Conservation Programs

Overview

Entering the field of conservation usually requires both academic preparation and hands-on experience. Candidates interested in conservation often need to complete pre-program requirements before applying to graduate school. These may include coursework in chemistry, studio art, art history, and related sciences, along with internships, volunteer work, or other experiences that show a commitment to the care of cultural materials.

A master’s degree in conservation is generally required for professional conservation positions. Because the field is highly specialized, graduate programs often look for applicants who already have a strong foundation in material knowledge, close looking, documentation, research, and practical experience with objects or collections.

For students considering this path, it is important to start early. Conservation requires patience, technical skill, scientific understanding, and a deep respect for the histories and futures of objects. Pre-program internships, lab experience, collections work, and conversations with practicing conservators can help students understand which specialty might best fit their interests.

Professional Organization Search Directories

Emerging Conservation Professionals Network

 A resource for students, pre-program candidates, and early-career conservation professionals.

Canadian Conservation Institute

 Offers resources, publications, conservation guidance, and information about caring for cultural heritage materials.

international institute for conservation of historic and artistic works

 A professional organization that supports conservation research, publications, events, and international professional exchange.

American Alliance of Museums


 A broader museum organization with resources, job postings, professional standards, and information across many museum fields, including conservation.

Internship Directories and Opportunities

American Institute for Conservation

 A key professional resource for conservation careers, internships, graduate program preparation, and specialty groups.

Getty

Offers internships, graduate opportunities, research resources, and professional development programs related to conservation, museums, and cultural heritage.

Prerequisite Work for Conservation Master’s Programs

Graduate conservation programs usually require a combination of science, humanities, studio art, language preparation, and hands-on experience. Because conservation brings together material knowledge, research, ethics, and technical skill, students interested in this path often begin preparing before applying to a master’s program.

Sciences

Most conservation programs require one to two full years of college-level science coursework, usually including general chemistry, organic chemistry, and laboratory work. These courses are especially important because conservators need to understand how materials are made, how they change over time, and how they respond to different environments or treatments.

Other areas of study are not always required, but can be very helpful. These include biology, biochemistry, geology, materials science, physics, and mathematics.

Humanities

Coursework in art history, anthropology, archaeology, and related fields is also important. These subjects help future conservators understand objects within broader cultural, historical, and social contexts. Many programs require at least four to six humanities courses, and it is especially helpful to study a wide range of cultural traditions, time periods, and object types.

Studio Art

Studio art experience is another major part of conservation preparation. Courses may include drawing, printmaking, bookbinding, painting, photography, sculpture, wood or metal working, textiles, or other material-based practices.

This work helps students develop hand skills, patience, and a deeper understanding of how objects are made. As the American Institute for Conservation explains, applicants to graduate conservation programs are expected to present a portfolio that demonstrates “manual dexterity, knowledge of techniques, and an understanding and affinity for art materials.”

Languages

Reading proficiency in one or more languages other than English is recommended and may be required during graduate study. Language skills can be especially useful for research, archival work, technical literature, and studying objects from different cultural or geographic contexts.

Additional Coursework

Other helpful areas of study may include museum studies, drafting, computer science, and library science. These courses can support the documentation, research, digital, and institutional parts of conservation work.

Experience in the Field

Hands-on experience is essential. This can include internships, volunteer work, paid positions, collections work, lab experience, or other opportunities to observe and participate in conservation-related settings.

The American Institute for Conservation notes that applicants are expected to be familiar with conservation as a career path and to have a basic understanding of conservation philosophy, ethics, and working procedures. For this reason, experience in the field is not only about building a résumé. It is also about learning how conservators think, make decisions, and care for objects over time.

1. AAMC & AAMC Foundation. 2020. “Professional Practices for Art Curators in Nonprofits.” Issuu. July 20, 2020. https://issuu.com/artcurators/docs/aamc_professional_practices_for_art_curators_in_no.

2. “Become a Conservator - American Institute for Conservation.” 2020. Culturalheritage.org. 2020. https://www.culturalheritage.org/careers/become-a-conservator.‌