The Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage (Restauratiekunde) programme will introduce you to the theory and practice of conservation. You will take courses in applied Conservation science as well as in the humanities and natural sciences, such as Art History, Conservation History, Conservation Science and Chemistry.

The conservator-restorer as an essential link

A conservator-restorer works on the material preservation of cultural heritage. Conservation has historically been regarded as a trade: the conservator-restorer was trained as an artist or by fellow practitioners. Today, training for a career in conservation normally starts with a regular degree programme, usually at an academic level and is rooted in the idea of the irreplaceability of the art object and its technical and contextual complexity. The conservator-restorer represents an essential link within multidisciplinary collaborative research and material care for cultural heritage, where conservators, archaeologists, scientists and anthropologists all play a role.

This programme at the UvA

The MA programme in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage (Restauratiekunde) lasts two years and is followed by a two-year postgraduate track. The entire programme for becoming a conservator-restorer consists of three parts:

• a Bachelor’s degree certificate in humanities or science, possibly including a minor in Conservation and Restoration (30 ECTS credits) 
• a two-year Master's programme in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage with a substantial element of practical training and 
• a two-year postgraduate track in which the trainee conservator-restorer works in a training studio and completes an internship to achieve the international level of professional specialisation required of conservator-restorers (see: Study programme).

Upon completing this seven-year programme, you will be nationally and internationally qualified as a conservator-restorer in one of the specialisations listed above. All three components must be completed to obtain this qualification.

Degree certificate

Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage is an accredited Master’s degree programme. Upon successfully completing this programme, you will obtain the legally recognised Master’s degree in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage and the title Master of Arts (MA).