The issue of Contemporary Art Conservation is at the center of debates and disagreements. The diversity and originality of used materials, the ephemerality and perishability of some art works, the use of new media and, last but not least, the immateriality of some performances and happenings make this field a continuously and rapidly evolving ground where well prepared specialists ready to deal with this wide and inestimable patrimony are definitely missing.
Starting from here and from the individual peculiarities of each Campus, Accademia di Belle Arti Aldo Galli signed a partnership which proposes an ambitious Higher Education project.
Career opportunities - The Specialist in Contemporary Art Conservation can work either in conservation or in restoration, boasting a theoretical and practical knowledge specifically connected to the contemporary times. The employment sectors include galleries, public and private museums, public institutions for conservation and land-use planning, exhibition setup and art transportation businesses, studio and analysis labs, university departments of Art History, restoration and conservation companies.
The History of Art MA at UCL draws on the world-leading research and teaching expertise within the department, and is designed to enable students to acquire specialised knowledge pertaining to the field of art history and to develop independent research skills.
Students develop skills for engaging with visual materials and gain historical knowledge, enabling them to interpret artefacts in relation to their social and cultural contexts. They are introduced to current methodological debates in the field and encouraged to define their own position through reasoned historical and theoretical arguments.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of a core module (30 credits), two optional modules (60 credits) and a research dissertation (90 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
Options may include the following:
Dissertation/report
All MA students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of approximately 13,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, as well as gallery and museum visits. Assessment is by two essays for each of the taught modules (six essays in all), the dissertation and a viva.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: History of Art MA
UCL's History of Art graduates have an excellent record of success in entering PhD programmes, careers in museums and galleries, the art trade, the heritage industry, art publishing, and art conservation. The unique combination of visual analysis and intellectual rigour offered by the MA has also proven valuable in diverse careers including journalism, publishing, and advertising. For those aspiring to an academic career, the MA is a requirement for a PhD, and many former MA students have successfully received funding for research degrees, and subsequently obtained academic positions, at prestigious institutions in the UK, North America, and elsewhere.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
Our History of Art MA provides focused training in the history of art and its methodologies. It encourages students to develop original critical thinking on all aspects of visual culture, and promotes a serious engagement with historical and contemporary cultural debates. You will learn how to work collaboratively as well as independently to develop your skills in written and oral communications. The MA is an excellent starting point for a career in academia, curating, for working in the heritage industry, commercial art galleries, and other sectors of the cultural industries.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
UCL History of Art is one of the most dynamic centres for the study of art history and visual cultures in the world. It is one of the leading departments in the UK for research; and all staff are active researchers in a range of specialist fields. Our teaching and research move beyond traditional forms of art history to address visual and material cultures more broadly, and we are committed to a wide range of critical and historiographical enquiry.
The MA in History of Art is a challenging and versatile degree; you will study in a community of approximately 40 graduate students; at the same time you will work in smaller groups and in close contact with tutors in your special subject courses.
The department is located in Bloomsbury, close to the Warburg Institute, the British Library, and the British Museum. The National Gallery, Tate Galleries, and the Victoria and Albert Museum are also within easy reach. UCL's own Art Museum holds many rare and important works.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: History of Art
85% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
The Principles of Conservation MA offers students an introduction to the context of heritage conservation, of how conservation works, and of the issues and constraints which affect conservation practice. The programme explores the principles, theory, ethics and practicalities relating to the care and conservation of a wide variety of objects and structures.
Students gain an in-depth understanding of approaches to collections care, preventive conservation, risk assessment, conservation strategies, ethics, management and professionalism, and develop critically aware perspectives on professional practice and research processes.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of four core modules (60 credits), optional modules (30 credits) and a research dissertation (90 credits).
Core modules
Students are required to take the following:
Optional modules
Students choose further optional modules up to the value of 30 credits from the following list of related options (the degree co-ordinator may seek to guide the option choices made by those intending to carry on for the MSc in Conservation for Archaeology and Museums.
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000 words (90 credits).
