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Overview

The Master of Cultural Materials Conservation offers a professional qualification, combining both theory and practice, and emphasising the philosophical, intellectual and scientific aspects of cultural materials conservation. Students will benefit from the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation’s strong industry links and will gain access to the University of Melbourne’s vast and varied cultural collections, including the Ian Potter Museum of Art, and the University’s library, archive and school collections. Students will also have access to industry links with leading museums, galleries, archives and libraries, across Australia and overseas, with opportunities to develop research in relation to broader issues of cultural preservation for communities and cultures within the Asian-Pacific region.

The option to specialise in areas including conservation treatment of paintings, works on paper, frames, and some object and architectural conservation, can be combined with an internship. In consultation with an academic supervisor, students can arrange to undertake a placement in a conservation department or practice, which deals directly in the conservation of materials of their specialisation. Students have the opportunity to undertake internships across Australia, and overseas (for example, in the UK, USA, New Zealand, India, Malaysia, Greece and East Timor).

• Benefit from the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation’s access to industry links with leading museums, galleries, archives and libraries, including the National Heritage Board, Singapore, National Art Gallery of Malaysia, Getty Conservation, USA, and Tate Conversation, UK.
• Gain opportunities to research broader issues of cultural preservation for communities and cultures within the Asian-Pacific region.
• Specialise in areas including conservation treatment of paintings, works on paper and objects.
• Gain professional experience through an internship, working under the guidance of a senior conservator and carry out a set program of conservation research and/or treatment involving complex decision-making and the application of high-level skills.