Applicable only to students admitted during the 2019-2020 academic year.
Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials
Interdepartmental Program
College of Letters and Science
Graduate Degrees
The Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials Interdepartmental Program offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) in Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials and the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Conservation of Material Culture.
Conservation of Material Culture
Admissions Requirements
Master’s Degree
The Conservation of Material Culture (CMC) M.S. degree is not intended to be a stand-alone, terminal degree and should not be confused with the practice-focused Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials (CAEM) M.A. degree also offered by the Conservation IDP that trains advanced conservation practitioners. Students entering the CMC Ph.D. degree program may choose to receive the M.S. degree while in progress to the Ph.D. degree.
Advising
The chair of the Conservation of Material Culture IDP serves as the graduate adviser. Two faculty advisers, serving as co-chairs of the thesis committee from different UCLA academic units, will be assigned to all entering students reflecting the cross-disciplinary and synergistic nature of the program. The Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Conservation IDP reviews each student’s progress quarterly.
Areas of Study
Conservation & Material Culture Science; Preventive Conservation & Care of Collections; Cultural Property Forensics; Advanced Multidimensional Documentation; Biocultural Heritage Conservation; Emergency Planning and Managing Disaster Risks of World Cultural Heritage; Conservation Philosophy & Ethics.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
Students must complete 48 units for the degree: 40 units of coursework—28 units of core courses required of all students, and an additional 12 units of coursework based on the student’s field of specialization—plus 8 units of mentored research experience. Full time graduate students must register for a minimum of 12 units per quarter. Students’ courses, as well as any changes of coursework throughout the quarter, must be approved both by the student’s faculty adviser and graduate adviser prior to registering for courses each quarter. To be considered to be in good academic standing, students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0.
Five Required Core Courses (20 units)
- CAEM 211 Science Fundamentals in the Conservation of Materials (4 units)
- CAEM M215 Cultural Materials Science I: Analytical Imaging and Documentation in the Conservation of Materials (4 units)
- CAEM M216 Science of Conservation Materials and Methods I (4 units)
- CAEM 221 Principles, Practice and Ethics in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage Materials (4 units)
- CAEM M240 Environmental Protection for Museums, Libraries and Archives (4 units)
Minimum of 4 Units of Additional CAEM Core Courses from the Following:
- CAEM 260 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Ceramics, Glass, Glazes (2 units)
- CAEM 261 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Stone and Adobe (2 units)
- CAEM 262 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Organics (4 units)
- CAEM 263 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Metals (2 units)
- CAEM 264 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Rock Art, Wall Paintings, Mosaics (2 units)
ARCHAEOL M 201C Research Design (4 units)
One Conservation Research Internship (8 units)
- CAEM 290: This required research-based conservation internship aims to complement the cluster area courses and introduces students to the conservation challenges while helping students gain research experience and skills in the field. This requirement may be satisfied by participation in a research project at a museum, conservation or science laboratory/national facility, archaeological project, NGO and industry.
Minimum of 12 Units of Courses from the Following, Based on Field of Specialization:
- I. Conservation & Material Culture Science
* B.S./M.S. in the Physical/Life Sciences and Engineering preferred
CAEM M210/Materials Science CM212 Cultural Materials Science II: Characterization methods in the Conservation of Materials (4 units)
CAEM 210L Cultural Materials Science Laboratory (Technical Study) (4 units)
EPSS C207 Geochemistry (4 units)
EPSS C209 Isotope Geochemistry (4 units)
MAT SCI 110 Introduction to Materials Characterization A (Crystal Structure, Nanostructures, and X-Ray Scattering) (4 units)
MAT SCI 111 Introduction to Materials Characterization B (Electron Microscopy) (4 units)
MAT SCI 143A Mechanical Behavior of Materials (4 units)
MAT SCI 150 Introduction to Polymers (4 units)
MAT SCI 160 Introduction to Ceramics and Glasses (4 units)
MAT SCI 210 Diffraction Methods in Science of Materials (4 units)
MAT SCI 211 Introduction to Materials Characterization B (Electron Microscopy) (4 units)
MAT SCI 246B Structure and Properties of Glass (4 units)
- II. Preventive Conservation & Care of Collections
