)
Quiz 3: Early 20th Century and Everything Before That (getting
ready for the Final!)
Resource Collection (GRADS: ‘Grad Supplement: Cold
Investigation, too)
Final Exam
65
70
UG – 5 (extra credit)
GR – 25
70
Nov 17
Nov 24
Dec 10
UG – 40
GR - 60
80
*All quizzes WILL have elements from prior sessions. Architecture builds on the things
that came before it, so will our quizzes.
Course Grades
Grades for this course will be simple. For undergrads, there will be three ways to earn points in
this class – quizzes, submission of a Resource Collection, and participating in the Preservation
Application series.
Grading Scale
A+
A
AB+
B
B-
97 - 100%
94 – 96%
90 – 93%
87 – 89%
84 - 86%
80 - 83%
C+
C
CD+
D
DF
77 - 79%
74 - 76%
70 - 73%
67 - 69%
64 - 66%
60 - 63%
59% ↓
Late Course Tests and Assignments
I have a standard policy for late assignments and quizzes: -3 points off per day late, and I don’t
ask questions about why it’s late. For the final exam, the point deduction is greater, -5 points
per day late, because I have to submit final grades pretty quickly after the semester ends, and not
getting it done just holds me up from doing my job (and that makes an unhappy professor). Be
aware that when the points run out, you cannot submit the quiz or assignment for any points.
I understand that sometimes there are legitimate reasons for turning in late work. Be prepared to
show documentation of your emergency in order to turn in the assignment late. If you have
documentation that can be verified (i.e. military orders, an insurance form, a hospital admittance
form), I may even toss out the point deduction. But without documentation, be prepared to
take the deduction.
Once an assignment is graded, I will not accept a ‘replacement’ assignment if you don’t perform
how you hoped. I do not deduct points easily, without a specific reason for deducting the point
(and I always explain my point deductions). If you want to really learn where the error was, I
am happy to discuss it with you and try to help you learn the material, but this will not earn any
additional points for the class. I will even look over an assignment you’ve redone to ensure you
actually learn the material, but again it will not earn additional points for the class.
Extra Credit
Undergrads can read the Frank Lloyd Wright unit and do a 5 point extra credit quiz. Grads –
There are no extra credit opportunities for grad students. You are held to an elevated academic
rigor and expected to earn all point via regular course work.
Enrollment
You must be enrolled in the course during the semester to earn a grade. I will not “hold over” a
grade, allowing you to take the class one semester and officially enroll in another. This
sometimes happens if the tuition bill cannot be paid, or there is another dispute on student status.
Basic rule: if you don’t have D2L access, you cannot participate in the class.
Attendance
This class is fully online. We will not meet in person, I do not require you to be online at a
specific time, the course is designed to let you go at your own pace. Want to finish the semester
early? Go right ahead – everything is open and ready for you. I don’t mind early submissions,
but missing deadlines? That’s not acceptable.
Students with Disabilities
MSU provides students with disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in educational
programs, activities, or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodation to
participate in class activities or meet course requirements should first register with the Office of
Disability Services, located in 0132 Memorial Library, telephone 507/ 389-2825, TDD 711, and
then contact me as soon as possible.
Cheating, Plagiarism, and Other Academic Fraud
Simply put, don’t do it, even for extra credit. The worst original work is better than the most
perfectly plagiarized. It’s okay to insert other people’s ideas, just make sure you cite them; after
all, you would want credit for an idea you had, right? And remember, I’ve read and seen a lot
of stuff; they actually pay me to do it, so do you want to take the odds that it’s a paper I’ve used
for my dissertation research?
Cheating is not tolerated in any case. If you are caught cheating!), you will receive an automatic
‘F’ for the class and your case will be handled according to University policy.
General Education Requirements
This course does not fulfill a General Education category requirement.
This course fulfills an URSI Undergraduate Elective requirement.
o It does count toward the 300-400 level requirement.
o It does not count as a writing intensive course.
This course fulfills an URSI Graduate Elective requirement
This course does not count toward the requirement of 18 credits at the 600 level.
GRADUATES: If you took this course as an undergraduate at MSU, you may NOT repeat it as a graduate
for graduate credit – the graduate college will not accept it for credit. If you are uncertain if you had this
course before, please check your transcripts. Dr. Heidelberg is NOT responsible for ‘accidental repeats’ or
checking old rosters to see if you were on there.
Learning Outcomes
After the course schedule, there are two rubrics, one for undergrads (437) and one for grad
students (537). Please look these over to see the learning outcomes and proficiency standards.
Course Schedule
Week
Of…
Online Class Session
Aug 25
Intro/ Reason for Preservation and
Preservation in the U.S.
