MSc Conservation of Historic Buildings

See programme catalogue for more detail on individual units.

Programme structure

• Full time study: 12 months, with students attending two days a week (Wednesday and Friday)
• Part time study: 24 months, with students attending one day a week (Wednesday or Friday)
• Extended part time of 48 months is also possible, with students attending one day/one semester per year
• Divided into two semesters and the dissertation period
• Taught courses last for one semester and the summer months are dedicated to the dissertation
• Where students do not wish to write the dissertation, or are ineligible to progress, a Postgraduate Diploma is awarded after successful completion of the taught course only.

Semester 1

• Structural conservation
• History and theory
• Two Case Studies

Semester 2

• Materials construction and skills
• The legislative framework
• Two Case Studies

Dissertation

During the final three months of the degree you will produce a dissertation. This is your opportunity to explore a particular topic that has been covered during the programme in far greater depth.

Conservation techniques

• Structural conservation techniques: principles, faults and their causes, diagnoses and remedies, and surveying and analytical techniques
• Materials conservation techniques: technology and conservation of building elements from structure to finishes
• Information and awareness about related fields (including furniture and fabric conservation), and the experts who can be called upon
• The legal framework of conservation.

Philosophy

• A range of philosophies towards the repair and re-use of old buildings
• History of conservation, from John Wood and James Wyatt, the Victorian age, William Morris and the development of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings through to present day policies and the listing of twentieth century buildings
• Stimulating debate and the opportunity to develop an individual viewpoint
• A body of knowledge on the history of British architecture from town planning to interiors
• An awareness of adjacent related fields including garden conservation and archaeology.

Teaching of the Theory of Classical Architecture

• Visual training based around the teaching of classical architecture within the context of Bath as a classical city
• Aims to achieve a high level of architectural correctness and competence in detailing architectural elements.

Case studies

• You will attend six case studies (a combination of large and small buildings at sites both local to Bath and further afield)
• The case studies cover the philosophy upon which the conservation work is based, the architectural and engineering principles involved and a study of the techniques and technologies employed.

Bath students have an excellent track record for getting jobs.

• Bath postgraduates noticeably outperform postgraduates nationally
• Our MSc graduates are extremely attractive to employers and have entered a wide range of careers.
• Other graduates have gone on to pursue research towards and MPhil or PhD

The programme exposes students to a variety of external lecturers (all leading practitioners in their field) including conservation engineers and architects, specialist contractors, members of English Heritage and the Director of Properties to the Royal Household. This has provided significant employment opportunities in the past.

The MSc provides a short cut to becoming a Chartered Surveyor. Graduates get exemption from the RICS internal examinations and are eligible for entry to the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). This usually involves two years of structured training with an employer followed by the APC. Visit the RICS website has more information.

Graduate destinations

• Inspector for the Victorian Society
• The Church in Wales, coordinating church surveys and ecclesiastical exemption, providing access for the disabled, etc.
• Curator / architectural advisor to Bath Preservation Trust
• National Trust Manager of Uppark House
• Conservation officer, UNESCO, Paris
• Conservation architects with well-known practices working on every type of historic building from Salisbury cathedral to medieval timber-framed barns
• Access consultant
• Member of the Information Team, the Science Museum, South KensingtonArchitects’ practices working on conservation and building new country houses in the classical style

We also encourage the best of our MSc students to continue their studies with us to PhD level.