* B.A./M.A. or B.S./M.S. in Conservation, Museum Studies, Art History and the Physical/Life Sciences preferred
AH C270A Museum Studies (4 units)
CAEM 222 Conservation and Ethnography (4)
GEOG M131/ENVIRONMENT M130 Environmental Change (4 units)
GEOG 296B Cultural Geography Methods Workshop. (1 unit)
IS 240 Management of Digital Records (4 units)
WL ARTS 124 Introduction to Field-Based Research Methods: (5 units)
WL ARTS M126 Whose Monument Where: Course on Public Art (4 units)
WL ARTS 133 Textiles of World (4 units)
- III. Cultural Property Forensics
* B.S./M.S. in the Physical/Life Sciences and Engineering preferred
AH C272C Art: Fakes, Forgeries, and Authenticity (4 units)
CAEM M210/Materials Science CM212 Cultural Materials Science II: Characterization methods in the Conservation of Materials (4 units)
CAEM 210L Cultural Materials Science Laboratory (Technical Study) (4 units)
EPSS C209 Isotope Geochemistry (4 units)
LAW 186 Law and Order (2 units)
PP C219 Crime Control Policy (4 units)
- IV. Advanced Multidimensional Documentation
* B.S./M.S. in the Physical Sciences and Engineering & Information Science and Information Management preferred
CAEM C242 Managing collections for Museums, Libraries and Archives (4 units)
DH 201 Core Seminar in Digital Humanities (5 units)
EPSS C262 Application of Remote Sensing in Field (4 units)
GEOG 268 Advanced Projects in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)/Remote Sensing. (4 units)
IS 278 Information and Visualization (4 units)
IS 464 Metadata (4 units)
- V. Biocultural Heritage Conservation
* B.S./M.S. in the Physical/Life Sciences, Architecture and Engineering preferred
Minimum of 4 units from the following:
ARCH&UD CM247A Introduction to Sustainable Architecture and Community Planning (4 units)
CAEM M210/Materials Science CM212 Cultural Materials Science II: Characterization methods in the Conservation of Materials (4 units)
CAEM 224 Issues in the Preservation and Management of Archaeological and Cultural Sites (4 units)
CAEM 261 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Stone and Adobe (2 units)
CAEM 264 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Rock Art, Wall Paintings, Mosaics (2 units)
Minimum of 8 units from the following:
CEE 153 Introduction to Environmental Engineering Science (4 units)
CEE 163 Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Pollution (4 units)
CEE M166/Environmental Health Sciences M166 Environmental Microbiology (4 units)
CEE 226 Geoenvironmental Engineering (4 units)
CEE 263A Physics of Environmental Transport (4 units)
EPSS C213 Biological and Environmental Geochemistry (4 units)
EPSS 257 Seminar: Paleontology (4 units)
EPSS C262 Application of Remote Sensing in Field (4 units)
EPSS CM273/Ecology and Evolutionary Biology CM228 Earth Process and Evolutionary History (4 units)
GEOG 121 Conservation of Resources: Underdeveloped World (4 units)
GEOG 204 Advanced Climatology (4 units)
GEOG 207 Regional Climate and Terrestrial Surface Processes (4 units)
GEOG 232 Advanced Topics in Cultural Geography (4 units)
GEOG M229B/Urban Planning M234B Ecological Issues in Planning (4 units)
GEOG M229C/Urban Planning M234C Resource-Based Development (4 units)
GEOG 229E Remote Sensing of Environment (4 units)
GEOG M265/Urban Planning M265 Environmentalisms (4 units)
GEOG 268 Advanced Projects in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)/Remote Sensing (4 units)
- VI. Emergency Planning & Managing of Disaster Risks of Cultural Heritage
* B.A./M.A. or B.S./M.S. in Conservation, Architecture, Public Policy and Engineering preferred
ARCHEOL M265/Ancient Near East M265 Depositional History and Stratigraphic Analysis (4 units)
CAEM C220 Field Methods in Archaeological Conservation: Readiness, Response, and Recovery (4 units)
CAEM 224 Issues in the Preservation and Management of Archaeological and Cultural Sites (4 units)
CEE 164 Hazardous Waste Site Investigation and Remediation (4 units)
EPSS C262 Application of Remote Sensing in Field (4 units)
WL ARTS 124 Introduction to Field-Based Research Methods (5 units)
- VII. Conservation Philosophy & Ethics
* B.A./M.A. or B.S./M.S. in Conservation, Philosophy, Classics, Art History, Ethnography, Public Policy and Museum Studies preferred
Minimum of 4 units from the following:
CAEM 222 Conservation and Ethnography (4 units)
CAEM 230 Conservation Laboratory: Ceramics, Glass and Glazes (4 units)
CAEM 234 Conservation Laboratory: Metals I (4 units)
CAEM 231 Conservation Laboratory: Stone and Adobe (4 units)
CAEM 232 Conservation Laboratory: Organics I (4 units)
CAEM 238 Conservation Laboratory: Organics II (4 units)
CAEM 239 Conservation Laboratory: Metals II (4 units)
CAEM 241 Conservation Laboratory: Organics III (4 units)
CAEM M250/Materials Science M215 Conservation Laboratory: Rock art, Wall Paintings and Mosaics (4 units)
Minimum of 8 units from the following:
PHILOS 161 Topics in Aesthetic Theory (4 units)
PHILOS 227 Philosophy of Social Science (4 units)
PHILOS 259 Philosophical Research in Ethics and Value Theory (2 to 4 units)
WL ARTS M125A/Art M186A/Chicana and Chicano Studies M186A Beyond Mexican Mural: Beginning Muralism and Community Development (4 units)
Teaching Experience
Not required.
