At City & Guilds of London Art School, Conservation is the meeting-point of science and art, a fascinating blend of state-of-the-art forensics, aesthetics and traditional craft skills. Originally established after World War II to conserve and preserve London’s bomb-damaged architectural treasures, the Conservation Department has evolved over the last 73 years and runs acclaimed BA, Graduate Diploma and MA courses, with a strong track record of graduates progressing directly into professional roles within the conservation sector.
The MA Conservation Collection Care & Management is a practice-led postgraduate programme designed to prepare students for careers in preventive conservation and the care and management of cultural heritage collections. The course combines structured technical training with critical reflection, ethical awareness, and an understanding of collection care as a discipline shaped by institutional, environmental, and professional responsibilities.
Collection care is a complex and evolving area of conservation practice. It requires a broad understanding of materials, deterioration processes, environmental monitoring and control, as well as the ability to develop appropriate handling, storage, and documentation systems. Alongside this technical knowledge, students engage with the historical, theoretical, and ethical frameworks that underpin responsible stewardship of collections across a wide range of contexts.
Rather than focusing on a single object-based treatment project, this programme introduces a range of conservation approaches through practical workshops, case studies, and applied research. Students are encouraged to think critically about contemporary conservation challenges and to develop adaptable, professional approaches suited to museums, galleries, historic houses, and other collection environments.
The course is structured across three units, supporting a progression from foundational skills and research to applied practice and professional development:
Unit 1: Methods establishes the foundations of postgraduate study.
Unit 2: Practices supports the sustained development and refinement of a defined line of enquiry.
Unit 3: Professions consolidates the MA through critical evaluation, research articulation and professional positioning.
This one-year, full-time or two-year part-time course is subject to validation from Arts University Bournemouth.