Master Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage

Selection Procedure for the 2022-2023 academic year

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR SPECIALISATIONS STARTING IN SEPTEMBER 2022, WHICH ARE:

• Book and Paper (BP)

• Historic Interiors (HI)
• Metals (ME)
• Photography (PH)
• Wood and Furniture (WF)

DESCRIPTION OF THE SELECTION PROCEDURE 2022-2023

1. Apply for the Master Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage through the Graduate School
of Humanities (GSH) and upload the required documents in MyInfo before 1 February 2022 (see A).
2. Complete our C&R Canvas tests and assignments between 18 and 24 February 2022 (Fri-Thu) (see B).
3. After the Canvas tests and assignments, a PRE-SELECTION of candidates will be made for each
specialisation. Pre-selection is based on the contents of your motivation form, your CV, your test
results and portfolio, and your academic/educational level as determined by the Admissions Office.
You will be notified by 11 March 2022 whether you are admitted to the second phase of the
selection process (see C).
4. Pre-selected candidates will be invited to participate in further online selection activities and an
interview, that will take place between 4 and 12 April 2022 at the latest (see D).
5. You will be notified of your conditional acceptance or rejection in the week of 25 April 2022 (see E).
The names of selected, non-selected or wait-listed candidates will be passed on to the GSH
Admissions Office, who will further inform you and assist in completing your admission process.

A. Application documents in MyInfo (GSH Admissions Office)

After registering for the programme in Studielink, you will automatically receive an email with a link
to your MyInfo UvA application form. Complete your application before 1 February 2022. Upload a
complete dossier, consisting of the required documents listed below, in MyInfo before submitting
your MyInfo application form:
1. Your curriculum vitae;
2. Proof of language proficiency (unless automatically exempt);
3. Transcript of records of your higher education degree, up-to-date and issued by your
home institution;
UvA applicants: UvA students can upload a print screen of their grades from SIS
4. a. Diploma (if already obtained), or list of courses yet to complete (if diploma not yet
obtained);
b. Translation of your diploma and transcript of records (if applicable);
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Selection procedure Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage 2022-2023
 5. UvA Motivation form (PDF);
The motivation form is one of our selection criteria and must be completed in English.
Please state at question 1 (What study programme are you applying for) also for which
MA Conservation and Restoration specialisation you wish to apply: book/paper, historic
interiors, metals, photography or wood/furniture.
It may occur that certain specialisations are over-subscribed while others are
under-subscribed. In case you should be turned down for your preferred
specialisation, we may approach you to see if you would like to apply for another
one. If you are open to this procedure, we kindly ask you to indicate what your
second choice of specialisation would be.
6. Programme-specific document
We ask you to upload an example of academic written work in English, so that the C&R
Admissions Board can get an impression of your academic writing skills. If you do not
have an example of academic work written in English - for example, if all your written
work so far is in another language - translate or rewrite 3-5 pages of a paper or your
thesis in English and upload this as your example of academic written work.

NOTE: The GSH Admissions Office will only forward applications to us that are complete.
Incomplete applications or applications that do not meet the GSH requirements will not be taken into
consideration.

B. Completion of Canvas tests and assignments, 18 – 24 February 2022

For all candidates:

• Essay Questions test for the chosen specialisation

Via Canvas you will receive 3 selected articles with 3 essay questions related to these articles. You
will be asked to answer 2 of the 3 questions. The answers must be uploaded to Canvas. This test
assesses your reading and reflection skills and gives us an indication of your English writing level.
• Colour blindness test
This test is to assess whether you are able to see subtle variations in colour.
• Portfolio
On Canvas you must submit a personal portfolio in a format of your choice. The portfolio should
consist of 5 works showing the level of your skills that you think are suitable for the specialisation of
your choice. To convince the C&R Admissions Board, select examples of works that you find
illustrative of your interests, skills and competences in a certain area. The examples do not
necessarily have to demonstrate experience of conservation and restoration. Each work must be
accompanied by a small written motivation as to why you chose to include it in the portfolio.
All 5 works should be digitally uploaded as one file.

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Selection procedure Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage 2022-2023
 For candidates who did not participate in the UvA BA minor Conservation and Restoration,
additional to the above:

• Online Canvas test Basic Chemistry for Conservation and Restoration1

This test has 20 multiple choice questions and a number of open questions.
• Online Canvas test Principles of Conservation and Restoration2
This test has 25 multiple choice questions.
• Online Canvas test Preventive Conservation3
This test has 20 multiple choice questions.

