Introduction
Conserve cultural heritage with this hands-on degree
Turn your passion for art and heritage into a career, with this short qualification in conserving heritage materials.
Gain the skills required to propel your career in the cultural heritage and museum sector. Explore how to identify materials and how they’re made and begin the journey of learning how to conserve them as collections in museums and galleries, or as part of built heritage sites.
Choose to study full-time and complete this qualification in as little as 4-months (one semester), or complete it part-time over two semesters. Take advantage of a discounted Commonwealth Support Place available on a first come, first served basis (2021 only).
Through practical field-based workshops and behind-the-scenes tours of heritage sites and collections, you will learn to investigate the condition and significance of heritage items. You’ll develop conservation and management plans for materials, and carry out laboratory and on-site treatment techniques to preserve and restore them.
Have a particular passion or interest in a subsection of history or culture? The flexibility to develop your personal vision as a professional is intrinsic to the course., with specialist mentors available for key areas.
All units within this course contain Indigenous cultural content as a key underpinning to theory.
Study a Graduate Certificate in Heritage Materials Conservation at UC and you will:
- apply values-based methodologies to identify the stakeholders and values that must be taken into account in conservation planning
- use observation and analysis to accurately identify heritage materials, their condition, and their responses to environmental conditions
- integrate physical data and cultural understandings to develop sustainable conservation treatment and management plans for heritage
- determine and apply appropriate preservation, conservation and restoration techniques to conserve and enhance heritage materials.
Work Integrated Learning (WIL)
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) is a significant focus of the course, with all units centred around the development of key methods, techniques and skills required for work in the field of cultural heritage.
As part of your studies you will gain extensive practical experience working in real-life industry scenarios, participate in site-based tutorials, explore numerous local and international case studies, while also contributing to group projects and research work.
You will also gain access to mentors from within the industry, deliver presentations to culture and heritage practitioners, and be challenged working with simulations of real-world industry design briefs.
If you are already employed in the sector, you will also be encouraged to use your past experiences to reflect on current industry practice, problems and issues.
Career opportunities
- conservator
- head of heritage
- heritage consultant
- curator
- gallery manager
- indigenous heritage officer
- collections manager
- heritage manager
- engineering heritage consultant
- historic buildings conservation officer
- culture and heritage officer
- heritage site manager
- heritage and cultural policy adviser
Course-specific information
Students who have completed this course may apply and receive credit for units within the Graduate Diploma in Creative and Cultural Futures or the Master of Arts in Creative and Cultural Futures.
Admission Requirements
Requirements
Students must have a bachelor degree in any field as approved by the University.
Information on admission closing dates can be found here.
English Language Requirements
Academic IELTS of 6.5 or equivalent, with no band score below 6.0
Fees
Information for Fee Paying Students
Year | Domestic | International |
---|---|---|
2021 | CSP/Domestic Tuition Fee (see below) | $32,900 |
The fees detailed above are the annual fee rates for the course. Graduate Certificate courses are typically 0.5 years in duration, so the total course fee will be half the above for such courses.The annual rate is the fee that applies to standard full-time enrolment, which is 24 credit points. The final fee charged is based on the proportion of 24 credit points in which a student enrols. Students enrolled in a Commonwealth Support Place (CSP) are required to make a contribution towards the cost of their education, which is set by the Commonwealth Government. Information on Commonwealth Supported Places, HECS-HELP and how fees are calculated can be found here.
Government Support
Year | CSP Places Available | Eligible for Student Income Support (Centrelink) |
---|---|---|
2021 | YES | NO |
Typical Study Pattern
Course Information
Course Requirements
In addition to course requirements, in order to successfully complete your course you may need to meet the inherent requirements. Please refer to the inherent requirements statement applicable to your course.
Course Duration
One semester full-time or equivalent. Maximum four semesters.
Unit Delivery Modes
Each unit within your course may be offered through the following delivery modes:
UC - Canberra, Bruce
On Campus: | The unit is delivered on-campus and face to face, supplemented with online content. Most classes are run on weekdays and during business hours. |
Check how each of your units are delivered in the Course Requirements section.
Admission Periods
Year | Location | Domestic | International |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | UC - Canberra, Bruce | Semester 1 |
Semester 1 |
2022 | UC - Canberra, Bruce | Semester 1 |
Semester 1 |
2023 | UC - Canberra, Bruce | Semester 1 |
Semester 1 |
Assumed Knowledge
None.
Awards
Award(s) | Official Abbreviation |
---|---|
Graduate Certificate in Heritage Materials Conservation | GradCertHeritMatConserv |