Anatomy of a Building (McAlester reading
ONLY – no online session
Sept 1
Sept 8
Early Colonial Part A and B
Sept 15
Federal Styles Part A and B
Sept 22
Quiz #1: Intro to Federal Styles
Sept 29
Railroad Era Part A and B
Oct 6
Victorian Part A and B
Oct 13
Victorian Part C and D
Oct 20
Oct 27
Victorian Part E
GRAD: Frank Lloyd Wright Part A and B
Quiz #2: Railroad Era to Victorian
Nov 3
Early 20th Century Part A and B
Nov 10
Early 20th Century Part C
Nov 17
Quiz #3: Early 20th Century and
Everything Before That! (Getting ready for
the Final)
Folk Forms (McAlester reading ONLY – no
online session) and Lost Twin Cities
Nov 24
(None)
Section, “Looking at American Houses.”
 Start on pg. 5, “Style.”
 Stop at “Development Influences,
pg 86.
Postmedieval English
Dutch Colonial
French Colonial
Georgian
Federal
Greek Revival
QUIZ #1
Gothic Revival
Italianate
Second Empire
Octagon
Stick
Queen Anne
Folk Victorian
Shingle
Richardsonian Romanesque
Beaux Arts
Neoclassical Revival
QUIZ #2
F, L. Wright
Quiz
Dec 1
Mid Century Modern Part A and B
Dec 10
Final Exam – DUE DEC 10
McAlester Reading
What’s Due
Tudor
Colonial Revival
Craftsman
Prairie
Art Deco
QUIZ #3
Resource
Collection
QUIZ #4
Section: Folk Houses (pgs 105 – 155)
Native American
Pre-Railroad
National
Manufactured
International
Ranch
Shed
Other 20th Century Modern
Assessment Rubric For Key Skills For URBS 437 – HERITAGE PRESERVATION
Supports Program Competency 2: To participate in and contribute to the public policy process
Supports Program Competency 3: To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make decisions
Supports Program Competency 4: To articulate and apply a public service perspective
Supports Mission Specific (MSp) Competency: Street Readiness
Does not clearly
articulate task/skill
understanding or
demonstrate ability to
use skill
(NOT PROFICIENT
Grade: D,F)
TASK/LEARNING OUTCOME
Foundational knowledge of Preservation
Movement (A)
Familiarity with First Period of American
Architecture (Colonial to Federal) (A)
Familiarity with Second Period of American
Architecture (Romantic to Victorian (B)
Familiarity with Early 20th Century to Mid
Century Modern styles (C)
Comprehensive knowledge of American
architectural styles (D)
Ability to apply theoretical concepts in a
field survey (E)
NOTES and OBSERVATIONS:
(A) Evaluated on first quiz
(B) Evaluated on second quiz
INSTRUCTOR:
STUDENT:
Average ability to
articular task/skill
understanding or
demonstrate ability to
use the skill
(PROFICIENT,
Grade: C)
Clearly
articulates/demonstrate
s task/skill
understanding and
application at a basic
level
(PROFICIENT, GRADE: B)
(C)Evaluated on third quiz
(D) Evaluated through Final Exam
(E) Evaluated through Field Research
COURSE/SECTION/MODALITY:
DATE:
Clearly
articulates/demonstrates
skill that generates
meaningful, applicable
results
(HIGHLY PROFICIENT,
GRADE: A)
Assessment Rubric For Key Skills For URBS 537 – HERITAGE PRESERVATION
Supports Program Competency 2: To participate in and contribute to the public policy process
Supports Program Competency 3: To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make decisions
Supports Program Competency 4: To articulate and apply a public service perspective
Supports Mission Specific (MSp) Competency: Street Readiness
Does not clearly articulate
task/skill understanding or
demonstrate ability to use skill
(NOT PROFICIENT Grade: C,D,F)
TASK/LEARNING OUTCOME
Foundational knowledge of Preservation
Movement (A)
Familiarity with First Period of American
Architecture (Colonial to Federal) (A)
Familiarity with Second Period of American
Architecture (Romantic to Victorian (B)
Familiarity with Early 20th Century to Mid
Century Modern styles (C)
Comprehensive knowledge of American
architectural styles (D)
Ability to apply theoretical concepts in a field
survey (E)
GRAD: Ability to conduct original investigation
into architectural resources (F)
GRAD: Ability to understand the philosophies
and motives of significant American architects
(G)
NOTES and OBSERVATIONS:
(A) Evaluated on first quiz
(B) Evaluated on second quiz
INSTRUCTOR:
STUDENT:
Clearly articulates/demonstrates
task/skill understanding and
application at a basic level
(PROFICIENT, GRADE: B)
(C)Evaluated on third quiz
(D) Evaluated through Final Exam
(E) Evaluated through Field Research
Clearly articulates/demonstrates
skill that generates meaningful,
applicable results
(HIGHLY PROFICIENT, GRADE: A)
(F) Evaluated through “Graduate” portion of field
survey assignment
(G) Evaluated through “Frank Lloyd Wright” unit
COURSE/SECTION/MODALITY:
DATE: