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Profile: Design ∙ Build ∙ Preserve

Conservation and Restauration (BA)

Restaurierungsbedürftiger Adler in der Werkstatt der Konservierung und Restaurierung

The programmatic focus of the conservation and restauration degree programme is on the field of building monument conservation, but also includes the museum sector. The direct contact with the university's construction professions of architecture and civil engineering, the reference to the surrounding monuments, buildings and works of art as well as museums of the rich cultural landscape of Brandenburg and Berlin form optimal framework conditions for this.

Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Type:
Full time
Course language:
German
Standard study period:
7 semesters
Start of study:
Winter semester
Registration for the qualifying examination:
01/11 – 18/01 / Date of aptitude test: 30-31/01/25
Application deadline:
15/05 – 15/07 (restricted admission)
Admission requirements:
General university entrance qualification/ entrance qualification for studies at universities of applied sciences/ equivalent recognised prior vocational training / participation in the aptitude test
Credits:
210 ECTS credits
Module Manuals & Regulations
Profile

Conservation and Restauration: The degree programme in profile

In the first semesters of the Bachelor's degree programme in Conservation and Restauration, we lay the foundation for understanding complex interrelationships in the conservation of (architectural) monuments. In doing so, we teach the most important basics of the study specialisations of wood, stone and mural painting. Students also gain insights into the fields of architecture, urban planning and civil engineering and learn to think and work in an interdisciplinary way. 

The aim is to enable future conservators to preserve and restore historical art and cultural assets such as paintings, monuments, sculptures, furniture and buildings for future generations - to conserve and restore. Environmentally friendly and sustainable practices ensure the long-lasting preservation of these objects.

Students complete their practical semester in institutions and workshops outside the university. They put their knowledge into practice and critically review it. Our numerous co-operations with institutions and companies in Germany and abroad offer valuable opportunities for collaboration.

The specialisation in the higher semesters gives students the opportunity to work as a conservator for wood, stone or wall painting. They deepen their understanding of scientific methods as well as their knowledge of monument conservation, art and restauration history.

Is this degree programme right for me?

In the degree programme Conservation and Restauration, special emphasis is placed on specialist practice with object and research work in addition to the specialist theoretical teaching. The degree programme focuses on the subjects of conservation and restauration sciences, humanities and natural sciences as well as artistic design and applied historical or conservation-restauration work techniques.

You bring these qualities with you

  • Desire to contribute to the preservation of our cultural heritage
  • Interest in interdisciplinary cooperation
  • Communication skills
  • Creativity in the search for unconventional solutions
  • Understanding of culture
  • Feel for sustainability

Podcast of the Campus Specialists

As campus specialists, Anne and Silja share insider knowledge about the Conservation and Restauration degree programme. In addition to tips on aptitude tests or the study process, they provide insights into student life at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.

Social media

Unsure? On the social media channels of the degree programme Conservation and Restauration you can gain further insights into the degree programme and the work of our students.

 

Fields of study

Before taking up your studies, you can choose one of the specialisations wood, stone or mural painting.

Wood

In the field of study "wood", small objects, furniture and other pieces of equipment made of wood, whose surfaces can be refined with marquetry, stains, coatings and decorative paintings, are generally examined and processed. The master's programme focuses on building-related room elements, such as wood panelling on walls and ceilings, wooden floors, windows, doors, stairs, chairs and wooden constructions on historical buildings.

Field of study Wood

Stone

The focus of the "stone" field of study is the classical field of natural stone in the sense of sculpture and building. Other focal points are the regionally significant materials brick and terracotta, but also "artificial stone" such as reinforced concrete sculptures as well as the coloured setting on all these materials.

Field of study Stone

Mural painting

In addition to the defined areas of wall and ceiling painting on inorganic substrates, the "mural painting" field of study includes the identification of historical architectural colour schemes in interior and exterior areas. The subjects of mosaics and stucco complement the subject matter.

Field of study Mural Painting

FAQ

We attach great importance to practical work on the object. By restoring historical works of art during your studies, you practise the knowledge and skills that you will need later in your career. Historical techniques such as gilding, fresco techniques, mosaics, sculpting or carving can also be learnt during the course.

Natural sciences are important in restauration. We need you for analyses and for selecting the right restauration measures. But don't worry – you don't need a lot of prior knowledge. The degree programme teaches you everything you need to know in our field.

Our study content provides a good overview of the natural sciences in the degree programme.

To apply for the degree programme Conservation and Restauration, you must take an aptitude test. The aptitude test consists of various small tasks. You can find more information and a helpful video of our students here.

Teachers and students of the degree programme will be on campus on the day of the aptitude test and will guide you through the day.