The literature to study for these tests and examples of past exams can be found in the
PDFs that are listed under the heading “Literature and practice tests” on the GSH website

Conditions for exemptions

1 Candidates who have passed the component 'Basischemie' of the UvA minor course Chemie voor
conservering en restauratie (114217292Y), or the component 'Chemistry' of the UvA minor
course Chemistry, Materials and Techniques of Cultural Heritage Objects I (114221262Y) are
automatically exempt from this admission test. Candidates who have followed a similar course of
which the content can be demonstrated, can apply for an exemption.
2 Candidates who have passed the UvA minor course Conservering en restauratie: kennismaking

met discipline en beroep (114217066Y) or the UvA minor course Basic Principles of Conservation
and Restoration: History, Ethics and Approaches (114221256Y) are automatically exempt from
this admission test. Candidates who have followed a similar course of which the content can be
demonstrated, can apply for an exemption.
3 Candidates who have passed the component 'Preventieve conservering' of the UvA minor course

Chemie voor conservering en restauratie (114217292Y), or the UvA minor course Preventive
Conservation (114221276Y), are automatically exempt from this admission test. Candidates who
have followed a similar course of which the content can be demonstrated, can apply for an
exemption. Candidates who are following the UvA minor course Preventive Conservation
(114221276Y) at the time of the selection, must take the Canvas test, but the result is not binding. In
the event of an unsatisfactory mark, you can still be pre-selected, provided you pass the UvA minor
course Preventive Conservation.

To apply for an exemption: please send a transcript showing the result of the relevant course and a
detailed course description (in English or Dutch) containing the learning objectives, assessment
criteria, literature to be studied, the number of ECs and the level (graduate/undergraduate), to
[email protected].

C. Pre-selection

Pre-selected candidates are invited to participate in the online selection activities and an interview
during the second and final phase of the selection process taking place at the beginning of April 2022
(see D). Pre-selection is not only based on the online Canvas tests and assignments and/or results of
the UvA minor courses, but also on the information you have uploaded in MyInfo. We would like to
emphasise the importance of the UvA Motivation Form.
Pre-selected candidates will receive an invitation by 11 March 2022 at the latest with further
instructions regarding the online activities and interview.

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Selection procedure Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage 2022-2023
 D. Second phase of the selection process, 4 – 12 April 2022

Prior to the start of the second phase you will receive instructions for a practical assignment to be
performed at home. This will be a list of materials that you will need to have at hand while executing
the practical assignment during a live Zoom session. Important issues that are assessed in connection
with the practical test are your problem-solving skills, the decision-making process and your ability to
reflect on them.

To conclude the selection procedure, you will have an online interview with the C&R Admissions
Board via Zoom. The interview panel will consist of the lecturer(s) of the chosen specialisation and an
independent member who is not associated with the specialisation.

During the interview the panel will want to know more about your motivation and personality and
they will briefly discuss your CV and the Canvas tests you took.
In addition, the above-mentioned practical assignment and portfolio will be discussed.
Keep in mind that you must have the works from your portfolio within reach during the interview.
Of course there will also be room for questions that you may have about the programme, the
selection procedure and about studying in Amsterdam.

E. Selection

As a pre-selected candidate, you will be assessed on the basis of your educational level and
academic skills, your motivation, CV and command of the English language, all of which will be
addressed during the interview with the C&R Admissions Board. You are also evaluated based
on your portfolio and demonstrated skills during the practical assignment (i.e. manual skills,
resource management, communication skills, attitude and understanding of the complexity of
the profession).
At the end of the selection procedure, about six candidates per specialisation will be selected.
You are notified of your conditional acceptance or rejection in the week of 25 April 2022.
The Admissions Office will officially inform you and walk you through the steps you need to take
in order to make your acceptance unconditional and to become fully enrolled as a UvA student.
EU candidates who are not accepted may be wait-listed. If a conditionally accepted candidate does
not start, wait-listed candidates can be conditionally admitted to the programme until 1 September
2022.

Bear in mind that you will be asked to submit a Certificate of Moral Conduct (in Dutch: Verklaring
Omtrent het Gedrag - VOG) before the start of the programme, which will give you access to the
UvA’s training studios in the Atelier Building. The “Ateliergebouw” also houses the restoration
studios of the Rijksmuseum and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE).

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Selection procedure Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage 2022-2023
 SELECTION PROCEDURE 2022-2023 IMPORTANT DATES

1 February 2022 Deadline for registration via the GSH Admissions Office.

18 – 24 February 2022 Completion of Canvas tests for Basic Chemistry, Principles of Conservation,
Preventive Conservation and Essay Questions test, plus Colour Blindness test
and uploading portfolio.

11 March 2022 Deadline before which you will be informed whether you have been pre-
selected for the second phase. Applicants will be notified by email.

4 – 12 April 2022 Second phase of selection process for pre-selected candidates, consisting of
online practical skill testing and an interview.

25 April – 2 May 2022 Period during which pre-selected candidates will be informed whether they
have been (conditionally) admitted, rejected or placed on a waiting list.
Candidates will be notified by email.

Candidates who are wait-listed will receive an email of conditional

acceptance as soon as a place becomes available, before the start of the
academic year.

15 August 2022 Deadline for submission of Certificate of Moral Conduct (VOG).

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Selection procedure Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage 2022-2023