The Ph.D. Program in Conservation of Cultural Heritage is intended for individuals who wish to enter teaching and advanced research careers in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage. Doctoral research will have the aim of advancing the state of knowledge in the field of cultural heritage conservation and management and will include issues related to architectural, archaeological, urban, and rural cultural heritage and conservation science.

The students who receive their PhD degree from this program will have:

• knowledge and systematic understanding of the field of conservation of built environment and its multidisciplinary nature;
• mastery of the skills and methods of research associated with the field of conservation;
• the capability of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas in the field of conservation;
• the ability to conceive, design, implement and adapt a substantial process of research in the field of conservation of built environment with scholarly integrity;
• made a scholarly contribution to the field of conservation through original research that produces new knowledge.

Research Tracks

Due to the complex and multidisciplinary nature of the field of conservation, there are various subareas for research and contribution in PhD studies in the Graduate Program in Conservation of Cultural Heritage at METU. Accordingly, some of the major research areas can be grouped as follows:

• Theory and History of Conservation: National and international aspects.
• Architectural Conservation: Singular or group of cultural properties including traditional residential architecture with emphasis on structural and material problems (physical, mechanical and chemical properties and mechanics of deterioration), documentation techniques, refunctioning and adaptation possibilities for contemporary requirements and restoration problems.
• Urban Conservation: Conservation, rehabilitation and management issues in historic urban sites. Research, survey, analysis, evaluation and decision-making processes in conservation of  historic urban/ rural sites by considering the natural, historical, architectural, visual, socio-economical, legal, administrative, financial and managerial aspects.
• Conservation of Archaeological Sites: Conservation, restoration, interpretation, presentation and management issues in/of archaeological sites.
• Research on Historic Building Materials: Properties and weathering processes of historic materials, diagnostic studies, conservation and repair treatments.
• Cultural Heritage Recording and Information Management: Theoretical and technical aspects of documentation, recording and information management for conservation of cultural heritage
• Legal, Administrative and Economical Aspects of Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Properties.
• Architectural / Urban Design in Historic Environments.