The easiest way is to contact the student council of the CITY | BUILDING | CULTURE department and write an email to sturafb2@fh-potsdam.de with the subject: Contact to students of restauration desired. The email will then be forwarded to the right contact person.

Contact

The colleagues at the student counselling service provide information to prospective students, first-year students, parents, teachers and students on all general questions about studying. Do you have questions about the wood, stone and mural painting courses of the bachelor's degree programme in Conservation and Restauration? Take advantage of the counselling appointments of our subject counselling service.

Registration for a general counselling appointment for the degree programme: restaurierung@fh-potsdam.de or +49 331 580-4202

Please be sure to include your own telephone number so that you can be notified in the event of a rescheduled appointment.

Subject Counselling Service Wood

Professor for Conservation and Restoration – Wood

Consultation appointments:
Please register in advance by e-mail: angelika.rauch@fh-potsdam.de to receive a registration confirmation.

Individual appointments can also be arranged on request.

04/01/2024 (online), 9.00 am
18/01/2024, 9.00 am
08/02/2024, 9.00 am

Location: Laboratory and workshop building (LW) in front of room 211

Subject Counselling Service Stone

Professor for Conservation and Restoration – Stone

Consultation appointments:
Please register in advance by e-mail: jeannine.meinhardt@fh-potsdam.de to receive a registration confirmation.

Individual appointments can also be arranged on request.

20/12/2023, 11.00 am

04/01/2024, 11.00 am
11/01/2024, 11.00 am
17/01/2024, 11.00 am

Location: Laboratory and workshop building/room 243

Subject Counselling Service Mural Painting

Workshop Manager Conservation and Restoration – Mural Painting
Career Prospects

Career prospects

The competences of a conservator include extensive specialist knowledge and practical experience, a strong sense of responsibility, critical judgement and discourse skills (communicative competence, mastery of argumentation strategies). During your studies, you will also work on your ability to cooperate (willingness to compromise, pragmatism) and on your capacity for critical self-reflection as an essential characteristic of scientific work.

Possible areas of application

  • Institutions such as museums, heritage offices, universities
  • Restauration companies
  • Freelance work, collaboration in conservator associations
  • Self-employment: founding a workshop
Zwei Personen schauen sich Fotos von Steinskulpturen an

Preservation and care as a central task

"The central task of conservators is the preservation and care of art and cultural assets. In order to be able to meet the requirements of modern restauration, academic training is necessary. Only a university degree enables the conservator to accompany an object from the preliminary examination, analysis and concept development through the actual conservation or restauration to the necessary documentation and further care. Conservators need comprehensive technical skills and a trained artistic sensitivity when dealing with art objects. They must acquire detailed knowledge of the historical manifestations of their objects and their materials; in addition to an overview of art history, this also includes a sound knowledge of chemistry and physics as well as knowledge of other related sciences. Training is therefore an ongoing process that continues in professional life and necessitates targeted further training." Association of Conservators

Source: FH Potsdam

Insights into the world of work

What comes after graduation? Graduates from the degree programme Conservation and Restauration give insights into their working world.

Our graduates work in very different areas – independently as conservators or as employees. They work in planning or execution, alone or in a team, with their own workshop or directly on site, e.g. in churches or museums. This diversity characterises the profession.

Study Content

Course of studies

The standard period of study for the full-time degree programme in Conservation and Restauration is seven semesters and concludes with a bachelor of arts degree. You will find a detailed overview in the study plan.

Semester 1Compulsory subjects, Flex module
Semester 2 – 3Compulsory subjects, compulsory electives, flex module
Semester 4Practical course
Semester 5 – 6Compulsory subjects, compulsory electives, flex module, excursion
Semester 7Compulsory subjects, compulsory elective subjects, Flex module, Bachelor's thesis

Study content

In the currently valid module handbooks, study and examination regulations and statutes of the degree programme, you will find the module overview, a detailed description of the modules and study contents, the study plan and the statutes for determining the degree programme-related aptitude for the degree programme Conservation and Restauration.

Teaching formats

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Exercises
  • Project work
  • Excursions

Compulsory subjects

  • Scientific basics
  • Natural sciences in conservation and restauration
  • Scientific research methods
  • Iconography
  • History of art and architecture
  • Art technology and conservation
  • Projects in conservation and restauration
  • Design
  • Methods and materials in conservation and restauration

Elective subjects

  • Material + reconstruction techniques
  • Scientific working techniques + documentation
  • Photographic techniques
  • Computer-aided documentation techniques
  • Art technology + conservation
  • Preservation of historical monuments
  • Building physics
  • Scientific specialisation
  • Special topics art history
  • Foreign languages
  • Professional topics, basics of business studies

Bachelor thesis

  • Independent writing of a bachelor's thesis
  • Colloquium

Natural Sciences & Design

Studierende der Konservierung bei der Mikroskopie

The subject of natural sciences in conservation imparts the basic knowledge of natural sciences with regard to conservation and restauration technologies. In addition, it supports and accompanies the subjects from the field of conservation and restauration in the various fields of study. In addition to its own laboratories on the campus of the University of Applied Sciences, further laboratories with high-quality equipment are available for training and research as a result of cooperation with the natural science laboratories of the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation, the Brandenburg State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments and the Archaeological Museum in Wünsdorf, the Institute for Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University in Potsdam and the Rathgen Research Laboratory in Berlin.

