BA Conservation Studies

At City & Guilds of London Art School the BA (Hons) Conservation Studies degree course positions Conservation at the meeting-point of science and art – a fascinating blend of state-of-the-art forensics, aesthetics and traditional craft skills. During this intensive, demanding course you will work on a challenging variety of complex live projects, using objects lent by leading public and private institutions. We teach you to manage all phases of conservation practice, from examination, state-of-the-art analysis, proposal and documentation to the treatment itself and future care recommendations.

Our specialism is on the conservation and restoration of 3D cultural objects in stone, wood, plaster and terracotta. Decorative surfaces such as gilding, polychromy, lacquer and japanning and the conservation of ornate frames are integral to the course.

This three-year full time course is validated by Birmingham City University’s School of Art; regular checks by the Quality Assurance Agency confirm the standard of our provision and our external examiners attest to our consistently high standards and results.

FIRST YEAR

First year modules include the study of stone and wood decoration, ornamental forms, gilding, and japanning techniques, lime modelling and plaster casting. You will participate in Drawing Studio workshops involving studies from life and architectural sculpture and you are introduced to conservation ethics, the history and philosophy of conservation, preventive conservation approaches, health and safety and legislation. Stone conservation, chemistry and materials science are integrated in the Conservation Science Module. In conjunction with conservation practice training on specific projects, you will study the history of art and decorative styles with an emphasis on the history of sculpture and architecture. At the successful conclusion of the first year you will have developed manual and observational skills, knowledge of conservation science, preventive conservation and an understanding of historical conservation techniques.

SECOND YEAR

The second year introduces you to modern conservation techniques (including laser cleaning) for stone, wood and decorative surfaces with extensive training in frame conservation. Materials science, the theory of colour and electro-magnetic radiation, microscopy of cross-sections and analytical techniques using IR spectroscopy and mass-spectrometry are also integral to this level of study. The chemistry of cleaning and study of the behavior of materials and mechanisms of their deterioration is complimented by work on site and with artifacts loaned by museums and from private collections. On completing the second year you will have further developed your conservation practice skills and theoretical knowledge and acquired an understanding of conservation project management, including contingency planning, the significance of different approaches to conservation and restoration work, and your own responsibility as a practitioner.

The Art School’s extensive links and partnerships with institutions provide many opportunities for summer work placements and projects and recent successful student placements have included: the V&A Museum; British Museum; Tate Gallery; Conservation Centre of the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside (Liverpool); National Gallery of Art Washington DC; National Museum in Iceland; Science Museum, London; Museum of London; Royal Palaces Collection; Natural History Museum; Watts Gallery, Smithsonian Conservation Institute, and the Wallace Collection. Where a summer placement is not possible you will be advised on alternative summer project work.

THIRD YEAR

In the third year you will undertake up to three remedial conservation projects with objects provided either by institutions such as English Heritage, St Paul’s Cathedral, National Trust, Royal Collections Trust, Westminster Abbey, Wallace Collection or by private collectors. You will study the historical and social backgrounds of the objects in your care, to ensure that your approach to their conservation is appropriate and fully informed. Your portfolio of independent research projects will be supported by our team of experts, tutors who work as professionals across the range of specialisms relevant to your studies. (see Conservation Team)

Alongside your practical projects and conservation reports for each project you will write a dissertation that relates to practical conservation issues that you have encountered and researched. By the successful conclusion of the course you will have a substantial portfolio demonstrating your fitness to work as a conservation practitioner.

Entry Requirements

Applicants for BA (Hons) Conservation Studies are normally expected to have achieved, or be expected to achieve, the equivalent to 280 UCAS points, for example:

• A pass in 3 GCE A levels with one at grade A

OR

• A pass at Foundation Diploma in Art and Design and 2 passes in GCE A levels

This educational level may also be demonstrated by possession of a combination of other qualifications for example the International Baccalaureat or High School Diploma. Applicants who can demonstrate equivalent prior professional experience will also be considered through a process called Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning (AP(E)L), which involves a judgment of various work-life and formal educational experiences against the selection criteria.

