Overview

West Dean College trains conservators, restorers and horologists to become professionals capable of the highest quality of care for historic and artistic artefacts.

Practical conservation and restoration requires a high level of technical skill allied with aesthetic sensitivity. It respects the integrity of historical artefacts and requires an ethical understanding of their historical development and current context, whether this is in a museum or a commercial setting.

Programmes of Study at West Dean

West Dean College offers a range of graduate and postgraduate programmes of study in Conservation.

MA Conservation Studies
awarded by the University of Sussex
1 calendar year

Postgraduate Diploma
awarded by the University of Sussex
1 academic year

Books and Library Materials
Ceramics and Related Materials
Furniture and Related Objects
Metalwork

Graduate Diploma
awarded by the University of Sussex
1 academic year

Books and Library Materials
Ceramics
Furniture and Related Objects
Metalwork

West Dean College Diploma
awarded by West Dean College
1 academic year

Furniture Restoration Practices
Conservation of Clocks

Professional Development Diploma
awarded by West Dean College
1 academic year

Buildings, Interiors & Sites *
Ceramics and Related Materials
Conservation of Clocks
Furniture and Related Objects
Metalwork

* Note: Not a full-time course, studied part-time through attendance on 10 short courses and a final written essay.

All Postgraduate Diplomas at West Dean can transferred into the MA Degree programmes, thereby extending the duration of study from one academic year to a full calendar year.

Mid way through the academic year (February), students on postgraduate programmes commence MA units in addition to the remainder of their Postgraduate Diploma programmes. On successful completion of the full academic year (July), students will have finished their Postgraduate Diploma while at the same time completing a modest amount of MA introductory study.

In July, students then commence their major projects for the MA degree which involve a further 10-week period of full-time study with a final assessment towards the end of September.

MA Degree Co-ordinator and MA Visual Arts Tutor: Dr Roger Bown
A qualified teacher with BA, MPhil and PhD Degrees, specialising in critical and cultural theory related to Visual Arts. He is also Head of Academic Affairs at West Dean.

MA Conservation Studies Tutor: Lorna Calcutt
Following a BA (Hons) in Art and Design from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee, and a postgraduate Diploma in the History of Fine and Decorative Arts, Lorna studied ceramics and glass conservation at West Dean. Lorna worked at the British Museum for four years and has since achieved an MA in Conservation Studies from the University of Sussex and become an ICON accredited conservator.

A statement drawn up by all the Conservation tutors at West Dean College

The activity of those Diploma Programmes at West Dean College that undertake the treatment of cultural heritage falls within the general definition of Conservation. Conservation includes all measures taken in order to aid the understanding and interpretation of heritage, through ensuring the material integrity of objects. In its least interventive form, Conservation involves measures taken to stabilise objects by influencing their environment and conditions of storage, use or display. At a more interventive level it includes practical treatments such as cleaning, consolidation and repair. Where appropriate it can extend to the replacement of missing parts and visual integration of new components. As such, the processes of preservation, repair, and restoration are all part of the activity of Conservation; either individually or collectively. The extent to which each is applied will depend on the object being treated and its context. Treatment decisions are taken after discussion with interested parties, and it is recognised that conventions within each subject area differ to an extent. However the principle common to all Programmes is that treatments should involve the minimum action necessary to ensure the continued and sustainable interpretation of the object, in its context, as an historic artefact.

ENQUIRIES
Telephone: +44 (0)1243 818208 or 811301

Email: diplomas@westdean.org.uk