Conservation of Archaeological & Museum Objects (Diss)

The course is delivered through a mixture of lectures, seminars and practical classes as well as a dissertation. Typically lectures provide key information on a particular area, and identify the main areas for discussion and debate among Conservators in that area. Practicals then provide opportunities for you to implement and develop your skills, based on the knowledge that you have gained through your lectures and through independent study outside the programmes formal contact hours. Self-development learning packages allow you to continue your learning in a structured way outside of the practical sessions. The dissertation allows you to develop advanced research skills in an aspect of conservation or artefact studies.

The balance of activities changes throughout the course, as you develop your knowledge, skills and ability as independent learners and practitioners. The course therefore prepares you for work or further study once you have graduated, with an emphasis on taking your learning from the classroom to real life situations in Museums and conservation laboratories. All teaching is delivered by qualified conservators.

In the first two terms of the first year you will typically attend 4-5 hours a week of lectures, 6 hours of practical work including seminars, 3 hours of structured self-development learning and up to 9 hours of conservation skills working in the conservation laboratory. Outside timetabled contact hours, you are also expected to undertake independent study to prepare for your classes and broaden your subject knowledge. The department also has an exciting programme of weekly one-hour research seminars which you are strongly encouraged to attend.

The balance shifts in the third term, as you develop your abilities as independent learners through supervised practical conservation work for 4 days a week over 10 weeks and create a portfolio of your work and reflections.

The emphasis on using the independent study and research skills developed in the first year of the course is continued through the dissertation, which marks out the researcher route. Under the supervision of a member of academic staff with whom you will typically have ten one-to-one supervisory meetings, you will undertake a detailed study of a particular area resulting in a significant piece of independent research.

A good second class honours degree (typically 2:1 Honours) or international equivalent in any subject and a pass in mathematics at Grade 4 (or C) or above at GCSE level, or equivalent. Applicants without a degree will be required to demonstrate sufficient academic capability to satisfactorily complete this degree.

Chemistry requirements:

One of the following: An 'AS' level in Chemistry or its equivalent A degree which included a significant science component, e.g. Biology or Material Science, An A, B or C grade for Chemistry in a Scottish 'Higher' or similar high grade in the Irish 'Leaving Certificate' may also be acceptable, Completed university level course units in Inorganic and Organic chemistry - this is particularly appropriate for students from North America, Completion of the 'Chemistry for Conservators' course. This is a correspondence course, which lasts approximately 6 months. Details of the course are available here.

You will need to be able to accurately distinguish between colours and safely handle objects, scalpels, and other conservation tools. You may be required to undertake tests to ascertain the levels of some of these skills if they are invited to visit. Evidence of engagement with and interest in archaeological and museum objects, while not formally required, is highly recommended. This may be in the form of employment, internship or volunteer work in a museum, historic house, or a collecting institute, such as an archaeological repository, or through participation in an archaeological excavation.

We will only consider applications from those where English is not their first language if they have taken a relevant English Language test which meets the minimum requirements.

Reference requirements:

One satisfactory reference is required.

Application deadlines

As there are a finite number of places on this course and demand is quite high, we operate a staged admissions process with two rounds of application deadlines.

If you apply before the application deadline for a particular stage, as shown below, you will normally receive a response on or before the Decision by date. In some instances, it may be necessary for us to roll your application forward to the next round.

Round One:

Application by: Jan 16^th 2023

Decision by: February 17^th 2023

Round Two:

Application by: April 17^th 2023

Decision by May 19th 2023

• All deadlines are 23:59 UK time (GMT)

• Although we aim to give you a decision on your application by the listed date, due to the volume of applications this may not always be possible. Please note that we reserve the right to issue offers to exceptional candidates in advance of each deadline.

Applications received after the Round 1 deadline will be considered in Round 2. Applications received after the Round 2 deadline will be considered at our discretion only if places are still available on the course. Applications received after our final application deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.

Applicants are strongly recommended to apply well in advance of the application deadline.

Tuition fee deposit

All self-financing overseas students are required to pay a £1000 tuition fee deposit if an offer from the Department of Archaeology is accepted. The tuition fee deposit is paid before the University issues a Confirmation of Acceptance to Study (CAS) number, which is required in order to apply for a visa.

English language requirements

Full Time Fees Year 1

Full Time Fees Year 2

The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

Many of our postgraduates move into an academic career, either teaching or by taking up post-doctoral research positions in universities. Others join museums or national and regional heritage organisations. Some work in professional archaeology, in national or local planning departments, while others elect to use their analytical and presentation skills to gain positions in industry, commerce and government.

Our internationally respected research expertise will provide you with some of the best resources available for archaeological research. Here at Durham, we have one of only three commercial archaeology units in the UK based in a university department. You will be able to work with experts and have access to state-of-the-art laboratories and specialised facilities in the Department of Archaeology.

For more information see our department pages.

Rankings

• 8th in the QS World University Subject Rankings for Archaeology 2022
• 6th in The Complete University Guide 2023
• 7th in The Guardian University Guide 2023

Staff

For a current list of staff, please see our Archaeology pages.

Research Excellence Framework

• 97% of our research outputs graded world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021)
• 2nd in the UK top ten for the overall quality of research (REF 2021)

Facilities

We are one of the most comprehensively equipped archaeology departments in the UK. Our facilities include project rooms with state-of-the-art interactive technology, teaching laboratories, a computer suite, a photographic studio, internationally renowned scientific research laboratories in DNA, conservation, isotopes, environmental archaeology, luminescence dating, palaeopathology, soil and bone chemistry, and collections that support research in biometrics, informatics, and Anglo Saxon stone sculpture.

More information on our facilities and equipment.

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