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures, small-group tutorials, workshops and practical projects. Some modules include visits to conservation workshops and museums, including the British Museum, National Trust and the Museum of London. Assessment is through coursework, essays, poster, portfolio, project reports and the dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Principles of Conservation MA
Institute of Archaeology Master's Awards: a small number of grants up to the value of £1,000 are available for the academic year 2018/19. All UK/EU and Overseas fee-paying students with an offer to start any Master's degree offered by the IoA are eligible to apply. For an application form please email [email protected]. The deadline for applications is 1 March 2018.
UK students are eligible to apply to the Anna Plowden Trust
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
The Institute of Archaeology has a long history of training in conservation, and many of its graduates are now employed in key posts around the world. Many students go on to take the Conservation for Archaeology and Museums MSc. Others pursue careers in preventive conservation and collections management in local and national museums, art galleries and heritage organisations (mainly in Europe, North America and Asia). Some students have also used this degree as a platform to become a PhD candidate at both UCL and elsewhere.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
Knowledge and skills acquired during the programme include the understanding of the roles conservators play in the care and study of cultural heritage, and the ethical issues involved. This is complemented by a basic understanding of raw materials, manufacturing technologies, assessment of condition and the ways in which different values and meanings are assigned to cultural objects. The student will be able to perform visual examination techniques as well as assessments and monitoring of museum collections. They will also be proficient in various types of documentation, analysis of numerical data, report writing, and presentation of conservation issues through posters, social media, talks and essays.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
The UCL Institute of Archaeology is the largest and most diverse department of archaeology in the UK, and provides a stimulating environment for postgraduate study. Its conservation programmes have an international reputation.
Students benefit from the institute's lively international involvement in archaeology and heritage, from its well-equipped facilities, and access to UCL's extensive science, art and archaeology collections.
The institute's conservation laboratories provide a modern and pleasant learning environment, while the Wolfson Archaeological Science Laboratories provide excellent facilities for the examination and analysis of a wide variety of archaeological materials.
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)-approved and Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) accredited course aims to be unique amongst schools in Britain.
The course, which is offered on both a part-time and a full-time basis, aims to be unique amongst schools in Britain in two ways. Firstly, the teaching offers a design-based iterative element, thereby testing the formulation of informed decisions. Secondly, it places emphasis on the role of sustainability within the historic context at both technical and strategic levels. By using the Welsh School of Architecture’s established expertise as a research locus for sustainable design, it addresses these concerns which have been identified internationally by ICOMOS as the critical future direction of conservation education.
The course seeks to attract a broad range of students with varied levels of experience in professional practice who share an interest in the conservation of architecture, urbanism and the environment. Candidates may be graduates with a degree in architecture and/or RIBA part 2 exemption embarking on their professional careers or have been professionals in practice for some time seeking to refine or augment their career paths.
Who is the programme for?
This programme is designed for graduates who want to pursue a career in this area and whose first degree was in a related area such as Engineering, Planning, Architecture, Archaeology, Surveying or Construction. It is also open to people who may have equivalent experience in the construction industry or in heritage management.
Current students come from backgrounds in Architecture, Planning, Surveying, Construction, Archaeology and Fine Art Conservation. Many are employed in Local Authorities or Private Practice, some run their own businesses as conservation contractors, project managers or architects. We also have students who are recent graduates. The diversity of skills and experience amongst the students is key to the vitality of discussion, reflecting the complex nature of practice in this area.
In summary, the course aims to:
Distinctive features
The course is both RIBA approved and IHBC accredited. Completion of the RIBA approved course for RIBA and ARB registered Architects entitles them to apply to become 'Conservation Registrants' immediately. As an RIBA approved course, it reduces the number of years in practice required to be entitled to apply for registration as 'Specialist Conservation Architect' to 4 years (from 5) and 2 years (from 3) for 'Conservation Architect'. Completion of the IHBC accredited course enables suitably qualified candidates to achieve full IHBC accreditation in 2 as opposed to 5 years.
