MA Conservation of Easel Paintings

Course Overview

Status

Applications will open in late November.

Location

Conservation studios are now located in Somerset House. Teaching in Conservation will be at Somerset House and at our Vernon Square campus.

Duration

Full-time: 3 years

Awarding body

University of London

Intake

6 students per year

Overview

The MA in the Conservation of Easel Paintings is a 3-year full-time course which will prepare you for a professional career. Its interdisciplinary nature brings together art history, fine arts and the natural sciences. Applicants usually have a BA or equivalent degree in any of these subjects. The student body is international, with a yearly intake limited to six students, which makes the teacher-student ratio exceptionally high. The course leads to an exceptionally high degree of employment upon graduation, in both the most reputable institutions and private conservation studios in the world, such as the National Gallery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Getty, the National Trust, and the Royal Collection. The strong practical and intellectual focus of the degree is reflected in courses designed to build on knowledge and to develop both practical and decision making skills underpinned by ethical and scientific principles.

After graduating you will have gained practical experience in a range of real easel paintings conservation and will be able to design, carry out and evaluate conservation treatments proficiently and independently. You will be able to interpret results from technical study and relate them to practice, and will be able to plan and develop original research relating to easel painting conservation. You will gain critical and communication skills that will equip you for diverse careers in conservation and beyond.

Find out more about the department’s research

MA Conservation of Easel Paintings Open Day

Join our Postgraduate Open Day to learn more about our programme, meet with course leaders and students, and take a tour of our campus.

MA Conservation of Easel Paintings Open Evening, Tuesday 5 December, 16:30 – 18:00. Book your place here.

Entry requirements

UK qualifications: Successful applicants will normally hold a Bachelor’s degree in either Fine Art, History of Art, or in the Natural Sciences, and have achieved a good 2.1, considered to be an overall average 65% or above.

Overseas qualifications: 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: 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: Around 20 applicants are selected for interview for six available places, plus a short waiting list. Interviews are held online. In addition to the interviews, interviewees will be asked: to complete a practical test to assess manual dexterity and colour matching; to complete a short online slide test to assess observational skills; to electronically submit a portfolio with a sample of 3-5 artworks they have made, in 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: 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 English Language Requirements page.

Programme structure

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.

Year 1: This year focuses on the acquisition of foundation knowledge and the development and application of scientific methods. Courses 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 courses. The teaching provides a foundation for understanding and identifying the condition and conservation requirements of easel paintings. 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.

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 year is spent in the conservation studio undertaking practical conservation treatments. One third of the final year is devoted to an independent research project.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching: The teaching methods, modes of delivery and assessments vary according to the objectives of each course 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 class-room. 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 course 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 Courtauld 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 “Work in Progress” 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 course.

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

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 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 The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Centre for Buddhist Art and Conservation at the Courtauld, 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 Courtauld, and benefit from contributions by Visiting Conservators. The department also acts as a centre for conservation and art-historical advice to outside conservators, scholars and the public.

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:

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

Alumni Loyalty Scheme: This scheme is open to any graduate of The Courtauld Institute of Art 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 Courtauld can be found here.

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

Careers and employability

The course 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, Courtauld 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.

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 rest of the academic teaching staff. The small number of students allow us to create an exceptionally supportive environment.