Contact: Prof. Dr Steffen Laue, Christine Fuchs

Eine Studentin vergoldet ein gemaltes Bild einer Frau

In the first semesters, the programme includes design courses in drawing, painting and sculpture. These seminars "Fundamentals of Design I and II" are exercises for acquiring aesthetic and conceptual knowledge, which should lead to visual and haptic sensitisation, formal understanding, craftsmanship and an understanding of design processes. In these exercises, students develop template narratives that flow into the arts and crafts task areas such as stucco marble design, historical imitation wood painting and fresco wall design.

Contact: Ioannis Savvidis

Projects

More projects

Mural Painting | The Mural Removals of the Wrestlers from the Olympic Village/Berlin, Elstal

After the handover of two strapped wall paintings of wrestlers from the "Haus der Nationen" in the Olympic Village, these murals depicting wrestling athletes in typical wrestling poses were to be transferred to a new support and restored.

Wood | The Panorama of the Town of Schillingsfürst in Straw Marquetry

The straw marketer's picture shows a view of the town of Schillingsfürst on the Franconian Heights in the 19th century. The special technique involves assembling coloured pieces of straw into a scenic representation.

Stone | Sculpture "Rangelnde Panther" by Dietrich Rohde

The reinforced and multi-framed concrete sculpture by the sculptor Dietrich Rohde comes from Brandenburg an der Havel. The figure shows numerous damages, the cause of which lies in the numerous materials, the production technology, the installation, among other things.

Wood | Restoration of a Piece of Biedermeier Furniture from a Private Collection

The object to be restored is a chest of drawers whose exact origin is unknown. It was probably produced in northern Germany. Stylistically, the furniture can be assigned to the Biedermeier period.

Logo der Konservierung und Restaurierung mit den vier Studienrichtungen Holz, Stein, Metall, Wandmalerei

In study

On the pages of the CITY | BUILDING | CULTURE department you will find further useful information and documents on the degree programme, for example on the organisation of studies, the course catalogue and examination matters. In addition, current projects from the fields of study are presented there.

Further information on the degree programme

  • Portrait von Studentin Klara Reitberger
    © Andrea Vollmer

    The scientific approach to the material offers me new horizons after my practical professional experience as an artist. The practical teaching helps me to better understand and apply what I have learned. For me, the Conservation and Restauration degree programme is the perfect size for exchanging knowledge and discussion.

    Klara
    Student Conservation and Restauration, Stone
  • Portrait von Student Simon Mittelstraß
    © Andrea Vollmer

    As a stonemason, I learnt how to prepare new stone material. In the conservation degree programme, I am now learning about the ethical and scientific arguments in favour of preserving old material. For me, the way forward is an interplay between the two disciplines.

    Simon
    Student Conservation and Restauration, Stone
Application & Contact

Dates & requirements for your application

The most important deadlines, dates and admission requirements for the bachelor's degree programme in Conservation and Restauration are compiled here. You can find out which steps you need to take for a successful application in the next section.

Dates

  • until 18th of January: registration for the qualifying examination
  • on the 30th–31st of January 2025: aptitude test
  • by 15th of July: submit online application
  • by 15th of July: apply for a higher semester in order to continue a degree programme you have already started at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam

Access requirements

  • General university entrance qualification according to the Brandenburg university act: General university entrance qualification or entrance qualification for studies at universities of applied sciences or previous vocational training recognised as equivalent.
  • Passed aptitude test

This is how you apply!

In the following, we explain which aspects you should pay attention to from the registration for the qualifying examination to the matriculation (enrolment).

Online registration for the qualifying examination

After the registration deadline of 18 January, you will receive an invitation to the qualifying examination with further information on the examination procedure and an assignment for a term paper, which must be submitted before the qualifying examination.

The aptitude test consists of several parts:

  • An essay on a given topic that you write at home
  • A written exam on fundamental scientific questions with relevance to conservation and restauration 
  • An object examination (depending on the chosen field of study)
  • An interview with the professors and workshop managers

With the exception of the essay, the aptitude test takes place on the campus of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam. You will be welcomed by the faculty on this day and given your first tasks. During the break, you can exchange ideas with the first-semester students.