Field Experience
Students complete the field experience requirement by enrolling in CAEM 290 (8 units). This required research-based conservation internship aims to complement the cluster area courses and introduces students to the conservation challenges while helping students gain research experience and skills in the field. This requirement may be satisfied by participation in a research project at a museum, conservation or science laboratory/national facility, archaeological project, NGO and industry.
Capstone Plan
To receive the M.S. in CMC, students must pass the oral preliminary and written qualifying examinations required for advancement to candidacy in the Ph.D. program, which serve as the master’s comprehensive exam.
Thesis Plan
None.
Time-to-Degree
| DEGREE |
NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) |
NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD
|
| M.S. |
6 |
6 |
9 |
Doctoral Degree
Advising
The chair of the Conservation of Material Culture IDP serves as the graduate adviser. Two faculty advisers, serving as co-chairs of the dissertation committee from different UCLA academic units, will be assigned to all entering students reflecting the cross-disciplinary and synergistic nature of the program. The Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Conservation IDP reviews each student’s progress quarterly.
Major Fields or Subdisciplines
Conservation & Material Culture Science; Preventive Conservation & Care of Collections; Cultural Property Forensics; Advanced Multidimensional Documentation; Biocultural Heritage Conservation; Emergency Planning and Managing Disaster Risks of World Cultural Heritage; Conservation Philosophy & Ethics.
Foreign Language Requirement
None.
Course Requirements
Students must complete 48 units for the degree: 40 units of coursework—28 units of 200-level core courses required of all students, and an additional 12 units of 200-level coursework based on the student’s field of specialization, all taken for a letter grade—plus 8 units of mentored research experience that may be S/U. Full time graduate students must register for a minimum of 12 units per quarter. These 12 units can be made up of a combination of required core coursework (28 units), 500 level courses (8 units). Students’ courses, as well as any changes of coursework throughout the quarter, must be approved by both the student’s dissertation adviser and graduate adviser prior to registering for courses each quarter. To be considered to be in good academic standing, students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.5.
Students entering the PhD program with master’s degrees from UCLA or another recognized institution can petition to have up to 12 quarter units (three graduate level courses) from their master’s degree substituted towards the Ph.D. degree requirement. Entering students who have already completed the five required core courses at UCLA may petition to replace these five required core courses with other courses relevant to their field of specialization.
Five Required Core Courses (20 units)
- CAEM 211 Science Fundamentals in the Conservation of Materials (4 units)
- CAEM M215 Cultural Materials Science I: Analytical Imaging and Documentation in the Conservation of Materials (4 units)
- CAEM M216 Science of Conservation Materials and Methods I (4 units)
- CAEM 221 Principles, Practice and Ethics in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage Materials (4 units)
- CAEM M240 Environmental Protection for Museums, Libraries and Archives (4 units)
Minimum of 4 Units of Additional CAEM Core Courses from the Following:
- CAEM 260 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Ceramics, Glass, Glazes (2 units)
- CAEM 261 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Stone and Adobe (2 units)
- CAEM 262 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Organics (4 units)
- CAEM 263 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Metals (2 units)
- CAEM 264 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Rock Art, Wall Paintings, Mosaics (2 units)
ARCHAEOL M 201C Research Design (4 units)
One Conservation Research Internship (8 units)
- CAEM 290: This required research-based conservation internship aims to complement the cluster area courses and introduces students to the conservation challenges while helping students gain research experience and skills in the field. This requirement may be satisfied by participation in a research project at a museum, conservation or science laboratory/national facility, archaeological project, NGO and industry.
