Upon completion of the MA Conservation of Wall Paintings, you will be able to:

• Understand, advise on, and advocate for the significance of wall paintings you are invited to examine and conserve
• Examine and assess the original and added materials on wall paintings and their support, and evaluate intervention implications
• Identify mechanisms of deterioration through diagnostic investigations, scientific analysis and environmental monitoring, and recommend and implement appropriate preventive and passive measures
• Design, test and carry out a holistic wall painting conservation programme with full awareness of ethical and technical considerations, the professional context and values
• Produce full written reports, and graphic, scientific and photographic documentation
• Propose and undertake an research project in the field of wall painting conservation

Careers and employability

Teaching and programme structure

Year 1: The first year provides a practical and theoretical foundation in the principles, ethics and practice of conserving wall paintings. Students learn about the technology and history of wall paintings, how to understand and identify deterioration phenomena, and methods for recording and documenting wall paintings. The application of scientific methods and materials science are integrated throughout the theoretical and practical courses. Several of the modules have substantial practical components to provide familiarity with materials, equipment and software. Foundations lectures in History of Art examining art from across the globe are also offered in the first year. Fieldwork introduces methodologies for conservation interventions and develops practical and manual skills. 国产探花s to see important wall paintings in historic sites and museums are integrated with formal teaching.

Year 2: Formal instruction concentrates on diagnosis and preventive conservation, on technical examination of wall paintings and their supporting structures, and on the theory and materials of advanced remedial conservation techniques. Materials science is integrated throughout theoretical and practical courses. Students will develop research skills and learn about project management and professional practice. A substantial period of fieldwork is carried out in the second year.

Year 3: The third year is devoted to field work and a dissertation research project on an original aspect of the conservation of wall paintings. The dissertation may be on any aspect of the materials and techniques of wall paintings or of the methods or materials used in their conservation.

Assessment

Teaching: Continuity in instruction and supervision is provided by members of the department of Conservation with additional supervision and teaching by established practitioners and leading international specialists. The various teaching methods and types of work required of the students relate to the objectives of each component of the programme and include lectures, seminars with student presentations, seminars, essays, and reports. Practical work takes place in the laboratory and on site. There are also regular meetings with your personal tutor to discuss progress and general issues, and to receive feedback after presentations.

Assessment: Both formal and informal mechanisms of assessment are used. Formal assessment comprises assessed coursework and practical work with written examinations and practical oral examinations. Informal, continuous assessment is based on didactic exercises鈥攅ssays, seminars, revision questions, etc.鈥攁nd supervision of practical work. Students must demonstrate competence in each of the subject areas in order to progress into the second year.

At the end of the first and second years, students sit written examinations on modules and viva voce examinations on their fieldwork.

Assessment of the third year is based on the examination of the dissertation, fieldwork and an oral examination. The final degree mark is calculated from the second and third year marks.

Entry requirements

UK qualifications:听Students will normally have achieved a good 2.1 in a humanities or sciences Bachelor鈥檚 degree, considered to be an overall average 65% or above.

Overseas qualification:听Equivalent to a good 2.1 in a UK first degree (e.g. US applicants should have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above).

Interviews: The interview process consists of a personal interview before a board; tests of manual dexterity and colour vision; and a brief written test requiring comment on a variety of wall paintings.

English language requirements:听If your first language is not English, we require proof of English language proficiency 鈥損lease see the听English Language Requirements page.

Other requirements:

Previous conservation experience is not required, though some understanding of the nature of wall painting conservation is desirable. Students must have normal colour vision.

Students who do not have a degree in science will need to complete and pass an online science course in the summer prior to beginning the MA. This will be delivered online by the 国产探花.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees are available to view here.

Financial support for your studies:

国产探花 Institute of Art Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit combined with financial need. The average postgraduate scholarship awarded in 2022/23 was 拢6,000. Applications are welcomed from Home, EU and Overseas students applying to or currently studying in 2023/24.

Alumni Loyalty Scheme: This scheme is open to any graduate of 国产探花 admitted to a taught postgraduate programme of study. Recipients will receive a 10% loyalty discount off their tuition fee for the duration of the course.

