Preventive Conservation MA
2 Years Part-Time by Distance Learning | September Start

Learning materials are accessed online through recorded lectures, electronic reading and an array of additional content, providing flexibility as to when, where and at what pace you learn.

This innovative model is particularly valuable for international students who do not have English as a first language, while the distance-learning format offers a cost-effective opportunity for students unable to re-locate or who need to continue in part-time or full-time paid employment.

This distance-learning approach facilitates study in any location and time zone, enhancing your employability while enriching the programme through collaboration with peers from diverse cultures and backgrounds worldwide. 

Four teaching modules cover relevant aspects of collections care and professional practice (environment, material deterioration processes, display, transit and disaster planning and recovery), together with global issues in heritage conservation and the science of preventive conservation.

In your second year you will have the opportunity to carry out a professional placement module where you will have the opportunity to contextualise your studies within a heritage institution of your choosing, gaining important professional skills and experience.

Your final dissertation, submitted in the Autumn of your second year will be supported by a dissertation and academic research skills module culminating in a written Project-Dissertation, where you will conceptualise, theorise, and undertake a piece of original research that aims to be a significant and original contribution to the field.

You will be taught by academic staff who are experts in their field and who possess extensive professional and research experience in the conservation and heritage sectors, drawing on large and varied international heritage networks that support your teaching, learning and research.

This ensures the programme remains at the cutting edge of contemporary professional practice and aims to provide you with invaluable industry connections.

Learning materials are accessed online through recorded lectures, electronic reading and an array of additional content on our innovative e-learning platform Blackboard Ultra.

You have access to guidance from teaching staff online and can also access support and other key University systems through your personal online student portal. You will also have remote access to reading lists and an impressive range of online scholarly journals and e-books though the university library. online discussion boards provide regular opportunities for you to discuss academic issues with the other students in your cohort. 
 
You will be fully supported throughout the course by the teaching team who will help you develop your area of personal research, provide guidance and feedback on coursework. 
 

This programme emphasises research-tutored and research-led learning approach engendering an enquiring, analytical and creative approach to the challenges of professional practice.

The curriculum scaffolds your development as a professional through flexible opportunities for critical enquiry, encouraging you to define your own research ideas. 
 
This approach supports your academic and professional development, particularly the ability to conceptualise and undertake research that advances understanding within preventive conservation practice, contribute to new knowledge creation and formulate balanced judgements- essential skills for conservation professionals working within historic collections care and management environments.

On completion of the MA Preventive Conservation programme, you can gain the knowledge and skills to enter the field as a collections care specialist. 

The professional placement module in your second year offers an opportunity to enhance your career prospects by applying your skills and knowledge in a professional environment. It can help you develop professional networks and identify which aspect of professional practice you'd like to pursue. 

Throughout the course, you can benefit from high-quality learning materials, live briefs and access to professional environmental monitoring tools. Combined with our established record of delivery and international network of contacts, this helps position your knowledge and understanding to meet the needs of the heritage sector. 

Teaching staff support your continuous professional development after graduation through our alumni network and social media presence, which alerts you to potential jobs, conferences and publication opportunities. 

A range of career options are available to graduates, with many choosing to pursue roles such as preventive conservation officers, environmental managers or collections managers in museums, galleries and heritage organisations. Former students now work in preventive conservation roles at heritage collections including the National Trust, Tate Galleries, Heritage Conservation Centre Singapore, National Gallery Victoria Australia and the National Archives Norway.