The design exam will take place in the afternoon. During the exam, you will be asked to talk to the respective lecturers in small groups.

The students explain more about this in the video.

The application for the winter semester takes place after successfully passing the aptitude test from 15 May to 15 July online in the MyCampus university portal of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.

Documents to be submitted

When applying online, the following documents must be submitted as PDF files in the application portal:

  • Notice of the passed aptitude test
  • If applicable, university entrance qualification
  • Proof of professional or other previous experience relevant to the field of study, if applicable
  • If applicable, university degree certificate and justification for taking up a second degree programme
  • Proof of service, if applicable
  • Proof(s) of hardship application(s) or application for compensation for disadvantages, if applicable

Checklist

After you have completed your online application in the MyCampus university portal, you will receive a personal checklist with the following information:

  • List of all supporting documents that you have uploaded as PDF files according to the information you provided in your online application.
  • Notes on the further course of the procedure

Selection procedure

Applicants who fulfil the admission requirements take part in the procedure for awarding places.
In the allocation procedure for the first semester, the following are deducted in advance from the number of places to be allocated:

  • All applicants who were unable to accept an earlier admission due to service, as well as all applicants who are members of the national squad of a national sports association of the German Olympic Sports Confederation
  • 11 % for applicants with a foreign university entrance qualification
  • 3 % for applicants for a second degree
  • 3 % for applicants who are to be considered on the basis of hardship.

The remaining study places are allocated 80 % according to the result of a university selection procedure and 20 % according to waiting time.

The study places in the university selection procedure are awarded according to the result of the aptitude test.

Admission

Following the aptitude test, the allocation procedure is carried out. Applicants with a correspondingly high ranking receive a time-limited offer of admission in the MyCampus university portal, which they must actively accept. After accepting the offer of admission, you will find your notification of admission in the MyCampus university portal. If you do not accept the offer of admission by the deadline, the ranking list will continue to be processed and the place will be reallocated.

You have accepted the offer of admission and received your letter of admission? Then you have the option of submitting an enrolment application for the winter semester in the MyCampus university portal of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.

Once you have submitted your online application for enrolment, please submit the printed and signed application together with all required documents in paper form by the deadline. The day of the enrolment deadline is decisive for the submission of the documents, whereby the date of receipt by post at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam is decisive.

Documents to be submitted

  • University entrance qualification
  • If applicable, further documents according to the enrolment application form.

Do you have questions about the enrolment process at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam? We have compiled frequently asked questions and answers regarding enrolment and admission.

Ein*e Studierende*r arbeitet mit Stein auf dem Campus der FH Potsdam

Pre-study internship

A preliminary internship is not required, but recommended. It is strongly recommended to be clear about the choice of the field of study through previous first experiences with materials, working processes and conditions.

The university does not require a one-year restauration internship, which should be predominantly oriented towards the intended field of study, but it is highly recommended as preparation for the degree programme.

The internship can be completed in a public restauration institution or a private restauration company. Applications to restauration workshops of museums and heritage offices are often promising. Information on internships with freelance restorers is available from the Association of Restorers, among others. The city of Potsdam offers internships at the Lower Monument Protection Authority and you can also search for vacancies via the Romoe Restorers' Network.

Further information

The following links provide you, and especially international applicants, with further information on the topics of application and enrolment at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.

International applicants

You would like to apply for studies from the first or a higher semester and have acquired your school-leaving qualification and/or university degree abroad? Then you can have degrees and achievements acquired abroad recognised and study with us.

Application information for internationals

Application & Enrolment Procedure

The application and study service provides information and advice on general questions regarding the application process, admission and enrolment at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, application for a higher semester, but also on topics such as compensation for disadvantages, part-time studies, waiting semesters and hardship applications.

Application & Enrolment University of Applied Sciences Potsdam

Contact & Services

The student counselling service provides information and advice on general questions about studying as well as on topics such as choosing a degree programme, application, enrolment and study organisation.

For subject-specific questions on module contents, credit transfer, examinations or specialisations in the degree programme Conservation and Restauration, the subject counselling service is the right place to go.

Subject Counselling Service Wood

Professor for Conservation and Restoration – Wood

Subject Counselling Service Stone

Professor for Conservation and Restoration – Stone

Subject Counselling Service Mural Painting

Workshop Manager Conservation and Restoration – Mural Painting

Student Financing

Room 3.02a

Family Affairs Commissioner

Room 026

Office hours

Tue and Thu 9.30 am – 1.30 pm

Commissioner for University Employees with Impairment

Room 201

Office hours

by arrangement

Contact Persons Department of Student Affairs