Objectives and competences
The master's degree aims to train specialized and qualified conservator-restorers to carry out cleaning interventions. It provides advanced knowledge of intervention criteria, materials and pathologies related to cleaning treatments, as well as scientific analytical techniques for the diagnosis and characterization of both the artworks materials and the residues generated during cleaning processes.
It also provides training in the preparation and defence of intervention projects and reports in both professional and academic contexts, as well as in the use of cutting-edge cleaning techniques applied in accordance with quality and safety standards.
These skills are developed across three groups of materials, which form the programme’s three specialisation tracks: graphic documents, painted surfaces, and inorganic substrates. Courses are designed with a strongly practice-based approach, both in the acquisition of knowledge and in its application. Students address real-world problems in order to understand the materials that make up artworks and the nature of the substances to be removed, to develop critical judgement in the selection of cleaning treatments, and to refine the application of the most recent cleaning techniques alongside the analytical evaluation of the results obtained.
Basic information
| Type | Master's degree |
|---|---|
| Faculty or school | Faculty of Fine Arts |
| Branch of knowledge |
|
| Mode of delivery |
|
| Credits | 60 |
| Length of course | 1 academic year |
| Approximate price per credit | 19.37 euros per credit (82 euros for students who are not EU nationals and do not currently reside in Spain). Fees for the academic year 2025-2026 |
| Coordination | AFRICA PITARCH MARTI |
| master.cons.rest@ub.edu | |
| Course details | Indicators |
| Open pre-enrolment | Yes |
| Open enrolment | No |
| Lead to doctoral studies | Yes |
| Admission for applicants not holding a degree qualification | No |
| Bridging courses | No |
| Specializations |
|
Objectives and competences
Objectives
Its mission is to train expert professionals and technicians capable of working efficiently, thoughtfully and collaboratively in institutions, companies or research centres dedicated to the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, with a particular focus on advanced cleaning treatments.
Competences
The competences of the Master's programme are aligned with the learning outcomes defined in the official programme accreditation documentation.
These competences include, among others, the following:
- To acquire specialised knowledge enabling students to accurately characterise cultural heritage materials and their properties, in order to understand their influence on cleaning processes, as well as to identify in detail weathering forms directly related to cleaning treatments and the potential damage they may cause. Students must also be able to use different cleaning systems to select and validate the most appropriate application parameters, and to apply analytical techniques to gather information on treatment effects. This knowledge should further support the definition of a cleaning project structure or the design of a research study, depending on whether it is developed in a professional or academic context.
- To demonstrate skills in planning cleaning tests using different systems, recognising their importance in decision-making, and in assessing the results, scope and effects of treatments through appropriate analytical techniques. Students are also encouraged to present and defend cleaning proposals for cultural heritage assets in professional or academic settings, with a command of the field's specialised terminology and a critical, well-reasoned and responsible use of information sources. In addition, they must demonstrate manual skill, sensitivity and technical proficiency to carry out cleaning treatments with due respect for the artworks.
- To develop transversal competences, including enhanced autonomous learning, the ability to formulate diagnoses, and problem-solving skills in cleaning treatments. The programme also fosters the ability to work efficiently and in a coordinated manner within disciplinary and interdisciplinary teams to design, manage, plan and carry out projects, and to address the challenges involved in cleaning cultural heritage. Furthermore, students are expected to cultivate critical thinking and a commitment to plurality and diversity in contemporary society, and to assess the social and environmental impact of interventions in order to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Finally, particular importance is placed on the meticulous application of quality standards and of occupational safety, health and environmental regulations affecting both professional practice and cleaning procedures for cultural heritage.
Access and admission
Applicant profile and access requirements
Recommended applicant profile
This master's programme is intended for applicants who, holding the required entry qualification, wish to gain professional experience in the cleaning of cultural heritage, or to continue their academic training and pursue a research career related to cultural heritage and conservation'restoration.
Eligible entry qualifications include:
- Bachelor's Degree in Conservation'Restoration of Cultural Heritage
- Bachelor's Degree in Higher Artistic Education in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage
- Degree in Fine Arts, Conservation'Restoration pathway
- Degree in Fine Arts, Conservation'Restoration specialisation
- Degrees or Bachelor's qualifications in other fields, with completed advanced studies in Conservation'Restoration under the LOGSE framework
- Degrees in other fields, with completed diploma-level studies from Higher Schools of Conservation'Restoration of Cultural Heritage
- Degrees or higher education qualifications specifically in Conservation'Restoration awarded in European countries or in non-European countries
Access requirements and conditions
General requirementsStudents wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:
- Official Spanish university degree.
- A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.
- A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.
Pre-enrolment
Calendar
First period: 1 February'30 JuneNotification of resolutions: 15 July
Second period (if there are vacancies): Available in September
Notes:
- Pre-enrolment fee: A pre-enrolment fee of 30,21 euros is charged. Students who apply to more than one master's degree must pay the fee for each pre-enrolment request. Pre-enrolment requests cannot be processed until this fee has been paid.Fees will only be refunded if the master's degree in question is suspended.