Minimum of 12 Units of Courses from the Following, Based on Field of Specialization:
- I. Conservation & Material Culture Science
* B.S./M.S. in the Physical/Life Sciences and Engineering preferred
CAEM M210/Materials Science CM212 Cultural Materials Science II: Characterization methods in the Conservation of Materials (4 units)
CAEM 210L Cultural Materials Science Laboratory (Technical Study) (4 units)
EPSS C207 Geochemistry (4 units)
EPSS C209 Isotope Geochemistry (4 units)
MAT SCI 110 Introduction to Materials Characterization A (Crystal Structure, Nanostructures, and X-Ray Scattering) (4 units)
MAT SCI 111 Introduction to Materials Characterization B (Electron Microscopy) (4 units)
MAT SCI 143A Mechanical Behavior of Materials (4 units)
MAT SCI 150 Introduction to Polymers (4 units)
MAT SCI 160 Introduction to Ceramics and Glasses (4 units)
MAT SCI 210 Diffraction Methods in Science of Materials (4 units)
MAT SCI 211 Introduction to Materials Characterization B (Electron Microscopy) (4 units)
MAT SCI 246B Structure and Properties of Glass (4 units)
- II. Preventive Conservation & Care of Collections
* B.A./M.A. or B.S./M.S. in Conservation, Museum Studies, Art History and the Physical/Life Sciences preferred
AH C270A Museum Studies (4 units)
CAEM 222 Conservation and Ethnography (4)
GEOG M131/ENVIRONMENT M130 Environmental Change (4 units)
GEOG 296B Cultural Geography Methods Workshop. (1 unit)
IS 240 Management of Digital Records (4 units)
WL ARTS 124 Introduction to Field-Based Research Methods: (5 units)
WL ARTS M126 Whose Monument Where: Course on Public Art (4 units)
WL ARTS 133 Textiles of World (4 units)
- III. Cultural Property Forensics
* B.S./M.S. in the Physical/Life Sciences and Engineering preferred
AH C272C Art: Fakes, Forgeries, and Authenticity (4 units)
CAEM M210/Materials Science CM212 Cultural Materials Science II: Characterization methods in the Conservation of Materials (4 units)
CAEM 210L Cultural Materials Science Laboratory (Technical Study) (4 units)
EPSS C209 Isotope Geochemistry (4 units)
LAW 186 Law and Order (2 units)
PP C219 Crime Control Policy (4 units)
- IV. Advanced Multidimensional Documentation
* B.S./M.S. in the Physical Sciences and Engineering & Information Science and Information Management preferred
CAEM C242 Managing collections for Museums, Libraries and Archives (4 units)
DH 201 Core Seminar in Digital Humanities (5 units)
EPSS C262 Application of Remote Sensing in Field (4 units)
GEOG 268 Advanced Projects in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)/Remote Sensing. (4 units)
IS 278 Information and Visualization (4 units)
IS 464 Metadata (4 units)
- V. Biocultural Heritage Conservation
* B.S./M.S. in the Physical/Life Sciences, Architecture and Engineering preferred
Minimum of 4 units from the following:
ARCH&UD CM247A Introduction to Sustainable Architecture and Community Planning (4 units)
CAEM M210/Materials Science CM212 Cultural Materials Science II: Characterization methods in the Conservation of Materials (4 units)
CAEM 224 Issues in the Preservation and Management of Archaeological and Cultural Sites (4 units)
CAEM 261 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Stone and Adobe (2 units)
CAEM 264 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Rock Art, Wall Paintings, Mosaics (2 units)
Minimum of 8 units from the following:
CEE 153 Introduction to Environmental Engineering Science (4 units)
CEE 163 Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Pollution (4 units)
CEE M166/Environmental Health Sciences M166 Environmental Microbiology (4 units)
CEE 226 Geoenvironmental Engineering (4 units)
CEE 263A Physics of Environmental Transport (4 units)
EPSS C213 Biological and Environmental Geochemistry (4 units)
EPSS 257 Seminar: Paleontology (4 units)
EPSS C262 Application of Remote Sensing in Field (4 units)
EPSS CM273/Ecology and Evolutionary Biology CM228 Earth Process and Evolutionary History (4 units)
GEOG 121 Conservation of Resources: Underdeveloped World (4 units)
GEOG 204 Advanced Climatology (4 units)
GEOG 207 Regional Climate and Terrestrial Surface Processes (4 units)
GEOG 232 Advanced Topics in Cultural Geography (4 units)
GEOG M229B/Urban Planning M234B Ecological Issues in Planning (4 units)
GEOG M229C/Urban Planning M234C Resource-Based Development (4 units)
GEOG 229E Remote Sensing of Environment (4 units)
GEOG M265/Urban Planning M265 Environmentalisms (4 units)
GEOG 268 Advanced Projects in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)/Remote Sensing (4 units)
- VI. Emergency Planning & Managing of Disaster Risks of Cultural Heritage
* B.A./M.A. or B.S./M.S. in Conservation, Architecture, Public Policy and Engineering preferred