Further information about grants, and bursaries to support you during your studies at The 国产探花 can be found here.

Please note students on this programme are not eligible for Master’s Loan by the UK government.

All the travel and accommodation costs for fieldwork are paid by the Department.

Support

To support you through the degree, we offer:

Wellbeing: We have a dedicated Wellbeing team, with counsellors and advisors.

Academic and practical skills: You will be offered consistent access to your personal tutor and the academic teaching staff. The small number of students allow us to create an exceptionally supportive environment.

Accessibility

The Conservation Teaching studios are in the West Wing of Somerset House, access to which is via the access-controlled doors on the Upper Terrace. For those not in possession of an Access/ID card there is an intercom connected to our 24/7 staff security control room. There is a temporary access ramp providing access into the West Wing which may not necessarily be suitable for use by, for example, wheelchair users. Thus, for those requiring level access into the Conservation Studios this can be facilitated via our main Gallery entrance between the hours of 10:00 and 18:00. The Conservation Department is located across five floors, Lower Ground Floor through to the Third Floor. The main access to each of the floors is via a staircase which is 90cm wide. There is within the department a lift which services the Lower Ground to Second Floors of the department. Access to the third floor, which houses the analytical laboratory, is via the staircase only.

Some of the teaching as well as the Library, is at our Vernon Square premises, near King鈥檚 Cross. The Vernon Square premises are fully accessible, with two internal lifts servicing all floors. There is level access throughout the premises and thus into and out of all internal rooms. Access from the street into the premises is not level and there is small incline from street to the main entrance doors. There is ramped access into the premises. The main entrance doors into the premises operate automatically.

Associated Programme Costs

As well as the general associated programme costs, students will be required to buy an LED torch. A pool of conservation fieldwork tools and equipment is also provided, although students may wish to purchase their own, costing around 拢150 in total. The 国产探花 supplies all health and safety equipment for fieldwork. It is suggested that students invest in a student railcard.

Fieldwork

The department鈥檚 fieldwork projects focus on conservation, research and teaching. A high supervisor-to-student ratio ensures that students benefit from an excellent level of supervision.

Current and past projects include:

路 Longthorpe Tower, Peterborough (UK) A rare cycle of 14th-century domestic wall paintings (2019 – )

路 Villa Imperiale, Pesaro (Italy) 16th-century wall paintings in a grand villa originally constructed for the Sforza family and updated by the Della Rovere family in the 16th century (2023 -)

路 Nagaur Fort, Rajasthan (India) The 18th-century wall paintings decorating the Maharajah鈥檚 palaces (2005 – )

路 Tamzhing Monastery, Bumthang (Bhutan) With schemes from the 16th to 20th centuries, those from the early 16th-century are thought to be the earliest surviving in the Kingdom (2012 鈥� 2015)

路 Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, Vardzia (Georgia) The late 12th-century wall paintings in the rock-cut monastery (2012 鈥� 2015)

路 Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang (China) A site with over 500 painted cave temples dating from the 5th to 14th centuries (2006 鈥� 2009)

路 Monastery of Agios Ioannis Lampadistis, Kalopanayiotis (Cyprus) Paintings dating from the 13th to the 19th centuries (2007 – 2012)

路 Crypt of the Grand Masters, St John鈥檚 Co-Cathedral, Valletta (Malta) 18th-century wall paintings by Niccol貌 Nasoni (2003 – 2012)

Further information on the department鈥檚 fieldwork activity can be found听here, on our research pages.

Resources

The Conservation Department is equipped with extensive scientific laboratories and state-of-the-art facilities for the analysis of paintings and wall paintings. Both portable and bench-top equipment at the department are available for teaching and research. The department houses major collections of easel painting samples, X-radiographs, wall painting fragments and wall painting samples from around the world. It also hosts the archive of the National Wall Paintings Survey, an invaluable resource which is currently in the process of being digitised.

Students benefit from access to a wide range of research facilities at both the institute and other parts of the University of London, as well as other major libraries nearby. Close collaboration with scientists and conservators in the national museums and heritage organisations offers further opportunities for training and research.

