Principles and Practice: Conservation Projects gives students the opportunity to consolidate conservation in practice through complex object treatment alongside fostering more independent decision-making skills complemented by wider collections and project management knowledge and understanding supporting the development of skills book, archival materials or paper conservators need in the workplace.

4 x 1 hr lecture = 4 contact hours

4 x 1 hr seminar = 4 contact hours

2 x 3hr Workshop = 6 contact hours

1 x 4 hr field trip = 4 contact hours

55 x 3hr Practical conservation sessions

None

None

Practical book, archival material or paper conservation (continual assessment over course) - 35%

Substantiated Conservation report linked to practical with reflective commentary (3500 words) - 35%

Consultant's Report (3000 words) - 30%

This course aims to:

■ Promote a greater understanding of the contexts within which book, archival materials and paper conservation operates.

■ Provide the student with the opportunity to implement varied and complex interventive treatments to further develop and refine practical skills.

■ Enable the student to synthesise observation, research, and analysis along with an understanding of cultural and ethical contexts to formulate appropriate treatment and collection care strategies.

■ Introduce the skills necessary to manage collections of books, archival and paper and small projects with an enhanced awareness of the balance between access and preservation.

■ Embed professional skills appropriate for an emerging conservation practitioner.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Employ high quality practical skills to carry out complex object treatments with appropriate levels of independence.

■ Formulate well-argued reports that meet client and 'object' needs using an advanced evidence-based foundation to support observation, interpretation, and reasoning.

■ Effectively apply critical reflection and problem-solving to practice and as part of continuing professional development.

■ Select and design appropriate measures and creative solutions to enhance the preservation and widen access of a book and paper collection.

■ Organise and manage practical projects effectively within agreed timeframes to strengthen project management skills.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.