ARCHEOL M265/Ancient Near East M265 Depositional History and Stratigraphic Analysis (4 units)
CAEM C220 Field Methods in Archaeological Conservation: Readiness, Response, and Recovery (4 units)
CAEM 224 Issues in the Preservation and Management of Archaeological and Cultural Sites (4 units)
CEE 164 Hazardous Waste Site Investigation and Remediation (4 units)
EPSS C262 Application of Remote Sensing in Field (4 units)
WL ARTS 124 Introduction to Field-Based Research Methods (5 units)
- VII. Conservation Philosophy & Ethics
* B.A./M.A. or B.S./M.S. in Conservation, Philosophy, Classics, Art History, Ethnography, Public Policy and Museum Studies preferred
Minimum of 4 units from the following:
CAEM 222 Conservation and Ethnography (4 units)
CAEM 230 Conservation Laboratory: Ceramics, Glass and Glazes (4 units)
CAEM 234 Conservation Laboratory: Metals I (4 units)
CAEM 231 Conservation Laboratory: Stone and Adobe (4 units)
CAEM 232 Conservation Laboratory: Organics I (4 units)
CAEM 238 Conservation Laboratory: Organics II (4 units)
CAEM 239 Conservation Laboratory: Metals II (4 units)
CAEM 241 Conservation Laboratory: Organics III (4 units)
CAEM M250/Materials Science M215 Conservation Laboratory: Rock art, Wall Paintings and Mosaics (4 units)
Minimum of 8 units from the following:
PHILOS 161 Topics in Aesthetic Theory (4 units)
PHILOS 227 Philosophy of Social Science (4 units)
PHILOS 259 Philosophical Research in Ethics and Value Theory (2 to 4 units)
WL ARTS M125A/Art M186A/Chicana and Chicano Studies M186A Beyond Mexican Mural: Beginning Muralism and Community Development (4 units)
Teaching Experience
At least one quarter of Teaching Experience, either as a Teaching Assistant or from other teaching experience approved by the student’s dissertation co-chairs and the chair of the IDP.
Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations
Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.
All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.
After mastering the body of knowledge defined in the main research subject (Conservation of Material Culture), the student takes a pre-candidacy oral preliminary examination covering this knowledge. This pass/fail examination must be taken during the first academic year of admission to the Ph.D. program. If failed, it can be retaken in the next quarter (excluding summer). If failed a second time, the student will subject to academic disqualification.
Upon completion of required coursework, students must pass a three-hour pass/fail pre-candidacy written qualifying examination testing their knowledge in the subset field courses. If failed, it can be retaken in the next quarter (excluding summer). If failed a second time, the student will subject to academic disqualification.
After passing the pre-candidacy written qualifying examination, the student takes the University Oral Qualifying Examination, which is focused on the student’s dissertation proposal. The University Oral Qualifying Exam must be taken by the end of the sixth quarter from the time of admission to the Ph.D. program. The student must be registered during the quarter in which an examination is given and be in good academic standing (minimum grade-point average of 3.5). If failed, it can be retaken in the next quarter (excluding summer). If failed a second time, the student will subject to academic disqualification.
Advancement to Candidacy
Students are advanced to candidacy (ATC) upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations. Normative time for advancement to candidacy is six quarters.
Doctoral Dissertation
Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.
Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)
Required for all students. Final oral examination/viva voce may take place only after all other degree requirements have been met. In this exam, the student demonstrates to their dissertation committee satisfactory command of all aspects of the work presented and other related subjects, if applicable. A student is not considered to have passed the final oral examination with more than one “not passed” vote, regardless of the size of the committee. If failed, it can be retaken in the next quarter (excluding summer). If failed a second time, the student will subject to academic disqualification.
Time-to-Degree
The normative time-to-degree (TTD) for the Ph.D. degree from the time of admission to the program is 15 quarters. The maximum time-to-degree is 18 quarters.
| DEGREE |
NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) |
NORMATIVE TTD |
MAXIMUM TTD
|
| Ph.D. |
6 |
15 |
18 |
Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.