The department is closely linked with The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Centre for Buddhist Art and Conservation at the 国产探花, and the specialist collection of literature on Asian art. Both the Conservation Department and the Ho Centre periodically hold conferences and public lectures in association with the Research Forum and museums and other institutions from outside The 国产探花, and benefit from contributions by 国产探花ing Conservators.

In recognition of the excellence of The 国产探花鈥檚 MA in Conservation of Wall Paintings, The J. Paul Getty Trust awarded a $5 million endowment to support scholarships and fieldwork.

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Upon completion of the MA Conservation of Easel Paintings, you will have:

• A sophisticated set of practical and intellectual skills for the conservation of easel paintings, learnt from a wide range of leading conservation professionals.
• Competency in critical thinking, the analysis of objects, images, and texts, debating ideas, and concise and persuasive writing.
• The ability to identify and evaluate the chemical, mechanical and physical properties of easel paintings and materials for conservation to inform decision making in conservation practice
• The skills and knowledge to integrate visual evidence, your own technical study, art historical research and physical history, to establish the wider context and values embodied by a painting, present a holistic description of condition and inform conservation practice
• Independently planned and implemented a wide variety of practical tasks as part of conservation treatments, and听 evaluated treatment success and personal competency
• A broad-ranging view and understanding of the careers available in the cultural heritage sector.
• An extensive professional network.

Careers and employability

The MA Conservation of Easel Paintings programme is designed to produce graduates who are prepared for a professional career in the conservation of easel paintings, but also will equip you with highly transferable skills, which will prepare you for a wide range of employment opportunities, or further academic study. As well as being equipped with a detailed knowledge and understanding of the conservation of easel paintings, our graduates will gain:

• The ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Intellectual independence and maturity; self-discipline and self-direction
• Respect for the views of others
• Project management through developing, conducting, and managing conservation and research projects independently
• Ability to work in a team, collaborate and share resources

With these skills, 国产探花 graduates go on to jobs in the international art world, usually in private practice or in museums such as the National Gallery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Getty, the National Trust, and the Royal Collection.

Students from the programme will join an international network of 国产探花 alumni who work across the cultural sector and benefit from the friendships, support, and mentorship available within that community.

Teaching and programme structure

The full-time, three-year programme is delivered through lectures, seminars and self-directed study, integrated with a significant proportion of problem-based learning through supervised studio-based activities including conservation treatments and technical study of easel paintings.

Structure

Year 1

听This year focuses on the acquisition of foundation knowledge and the development and application of scientific methods. Practical work in the studio forms a substantial part of each term, beginning with replica-making and the examination of easel paintings, and then introducing the application of principles and theory of conservation to practical conservation. Other modules focus on the theory, ethics and practice of conservation, technology and history of easel paintings, art history and technical study.

Applied science is integrated throughout theoretical and practical modules. The teaching provides a foundation for understanding and identifying the condition and conservation requirements of easel paintings.

听Year 2

The majority of time in the second year is devoted to practical work in the studio, with students becoming increasingly independent in carrying out conservation work. Lectures and workshops are devoted to preventive conservation and collections care with a monitoring exercise, and advanced principles and theory of conservation.

Year 3

The majority of the academic year is spent in the conservation studio undertaking practical conservation treatments, with lectures on advanced principles and theory of conservation. One third of the final year is devoted to an independent research project resulting in a dissertation.

Assessment

Teaching: The teaching methods, modes of delivery and assessments vary according to the objectives of each module within the programme. There are a combination of lectures, seminars, practical studio sessions, workshops, and professional context visits to conservation studios and science departments, all undertaken in small classes of students. In addition, you have timetabled meetings with the tutors several times per term, both to discuss progress and general issues as well as to receive feedback after assessed work.

Throughout your degree, you will be taught by both the teaching staff of the department and professionals in the field, who bring a rich diversity of knowledge and experience to the classroom. Our faculty come from different backgrounds and are among the leading experts in their field. They have published important works about their areas of expertise and will engage you with their cutting-edge research.

Assessment: The programme involves a variety of methods of assessment:

The range of assessment methods requires students to demonstrate skills through the production of coherent written, verbal and practical responses to the questions or problems set. Assessments include essays, written exams, coursework and presentations, culminating in a viva voce examination.

