Twelve courses, including an eleven-month internship and
two 8-week summer work projects, give the student in-depth instruction in basic
examination and treatment techniques. Credits, listed parenthetically after the
course title, do not indicate the actual hours required to complete the course.
Additional information about the Library and Archives Conservation
Education (LACE) curriculum at WUPDAC is available online.
First
Year, Science
ARTC 615 Properties and Structure of Art Materials I ​(3 credit hours, Fall semester)
This course explores the fundamental physical and chemical
properties of art and cultural materials, ensuring a basic familiarity with
their mechanical and chemical behavior, the causes and mechanisms of their
deterioration, and the range of materials and processes used for their
conservation and restoration. The fall semester emphasizes organic materials
such as, proteins and cellulose, solvent theory, and polymer chemistry.
ARTC 616 Conservation Research Methods ​(3 credit hours, Spring semester)
This course explores the fundamental physical and chemical
properties of art and cultural materials, ensuring a basic familiarity with
their physical, mechanical and chemical behavior, the causes and mechanisms of
their deterioration, and the range of materials and processes used for their
conservation and restoration. The spring semester emphasizes inorganic
materials such as metals, glass, ceramics, stone, pigments, plasters, and
cements.
ARTC 670 Chemical and Physical Techniques Used in the Examination of Art Materials I ​(3 credit hours, Fall semester)
This course is designed to coordinate its content with
material taught in the concurrent specialty-specific blocks, focusing on the
conservation science applications most directly relevant to a specific material
or discipline. Applied science topics in the fall semester may include fiber
identification, alkaline reserve treatments, iron gall ink corrosion,
wet-cleaning techniques for textiles, dye chemistry and analysis, and the
mechanical properties of historic and modern fibers.
ARTC 671 Chemical and Physical Techniques Used in the Examination of Art Materials II (3 credit hours, Spring semester)
This course is designed to coordinate its content with
material taught in the concurrent specialty-specific blocks, focusing on the
conservation science applications most directly relevant to a specific material
or discipline. Applied science topics in the spring semester may include
corrosion chemistry, mechanisms of glass and bronze diseases, and cleaning
metal, glass, and ceramics.
First
Year, Block
ARTC 656 Conservation Principles 1 (6 credit hours, Fall semester)
This course is divided into a sequence of
specialty-specific blocks that cover each major area of conservation plus
principles of preventive conservation. During the fall semester, these
typically include paper, textiles, organic objects, and books and library
material. Students work with faculty members in each specialty, learn the basic
techniques of object examination, study the causes of deterioration, gain
experience recommending treatment options for a variety of conservation problems,
and establish a foundation for general collections care. Examination and
documentation techniques covered during the semester include polarized light
microscopy, ultraviolet light examination, and digital photo documentation.
ARTC 657 ​Conservation Principles 2 (6 credit hours, Spring semester)
This course is divided into a sequence of
specialty-specific blocks that cover each major area of conservation. During
the spring semester, these typically include photographic materials, wooden artifacts,
inorganic objects, and paintings conservation. Students work with faculty
members in each specialty, learn the basic techniques of object examination,
study the causes of deterioration, gain experience recommending treatment
options for a variety of conservation problems, and establish a foundation for
general collections’ care. Examination and documentation techniques covered
during the semester include cross-section microscopy, x-radiography, and
digital photo documentation.
Second
Year, Science
ARTC 672 Chemical and Physical Techniques Used in the Examination of Art Materials III ​(3 credit hours, Fall semester)
During the second year, the student will gain a basic
familiarity, hands-on experience, and fundamental understanding of the
instrumental methods of analysis most commonly used in art conservation. In
the first semester, specific emphasis will be placed on the spectroscopic
techniques that are routinely employed in museum laboratories, including, for
example, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy.
A technical analysis of an object of art will be undertaken in the second year with
the student gaining individual mentoring and hands-on experience using
instrumental methods of analysis to characterize the materials used to make and
conserve objects of art. This will include experience interpreting data and
working with complementary methods of analysis.
ARTC 673 Chemical and Physical Techniques Used in the Examination of Art Materials IV ​(3 credit hours, Spring semester)
During the second semester, the student will gain a basic
familiarity and understanding of the chromatographic methods of analysis most
closely related to conservation. Specific emphasis will be placed on the
techniques that are most commonly found in museum laboratories, including, for
example, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high performance liquid
chromatography. A technical analysis of an object of art will be
undertaken in the second year with the student gaining hands-on experience
using instrumental methods of analysis to characterize the materials used to
make and conserve objects of art.
Second
Year, Major Coursework
ARTC 658 Topics in Advanced Apprenticeship and Research in Conservation I ​(6 credit hours, Fall semester)
This course provides one-on-one instruction in one of the
major areas of specialization, which consist of the following: furniture, library
and archival materials, organic and inorganic objects, paintings, paper, photographs,
preventive conservation, and textiles. One minor concentration, such as
preventive conservation, may also be elected. Focusing on the chosen specialty,
the course continues the development of basic hand skills, establishes a
thorough ability to examine and document the condition of cultural property,
hones problem-solving and ethical decision-making skills in treatments, and
reinforces a solid understanding of the care and preservation issues within the
specialty. Original works of art and artifacts are examined, studied, and
treated in consultation with the responsible curator, institution, or owner as
part of the course work.
ARTC 659 Topics in Advanced Apprenticeship and Research in Art Conservation II​ (6 credit hours, Spring semester)
This course provides one-on-one instruction in one of the
offered major areas of specialization, which consist of the following: furniture,
library and archival materials, organic and inorganic objects, paintings,
paper, photographs, preventive conservation, and textiles. One minor
concentration, such as preventive conservation or painted surfaces, may also be
elected. Focusing on the chosen specialty, the course continues the development
of basic hand skills, establishes a thorough ability to examine and document
the condition of cultural property, hones problem-solving and ethical
decision-making skills in treatments, and reinforces a solid understanding of
the care and preservation issues within the specialty. Original works of art
and artifacts are examined, studied, and treated in consultation with the
responsible curator, institution, or owner as part of the course work.
Second
Year, Seminar
ARTC 650 Seminar in Art Conservation (1 credit hour, Fall and Spring semesters)
As a means of developing their communication skills,
students will present talks and write a report on their summer projects; in the
spring visiting lecturers, chosen and hosted by the students, will speak on art
conservation, curatorial decisions, and science, and faculty will conduct
sessions on philosophy and ethics of conservation. Fall and Spring.
Second
Year, Electives
Elective Course (3 credit
hours)
During the second year of study, students must choose one
three-credit elective course during the fall semester and one during the spring
semester. Elective courses are meant to address a student’s individual
interests or apply to a minor concentration. With approval of the major
advisor, electives include course offerings in art conservation or in other
relevant departments/programs at the University of Delaware, such as art history,
anthropology, museum studies, chemistry, or history. Alternatively, students
may opt to complete an independent study of their design (see ARTC 666).
ARTC 666 Independent Study (3
credit hours, Fall or Spring semester)
This course is designed by the student, under faculty
supervision, to study cultural context, material science, conservation practice
or history of technology. The student must submit a proposal to be
approved by the supervising faculty member who will evaluate it for appropriate
academic rigor and relevance to the student’s course of study.
Summer
Work Projects
Each student completes two 8-week summer work projects
during the first and second summer in the program. The work project locations
are approved by the program to provide additional experiences in conservation
principles and practice.
