BA (Hons) Conservation Studies
The course is a three-years full-time leading to a BA (Hons) degree validated by the Birmingham City University, Birmingham, U.K.  Concentrating on the conservation and restoration of objects made of wood, stone and other sculptural materials e.g. plaster and terra cotta, particular attention is paid to gilded and painted decoration. Set within the context of the City & Guilds of London Art School, the  course is uniquely placed to provide students with traditional skills, such as life drawing, stone and wood carving and gilding all of which are essential in developing the aesthetic awareness necessary for the informed practice of conservation. The course integrates these skills with the technical skills and theoretical knowledge required for the preservation and reinstatement of works of art.

First year students follow the same programme as Architectural Stone Carving and  Ornamental Wood Carving students. The course includes the study of stone and wood carving, ornament forms and letter forms, gilding, lacquer and japanning techniques and plaster casting. Students participate in Drawing Studio classes, making studies both from life and from inanimate objects.  In addition there are lectures in conservation ethics, stone conservation, the history of art and architecture, an introduction to materials science as well as wood and stone technology. At the end of the first year students develop manual and observational skills and an understanding of the development of historical techniques.

Second year students are introduced to modern conservation techniques, including frame conservation, materials science, the theory of colour and polychromy, microscopy analytical techniques and laser cleaning technique. The study of chemistry and an introduction to the behavior and mechanisms of the deterioration of materials is complimented by the extensive practical experience provided by the School's association with various museums. During the second year students are taught task skills and management, including contingency planning, the significance of conservation and restoration work, and their responsibilities as practitioners.

All second year  students are required to undertake a summer placement in museums or private conservation practices. Recent host institutions include the V&A Museum, the British Museum, the Tate Gallery, the Conservation Centre of the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside (Liverpool), the Reina Sofia Museum of Art in Madrid, the National Gallery of Art Washington DC, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Museum in Iceland, the Science Museum, London, the Museum of London, the Royal Collection, the Natural History Museum and the Wallace Collection.

Third year  students write a substantial independent research project under the supervision of  a School tutor and in collaboration with the Materials Department at Imperial College London.  The project is based on the students' practical work and their personal research interests. All students undertake  practical work on up to three 3-D objects that are traditionally  provided by such institutions as English Heritage, St Paul's Cathedral,  Leeds Castle Collection, the Tate Gallery,  the Natural History Museum or by private collectors.  As part of the practical work,  students are also required to study the appropriate historical and social backgrounds of objects in their care, in order to provide an informed context for their practical skills.