At The 国产探花 practical work on paintings in conservation studios accounts for the majority of the degree, which is reflected in both the credit structure and assessments. Each term you will give a presentation of studio work at 鈥淲ork in Progress鈥� meetings. You will also complete written and photographic documentation for each painting you conserve, and sit a viva voce examination at the end of the programme.

You will have to pass all modules in order to progress through the programme.

Entry requirements

UK qualifications:听Successful applicants will normally hold a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in either Fine Art, History of Art, or in the Natural Sciences, and have achieved a good 2.1.

Overseas qualifications:听Equivalent to a good 2.1 in a UK first degree (e.g. US applicants should have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above).

Applications: Please see How to Apply page for information.

Further information:听In your application, you will be asked questions relating to your knowledge and experience of those fields that are not your main area of study (fine art, history of art or science). Though we do not expect candidates to have deep knowledge of all three fields, a level of interest in them is essential, and evidence of aptitude in them at GCSE level can be beneficial. Equally, previous conservation experience is not required, though some understanding of the nature of paintings conservation is desirable.

Interviews:听Around 18 applicants are selected for interview for six available places, plus a short waiting list. Interviews are held online.听In addition to the interviews,听鈥媔nterviewees will be asked:听鈥媡o complete a practical test to assess manual dexterity and colour matching;听鈥媡o complete a听short online slide test to assess observational skills; to electronically submit a portfolio with a sample of听鈥�3-5听artwork鈥媠 they have听made,听鈥媔n order to demonstrate manual dexterity and some aptitude for artistic practice; to complete a colour-blindness test since students must have normal colour vision. Further information will be provided on selection for interview.

Pre-Course Science: successful candidates who have accepted their place will be required to complete an online course in science fundamentals prior to commencement of the course.

English language requirements:听If your first language is not English, we require proof of English language proficiency. If you are invited to the interview, it is recommended to submit your test results before the interview. If you are unable to do so, you will be asked to submit your test results no later than the acceptance deadline. Please see the听English Language Requirements page.

Fees and funding

Fees are available on our Fees & Funding pages.

Fees are subject to change each academic year. Fee information, including what qualifies as home, EU, and overseas fees, can be found here.

Financial support for your studies:

国产探花 Institute of Art Scholarships:听Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merits. The average postgraduate scholarship is 拢6,000. Applications are welcomed from Home, EU and Overseas students.听Find out more about our scholarships.

Alumni Loyalty Scheme:听This scheme is open to any graduate of 国产探花 admitted to a taught postgraduate programme of study. Recipients will receive a 10% loyalty discount off their tuition fee for the duration of the course.

Further information about grants, and bursaries to support you during your studies at The 国产探花 can be found here.

Please note students on this programme are not eligible to apply for Master鈥檚 Loan by the UK government.

Support

To support you through the degree, we offer:

Wellbeing support: We have a dedicated Wellbeing team, with counsellors and advisors.

Academic Skills training: The academic skills tutor offers group and one-to-one classes to help you to develop the skills and confidence you need to succeed on the degree. We also have two Royal Literary Fund fellows who will help you with your writing skills 鈥� concentrating on how to structure and improve your writing.

Careers advice: You can access bespoke, one-to-one career guidance throughout your studies. The 国产探花 Careers Service offers advice and support on exploring career and further study options, finding internships, enhancing employability, understanding and navigating the jobs and self-employment market, and making successful applications. This service is available to all graduates for up to two years after graduation.

Resources

The Conservation Department is equipped with extensive scientific laboratories and state-of-the-art facilities for the analysis of paintings and wall paintings. Both portable and bench-top equipment at the Department are available for teaching and research. The department houses major collections of easel painting samples, X-radiographs, wall painting fragments and wall painting samples from around the world, the archive of the Survey of听Historic Wall Paintings in the British Isles.

Students benefit from access to a wide range of research facilities at both the Institute and other parts of the University of London, as well as other major libraries nearby. Close collaboration with scientists and conservators in the national museums and heritage organisations offers further opportunities for training and research.

