The core curriculum

The core curriculum provides the practical, theoretical and methodological foundations needed to prepare and implement all the dimensions of a conservation-restoration project (preventive, curative and aesthetic conservation).

They follow and accompany the progression of specialised courses in three main areas: knowledge of the discipline and its ethics, the material history of objects and collections, art history and the study of sources; the sciences applied to heritage objects: knowledge of their constituent materials and of the materials and products used in conservation-restoration, as well as the factors and processes involved in deterioration; the regulatory, administrative and legal context in which the profession is practised, including the safety of property and people.

Modern languages, drawing, information technology and documentation techniques complete the curriculum.

Scientific teaching

The programme is coordinated by Sandie Le Conte, researcher and head of the laboratory of the Department of Conservators-Conservators. It is based around the following courses:

Physics
General chemistry
Organic chemistry
Introduction to heritage materials
Deterioration of heritage materials
Glues and adhesives
Aqueous systems
Experimental studies programme (PEEX)
Characterisation of heritage materials
Biology (entomology - microbiology)
Scientific documentation and imaging.

Theoretical teaching

This programme is coordinated by Amélie Méthivier, a conservator-restorer who is in charge of initial training for heritage conservators-restorers. It is based around the following courses and the collections field-schools organised during the 1st and 2nd years:

Iconography
Introduction to preventive conservation
art history specific to the area
Theory and history of restoration
Conservation contexts: museums, historic monuments, archaeology, archives and libraries (law, history of collections, scientific and technical supervision by the state)
Public procurement and invitations to tender
Modern languages

Technical and artistic education

This programme is coordinated by Amélie Méthivier in association with the speciality teachers.

Drawing
Workshop risk management
Management of psycho-social risks
film photography for the photography speciality
Applied information technology

The acquisition of methodological knowledge and professional skills is based on a cross-disciplinary, inter-specialist and inter-disciplinary approach, and is supported by thematic seminars developed throughout the course with the Department of Curators among others.