As a part of the fourth module, students are taken to Rome for a two day intensive visit during which we meet with tutors from the 2nd level International Masters in Architectural Restoration and Cultural Heritage at Roma TRE University. Travel to Rome, entrance fees and accommodation are covered in the course fee but travel to and from the UK airport is not.
Through object-based, interdisciplinary research, this Masters programme focuses on the act of making and everything that entails. We study studio practices from a variety of disciplines, their materials and techniques, but also intentions and concept. We examine art technological sources to register the artist’s voice, and other testimonies on artistic practice, make reconstructions of historical recipes and modern techniques to understand practices, ageing and its consequences as well as other changes artworks go through. Researching this all-inclusive story of an artefact is known as technical art history. It is an exciting and rapidly growing field involving (technical) art historians, scientists, conservators while also reaching out to other disciplines such as economic and social history, history of science, anthropology and aesthetics.
Drawing upon the expertise of an interdisciplinary team, the programme will include taught and research components as well as practical workshops and work placements.
This MLitt develops your skills in object-based research, as well as examining the authenticity, attribution and dating of art works – and their change and survival. You do not need any background in science or conservation. We will provide you with the right tools to understand what science can deliver, what conservators can do, and what role you can play in this truly interdisciplinary field.
You will take five core courses and one optional course. This is followed by a period of self-study towards a dissertation 15,000 words in length (including footnotes but excluding bibliography) and will be on a topic chosen in consultation with the tutors and the programme convenor.
You may choose from the following options
Career opportunities include curatorial positions in museums and galleries, working with collections within cultural heritage organisations, or in the commercial environment of auction houses performing object-based research including technical investigation. The programme will also prepare you for a further postgraduate education in conservation or academic research.
The programme will enable you to gain the academic and professional competencies you need to succeed in this field. It offers a blend of academic rigour and applied practical application. Each module draws upon the specialist knowledge and skills of a number of outstanding experts in conservation and related fields.
The programme will enable you to gain the academic and professional competencies you need to succeed in this field. Your learning is based around interactive workshop sessions, practical demonstrations, site visits and personal study. Each module is introduced by a four-day block of lectures and site visits based at the University's Whiteknights campus, which has 19th and 20th century listed buildings.
The aim of the flexible MSc Conservation of the Historic Environment programme is to develop your understanding of this important field. It will enable you to approach the issues that you will face in a competent and professional manner.
This course is fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute as a specialist programme and is also fully recognised by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation.
All modules on this programme can also be taken as stand-alone CPD courses attendees do not submit any coursework and therefore gain no credits towards the qualification.
The Conservation of the Historic Environment Programme
The Conservation of the Historic Environment programme has a high reputation with former students going on to work in organisations such as Historic England, National Trust, English Heritage, Historic Royal Palaces, Prince's Regeneration Trust, local authorities as well as surveying, planning, architectural and engineering practices.
School of Real Estate and Planning
Our School is the largest in the UK for teaching and research in real estate and planning. Established in 1968 at the University of Reading, we are the only major UK real estate and planning centre to be located within a business school. Being part of the Henley Business School reflects our close and longstanding collaborative relationship with industry.
We enjoy a worldwide reputation for excellence in both teaching and research and we are consistently highly ranked in all major league tables. We undertake internationally recognised, leading edge research into real estate, planning and land and we offer a comprehensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses, all of which are accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Our planning courses are also accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute.
Our programmes are held in high regard by leading employers, many of whom come to us each year to recruit our graduates. We are proud of our outstanding employment record, with more than 95% of our students entering graduate level jobs within 6 months of leaving us.
Henley Business School
Module descriptions are correct for modules taught in the academic year 2017/18. Optional module listings are indicative, and may be subject to change.
Core Modules
Optional Modules
Graduates from this programme will have the specialist knowledge and competence to find employment with a large number of conservation bodies such as Historic England, National Trust and Historic Royal Palaces, local and central government, planning, surveying and architectural, consultancies and corporate entities where their portfolios include historic buildings.
This course is fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute as a specialist programme and is also fully recognised by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation.
Understanding the sources, nature and consequences of human conflict has never been more vital for societies.