The Department is also closely linked with听The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Centre for Buddhist Art and Conservation听at the 国产探花, and the specialist collection of literature on on Asian art. Both the Conservation Department and the Ho Centre periodically hold conferences and public lectures in association with the Research Forum and museums and other institutions from outside The 国产探花, and benefit from contributions by 国产探花ing Conservators. The department also acts as a centre for conservation and art-historical advice to outside conservators, scholars and the public.

Accessibility

The Conservation Teaching studios are in the West Wing of Somerset House, access to which is via the access-controlled doors on the Upper Terrace. For those not in possession of an Access/ID card there is an intercom connected to our 24/7 staff security control room. There is a temporary access ramp providing access into the West Wing which may not necessarily be suitable for use by, for example, wheelchair users. Thus, for those requiring level access into the Conservation Studios this can be facilitated via our main Gallery entrance between the hours of 10:00 and 18:00. The Conservation Department is located across five floors, Lower Ground Floor through to the Third Floor. The main access to each of the floors is via a staircase which is 90cm wide. There is within the department a lift which services the Lower Ground to Second Floors of the department. Access to the third floor, which houses the analytical laboratory, is via the staircase only.

Some of the teaching as well as the Library, is at our Vernon Square premises, near King鈥檚 Cross. The Vernon Square premises are fully accessible, with two internal lifts servicing all floors. There is level access throughout the premises and thus into and out of all internal rooms. Access from the street into the premises is not level and there is small incline from street to the main entrance doors. There is ramped access into the premises. The main entrance doors into the premises operate automatically.

Associated Programme Costs

Consumable conservation materials, specialist tools and equipment are provided for students鈥� use in the studios. However, as well as the general associated programme costs, students will need to equip themselves with a small set of tools for their personal use.

In the first year this includes a small selection of brushes, a simple surgical dissection kit, small spatula, apron, and pigment box, costing around 拢120 in total.

In the 2nd and 3rd years an estimated 拢50 per year is required to replace brushes and tools. Some students choose to build up a slightly wider range of personal tools that they then go on to use in their professional careers.

Upon completion of the MA Art History and Conservation of Buddhist Heritage, you will have:

• A specialised knowledge of diverse Buddhist art worlds along with analytical, research, and writing skills, and fieldwork experiences both in the UK and in Asia.
• An understanding of the approaches to conservation and an understanding of the ethical, technical, and administrative contexts, philosophical underpinnings, and decision-making processes in the preservation of Buddhist heritage.
• A sophisticated set of skills learnt from a wide range of leading art history and conservation professionals.
• The broader learning outcomes for this MA programme will provide transferable skills that have wider applicability beyond the Buddhist context to other religious and spiritual cultures and traditions.
• An invaluable expertise in the close study of objects and sites, critical skills and understanding of the approaches and methods of study, required for success in the art world.
• Competency in critical thinking, the analysis of objects, images, and texts, debating ideas, and concise and persuasive writing.
• An extensive professional network.

Careers and employability

The 国产探花鈥檚 MA Art History and Conservation of Buddhist Heritage degree will provide you with the ability to integrate, present and contextualise research related to the history of Buddhist Heritage and its conservation and effectively summarise research and use it to support an argument made in a small-group or team setting.听 The MA programme is designed to allow you to pursue further specialist conservation education, or related fields such as art-historical research, curating, or site-management. Graduates of this MA programme have gone on to study Wall Painting Conservation, pursue PhD programmes, and have leading roles in collections and museums.

Students from the programme will join an international network of 国产探花 alumni who work across the cultural sector and benefit from the friendships, support, and mentorship available within that community.

Teaching and programme structure

The programme is structured in three research-led modules taught over two semesters and concludes with an independent research project during the summer. In the first semester, students will take two foundational modules, Conservation in a Buddhist Context, and Buddhist Art Worlds.

Teaching is then integrated into a single module in the second semester, focused on Art History and Conservation of Buddhist Heritage. Experiential learning is an important component of this program that exposes students to a rich body of Buddhist heritage through site visits to UK-based collections as well as a study trip to Asia to develop an appreciation for living heritage sites, to meet professionals and religious communities, and to provide first-hand experience of conservation and management challenges. During the summer, students will complete a 10,000-word dissertation. Throughout the year-long programme, students receive academic skills support.