Applicants who do not speak English as a first language will be required to provide evidence of achieving the equivalent of the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) score of 6.0 or above, with a minimum of 5.0 in all four areas.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN AN APPLICATION, AND AT INTERVIEW

This course has up to 9 places available each year. We are looking for highly motivated individuals who can demonstrate:

• manual dexterity;
• observational skills;
• a rational and informed approach to problem solving;
• a curiosity about objects, materials and their behaviour;
• patience and attention to detail;
• an appetite for learning and an ability to focus.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We select applicants according to their potential and current ability to:

• fulfil the entry requirements;
• gather, research and synthesise information;
• critically evaluate their own achievements and recognise areas for development;
• evidence an interest in and knowledge of cultural objects and their historical context ;
• demonstrate a range of hand skills and technical abilities*
• demonstrate commitment and motivation to the subject and the course
• plan and prioritise their own time and set achievable goals

• this could be evidenced through craft and/or artwork that you have made

  For more information, please visit our website.

Welcome to City & Guilds of London Art School, a not-for-profit, specialist higher education institution dedicated to teaching and inspiring the next generation of creative professionals. We provide an important alternative to other models of art and craft higher education in the UK.

All of our courses have a proven track record and are widely respected. We offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in contemporary Fine Art (BA (Hons) and MA), Conservation of cultural objects (BA (Hons) and MA), and Historic Carving (Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma), as well as a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design. Please visit the individual programme pages to find out more about our courses.

While our fees are in line with standard UK degrees, we have a commitment to high levels of contact time with tutors, all of whom are active professionals. We also offer a significant number of bursaries and scholarships to help students fund their studies, thanks to a wide range of generous benefactors who recognise the Art School’s commitment to excellence. Students on our BA (Hons) course may be eligible for government-funded student loans.

TEACHING

Our staff to student ratios are generous, and teaching on all courses takes place across the week. Teaching is conducted by artists and practitioners at the top of their professional fields, who collectively provide a varied and dynamic range of expertise and viewpoints. The specialist nature of the Art School means we can focus on excellence and provide the one-to-one attention our subjects require. We believe in curiosity, ambition and learning through making. Every student is encouraged and supported to exceed their own expectations.

The education we offer is both broad and deep. We combine skills-based teaching with contextual Art Histories lectures and seminars that employ London’s museums and galleries as a crucial resource for regular targeted study trips. Drawing is fundamental to all of our courses with a dedicated Drawing Studio open to all, while the fruitful cross-pollination of subjects helps students to develop a profound understanding of their practice.

LOCATION AND FACILITIES

We have been at our Kennington site since 1879, which now comprises a Georgian terrace and purpose-built Victorian studios located opposite Kennington Tube station, together with large flexible studio spaces for the Foundation Diploma in a neighbouring 1930s ex-warehouse building. We have London’s galleries and museums within easy reach, with the National Gallery just a few stops away and both the East End galleries and South Kensington museums just a 20-minute tube journey away. This area of South London is fast becoming a cultural quarter with Damian Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery, Gasworks, Beaconsfield and numerous other galleries within a short walk. Our relationship network with cultural organisations, museums and galleries is extensive and both local (London) and global, including partnerships in Venice, Tokyo and Berlin.

We recognise the centrality of the studio as a space for creative endeavour, analysis and experimentation, and students are allocated dedicated workspaces which support their intensive, focused and full-time practice. Each area of workspace is devised with the student’s practice in mind whether that is a high ceilinged artists’ studio with natural north light, or a conservation research lab. In addition, students have access to expert- run specialist resources and workshops, including the drawing studio, print room, wood workshop, casting workshop, glass workshop, Sackler Library and IT studio, as well as access to smaller specialist facilities such as a foundry, ceramics kilns and a photographic darkroom.

SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY

We operate on a human scale with approximately 230 students and 80+ teaching staff. This enables us to work with our students as distinct and important members of our lively and engaging creative community. We care about individual progress and stay in active communication with our alumni, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Students also benefit from collaborations with leading heritage, creative and art-related institutions and initiatives, which provide opportunities for voluntary work experience, commissioning and showcasing student work.

For more information, please visit our website.