The MA involves high level conservation projects, advanced conservation science, research, ethics and professional practice. The course culminates in the completion of an ambitious practical conservation project accompanied by an extended research and treatment report.

Our graduates have enjoyed an enviable rate of employment in the professional field. Many of the Department’s alumni have gone on to work within national museum and gallery conservation departments. This includes senior conservation posts in institutions such as Birmingham Museum and Art Collections, Historic Royal Palaces, the Museum of London, the National Trust, Tate, Victoria & Albert Museum, Wallace Collection and Westminster Abbey. Graduates are also employed throughout the private sector with firms such as Cliveden Conservation Workshops, Plowden and Smith, Nimbus Conservation, Taylor Pearce Conservation.

Our MA course focuses on complex advanced level Conservation projects and sets out to equip graduates to go on to become leaders in the field. It is particularly relevant for those planning to work on ambitious, or large-scale conservation projects as specialists or project leaders and for those intending to work as experts in International contexts.

Conservation of cultural objects is a complex, specialist area, that requires a deep understanding of science subjects and humanities, as well as craft and practice-based project management. From our experience of teaching conservation for more than 50 years, and from expert industry feedback, we know that in order to gain the vast amount of specialist knowledge, skills and experience you need to forge a successful career as a conservator, you are best advised to study a three year BA (Hons) Conservation course before tackling MA level study in this subject.