Programme and institute

Postgraduate Diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings,

The Courtauld Institute of Art

Curriculum

A three-year course is offered in the conservation of easel paintings. It is open to graduates in art, art history or the natural sciences, and has an enrolment of five students per year. In the first year, in addition to the practical work, students take lecture courses covering painting and conservation methods and materials, as well as lectures in the techniques of scientific examination.

There is a basic science course (for arts graduates) or a prescribed selection of art history lectures (for science graduates). At the end of the year, students must have achieved a satisfactory standard in their practical work and passed examinations in the lecture courses in order to continue. The second year of the course is essentially devoted to practical conservation. There is also a series of specialised lectures, seminars and visits that occupy one day per week. In the third year, one term is devoted to a research topic on some aspects of conservation or artists’ materials and techniques, and the other two terms to practical conservation. The award of the Institute’s Diploma is based on the examination of all aspects of the student’s practical conservation, and of the dissertation. The conservation of paintings is an inter-disciplinary subject. The course aims to educate reflective, professional practitioners able to contribute to the many different aspects of the profession, including interventive conservation practice, preventive conservation and collections management, conservation science and conservation research. The course structure is responsive both to professional requirements and individual interests.

Entry requirements

The department welcomes five students each year to the three-year Postgraduate Diploma course. Students come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and their varying contributions are valued. The normal entry requirement is a first degree in art history, science or fine art. The student body usually includes graduates from European countries and from overseas.
If you have an overseas qualification, please refer to our International Student pages for a list of standard entry requirements from various countries. If your qualification is not included on this list, please feel free to contact the Academic Registry; however, please be aware that our staff are unable to confirm whether you will be invited to interview, as candidates are judged on the strength of their applications as a whole. For applicants whose first language is not English, we require an IELTS bandwidth of 7.0 overall or recognised equivalent.

Language
English

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