Historic preservation involves the identification, preservation, and interpretation of historic resources determined to be "significant" in American history. Examples of significant historic resources include properties such as: buildings, structures, objects, districts, archaeological sites, cultural and religious sites, historic landscapes, and examples of innovative architecture and engineering. Whether considered significant for their historic associations or architectural aesthetics, preservationists approach historic resources as "texts" that help reveal details about the past lives and values of the people who created them. In addition to their utility as sources for research, historic resources provide communities with a sense of character and identity. The preservation of our historic built environment is vital to our understanding of history at the national, state, and local levels.
Students trained at MTSU will be equipped to work with historic resources in a variety of public and private settings, including such venues as downtown historic districts, state historic preservation offices, military bases, national parks, federal agencies, historic sites, preservation or cultural resources management consulting firms, architectural and engineering companies, departments of transportation, and various non-profit organizations. In recent decades, historic preservation has become increasingly focused on economic development programs that adapt or recycle historic buildings for such new uses as offices, stores, restaurants, museums, and housing. Historic preservation planning is another field attracting increasing attention, particularly as communities struggle to deal with the destructive effects of suburban "sprawl" on historic buildings and rural resources.