The SAHC master’s course provides an intensive learning experience not only through dissemination of theory, methodology, and expert experience in daily lectures and visits to historic structures with professionals and leading researchers currently working on analysis of historic structures, but also through collaboration with colleagues of varying backgrounds from around the world. I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge as it helped me to remold my career aspirations to include further study of historic structures. Hands-on laboratory work and research during the dissertation portion of the course improved my qualifications, extended my network of professional connections, and led to my current position as a PhD candidate studying non-destructive testing of historic masonry in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Minho.