Learning outcomes include providing students with a specialized knowledge of diverse Buddhist art worlds along with analytical, research, and writing skills, and fieldwork experiences both in the UK and in Asia; approaches to conservation and an understanding of the ethical, technical, and administrative contexts, philosophical underpinnings, and decision-making processes in the preservation of Buddhist heritage. The broader learning outcomes for this course will provide transferable skills that have wider applicability beyond just the Buddhist context to other religious and spiritual cultures and traditions.

Please note that this is subject to change; applicants will be informed if there are any changes to the programme.

Assessment

The degree is taught by leading specialists from the Department of Conservation and Department of Art History and delivered in lectures, workshops, research-based seminars, and fieldwork.

Skills are developed through lectures, tutorials, seminars and preparation for seminars, field trips, and private study.

Assessment is based on coursework and your research dissertation.

Entry requirements

UK qualifications: Students will normally have achieved a good 2.1 in their Bachelor鈥檚 degree.

Overseas qualification: Equivalent to a good 2.1 in a UK first degree (e.g. US applicants should have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above).

We welcome applicants with other forms of academic and relevant professional experience. Please note that applicants may be invited to interview on a case-by-case basis.

Applications: Please see How to Apply page for information.

English language requirements: If your first language is not English, we require proof of English language proficiency 鈥損lease see the听English Language Requirements page.

Scholarships for this programme are funded by the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Centre for Buddhist Art and Conservation.

Fees and funding

Fees are available on our Fees & Funding pages.

Fees are subject to change each academic year. Fee information, including what qualifies as home, EU, and overseas fees, can be found here.

Financial support for your studies:

Generously funded scholarships are available from the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Centre at The 国产探花.

Alumni Loyalty Scheme:听This scheme is open to any graduate of 国产探花 admitted to a taught postgraduate programme of study. Recipients will receive a 10% loyalty discount off their tuition fee for the duration of the course.

Further information about grants, and bursaries to support you during your studies at The 国产探花 can be found here.

Please note students on this programme are not eligible to apply for Master鈥檚 Loan by the UK government.

Support

To support you through the degree, we offer:

Wellbeing support: We have a dedicated Wellbeing team, with counsellors and advisors.

Academic Skills training: The academic skills tutor offers group and one-to-one classes to help you to develop the skills and confidence you need to succeed on the degree. We also have two Royal Literary Fund fellows who will help you with your writing skills 鈥� concentrating on how to structure and improve your writing.

Careers advice: You can access bespoke, one-to-one career guidance throughout your studies. The 国产探花 Careers Service offers advice and support on exploring career and further study options, finding internships, enhancing employability, understanding and navigating the jobs and self-employment market, and making successful applications. This service is available to all graduates for up to two years after graduation.

Associated Programme Costs

As well as the听General Associated Programme Costs, the MA Buddhist Heritage may include an international study trip, typically 1-2 weeks.听Travel and subsistence costs will be covered by the programme, and students will be informed of international travel as soon as practical.

As this is typically an international trip, students will be required to arrange travel visas.

Resources

The Conservation Department is equipped with extensive scientific laboratories and state-of-the-art facilities for the analysis of paintings and wall paintings. Both portable and bench-top equipment at the Department are available for teaching and research. The department houses major collections of easel painting samples, X-radiographs, wall painting fragments and wall painting samples from around the world, the archive of the Survey of听Historic Wall Paintings in the British Isles.

Students benefit from access to a wide range of research facilities at both the Institute and other parts of the University of London, as well as other major libraries nearby. Close collaboration with scientists and conservators in the national museums and heritage organisations offers further opportunities for training and research.

The Department is also closely linked with听The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Centre for Buddhist Art and Conservation听at the 国产探花, and the specialist collection of literature on Asian art. Both the Conservation Department and the Ho Centre periodically hold conferences and public lectures in association with the Research Forum and museums and other institutions from outside The 国产探花, and benefit from contributions by 国产探花ing Conservators. The department also acts as a centre for conservation and art-historical advice to outside conservators, scholars and the public.