- Reserved places: A maximum of 5% of the new places of the master's degree are reserved for students who meet the general and specific access requirements and accredit the recognition of a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.
Required documentation
- Pre-enrolment application
- Photocopy of degree certificate or equivalent qualification. In case of admission, foreign degrees that require so should be translated and authenticated through diplomatic channels before completing the enrolment.
- Other specific documentation related to the selection criteria
- Curriculum vitae
- Language certificate
- Motivation letter
Selection criteria
- During the selection process, applicants must demonstrate:
- Strong academic performance.
- Ability to carry out conservation'restoration work.
- A level of commitment compatible with their professional activity.
- The Selection Committee will assess the following aspects:
- Academic record in the prior qualification in Conservation'Restoration (up to 5 out of 10).
- Other studies related to conservation'restoration (up to 1 out of 10).
- Professional experience in conservation'restoration (up to 1.5 out of 10).
- Language skills ' minimum English level: B1 (up to 0.75 out of 10).
- IT skills (up to 0.25 out of 10).
- Written expression (organisation and presentation of arguments, clarity of writing and spelling), as reflected in the application statement explaining the applicant's motivation and suitability for the Master's programme (up to 0.75 out of 10).
- Oral expression, assessed through a personal interview (up to 0.75 out of 10).
Notification
The Master's Admissions Committee, made up of three members of the Master's Coordination Committee, will be responsible for evaluating applications and issuing admission decisions.Enrolment
As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned
- Documents required for enrolment
- Procedure to formalize enrolment
- Grants and financial aid (in Catalan)
- Economic information (in Catalan)
Course curriculum
Subjects and course plans
Distribution of credits
| Type | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Compulsory | 30 |
| Optional | 6 |
| Compulsory placements | 12 |
| Compulsory final project | 12 |
| TOTAL | 60 |
List of subjects
Previous years
Teaching staff
- Graphic Documents: Specialized Cleaning Laboratory
- Coordination: Iris Bautista Morenilla
- Teacher: Raquel Freixas Jambert
- Pictorial Surfaces: Specialized Cleaning Laboratory
- Coordination: Anna Nualart Torroja
- Teacher: Anna Nualart Torroja
- Inorganic Supports: Specialized Cleaning Laboratory
- Coordination: Manuel Ángel Iglesias Campos
- Teacher: Manuel Ángel Iglesias Campos
- Materials and Pathologies of Cultural Properties: Influence on Cleanup
- Coordination: Cristina Ruiz Recasens
- Teacher: Cristina Ruiz Recasens, Manuel Ángel Iglesias Campos, Anna Nualart Torroja
- Clean-up Projects: Criteria, Writing and Management
- Coordination: Manuel ngel Iglesias Campos
- Teacher: Mercè Gual Via
- Cultural Property Cleaning Systems and Techniques
- Coordination: Marta Oriola Folch
- Teacher: Marta Oriola Folch, Manuel Ángel Iglesias Campos, Anna Nualart Torroja
- Analytical Techniques Applied to the Cleaning of Cultural Assets
- Coordination: Núria Guasch Ferré
- Teacher: Núria Guasch Ferré, Africa Pitarch Martí
- Research in Cleaning Cultural Properties: Resources and Strategies
- Coordination: Jorge Otero Hermo
- Teacher: Jorge Otero Hermo
- External Internships (specialty)
- Coordination: Núria Guasch Ferré
- Final Project (specialty)
- Coordination: Manuel Ángel Iglesias Campos
Placements
Placements in a company or another type of organization are an integral part of university studies, providing first-hand experience of working methodologies in students' chosen professional fields. They offer invaluable practical experience for the transition into work after graduation.
Placements are supervised by tutors and subject to assessment. They are therefore included in the academic record. There is also an option to complete non-curricular placements of up to 750 hours, which can be extended to 900 hours. For both curricular and non-curricular placements, an educational cooperation agreement is signed between the UB and the company, institution or other organization at which the placement will be carried out.
Institutional information
Career opportunities
What can you work on ?
The main professional fields for graduates of this Master's programme are related to specialised services provided to:
- Public institutions or government bodies responsible for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage.
- Private companies dedicated to the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage.
- Public or private companies involved in the development of techniques, systems or products for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, as well as R&D&I departments.
- The Master's programme offers advanced and specialised training in cleaning treatments for cultural heritage, expanding the knowledge and practical skills of students who, based on the required qualifications and following the selection process, are admitted to the programme. In addition, its structure strongly promotes research in this field, enabling graduates to subsequently pursue doctoral studies. As a result, the programme trains qualified conservation'restoration professionals with specialised expertise in cleaning treatments and their evaluation, equipping them to design, write, develop, carry out or lead cultural heritage cleaning projects.
Some main career opportunities include:
- Conservator'restorer of cultural heritage, working independently or as an employee, with specialisation in the cleaning of cultural heritage objects.
- Technical consultant specialising in cleaning treatments for cultural heritage.
- Researcher in programmes and projects at universities, public bodies or private companies.
- Lecturer in regulated higher education programmes, in both public and private institutions.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the Master’s programme, admission requirements, or application procedures, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to provide further information and assist you with any enquiries related to the programme.