Introduction to the Program
Uniquely positioned as the only conservation graduate program in the Western United States, the UCLA Getty Conservation Program is host to award winning faculty. The Program offers an interdisciplinary approach to learning and education at the world class UCLA campus and state of the art laboratories at the Getty Villa. The Program is housed within the Cotsen institute of Archaeology that is located under the Fowler Museum. UCLA offers other cultural resources such as the Hammer Museum. Los Angeles provides an array of museums whose staff and collections enrich student research. At UCLA, students may find themselves participating in interdisciplinary collaborations such as the Archaeomaterials Group.
As a program solely focused on the conservation of archaeological and cultural materials, the UCLA/Getty Conservation’s teaching philosophy is directly tied to its mission of developing leaders in the field of conservation through collaboration, diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability.
The conservation of cultural heritage is a dynamic field that requires expertise from many allied fields of study and practice. This interdisciplinarity is at the heart of the interdepartmental structure of the UCLA/Getty Conservation Program. Our faculty have appointments in three separate departments: Art History, Information Studies, and Materials Science and Engineering. Our Faculty Advisory Committee is composed of faculty in an even wider array of fields. This interdisciplinarity extends not only to materials sciences, art, archaeology, and anthropology, but to people whose cultures are represented in the materials that we research and conserve. Historically these voices have often been excluded from professional deliberations, but it is a core aim of our program to practice meaningful collaboration between conservators, scientists, and cultural representatives. This includes our obligation to train students from underrepresented communities. Our approach is to educate and develop leaders by creating a safe and welcoming environment for all points of view through collaborative listening and engagement. By creating a learning environment that fosters mutual respect, care, and support we are charting a deliberate path that ties to our core values of collaboration, diversity, and sustainability.
We invite you to read and familiarize yourself with the contents of this handbook, and hope that it allows you to make your journey at UCLA both smooth and successful.
Introduction to the Handbook
Although this handbook is primarily a guide for our students, it serves to answer common questions for applicants and others who are interested in our Program. It supplements the UCLA General Catalog, which contains information on courses, degree requirements, and fees, and other information related to being a student at UCLA.
The Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA, which frequently is cited in this handbook, provides detailed information and sets forth general policies, many of which come from the Academic Senate and its Graduate Council, regarding completion of degree requirements, master’s and doctoral committees, and examinations. Also included are general regulations concerning graduate courses, standards of scholarship, leaves of absence, normal progress toward degree, and a number of other matters.
The content of this handbook is subject to revision. Courses, course descriptions, instructor designations, curricular degree requirements, and fees described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. In all matters, the rules and regulations of the UCLA General Catalog and the Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA shall supersede this handbook.
UCLA Graduate Student Resources
Program Staff
Shaharoh Chism, Student Affairs Officer
schism@ioa.ucla.edu
Shaharoh Chism works on student affairs, information & funding, class schedules, and admissions. She also serves as the Faculty & Graduate Division Liaison for our students.
William Shelley, Laboratory Manager
wshelley@ucla.edu
William Shelley serves as chemical safety officer and manages and maintains the laboratory equipment and supplies in the program’s labs at both the Getty Villa and Cotsen Institute of Archaeology. He also manages the program’s website and facilitates program purchases and reimbursements. In addition, he assists faculty and students with laboratory equipment and practical hands-on sessions.
Bronson Tran, Chief Administrative Officer, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology
bronson@ioa.ucla.edu
In addition to managing the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, Bronson Tran is available to assist with student questions related to financial, administrative, or personnel matters. If other staff members are unavailable or if you have important questions, concerns, or grievances that need attention, please don’t hesitate to reach out to him.
General University Resources
- The Division of Graduate Education staff present orientation information for new students at the Graduate Student Association fall orientation event. They introduce students to a wide range of academic, professional, social and cultural resources.
- New Students’ Orientation Handbook—updated periodically by the Graduate Division. https://grad.ucla.edu/academics/graduate-study/new-students-orientation/
- Graduate Student Association (GSA) guide to resources and communities at UCLA. https://ucla.app.box.com/s/7rdxw4wose5ojovtarxu5pa85li99cwu
- UCLA’s General Catalog—updated annually by the Registrar’s Office; provides overview of Graduate Division policies; includes descriptions of academic programs in UCLA departments and schools and courses offered. http://catalog.registrar.ucla.edu/
- UCLA’s Schedule of Classes—updated quarterly by the Registrar’s Office; lists deadlines for payment of fees, enrollment in classes, submission of University petitions; lists days, times, rooms of courses offered and any restrictions on enrollment. https://sa.ucla.edu/ro/public/soc
- UCLA’s academic calendars—updated periodically by the Registrar’s Office. http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/Calendars/Overview
- Standards & Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA—updated periodically by the Graduate Division; contains policies applicable to graduate students. https://grad.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/spfgs.pdf
- Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees—updated annually by the Graduate Division; provides official description of graduate degree programs. https://grad.ucla.edu/academics/graduate-study/program-requirements-for-ucla-graduate-degrees/
- Graduate Student Academic Rights and Responsibilities—updated periodically by the Graduate Students Association and endorsed by the Academic Senate Graduate Council. https://grad.ucla.edu/asis/library/academicrights.pdf
- Academic Apprentice Personnel Manual—updated periodically by the Graduate Division. https://grad.ucla.edu/gss/appm/aapmanual.pdf
- UCLA’s Regulations of the Division—updated periodically by the Academic Senate. https://senate.ucla.edu/bylaws-regulations/regulations
- UC’s Manual of the Systemwide Academic Senate—updated periodically by the Academic Senate of the University of California. http://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/bylaws-regulations/index.html
UCLA Financial Support
- Graduate Student Financial Support—updated annually by the Graduate Division. https://grad.ucla.edu/asis/stusup/gradsupport.pdf
- UCLA Financial Wellness Program https://financialwellness.ucla.edu/
- UCLA Economic Crisis Response Team (ECRT) https://studentincrisis.ucla.edu/economic-crisis-response
- UCLA Short-Term Loans (Interest-free) https://loans.ucla.edu/short-term-loan
Bruin Alert
BruinAlert was developed to communicate official information during an emergency or crisis that disrupts normal operation of the UCLA campus, or threatens the health and safety of members of the campus community. Students with current email addresses in MyUCLA are automatically enrolled in BruinAlert.
UCLA Title IX Office / Sexual Harassment Prevention
Title IX was enacted in 1972 as a code of federal regulation. It is enforced by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of the United States Department of Education. The University of California Systemwide Title IX office constructs policy in compliance of state and federal law uniformly across the UC system.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides mental health support for UCLA students by offering a variety of services to meet your needs including counseling, evaluation, and intervention.
Ombud Office
The Office of Ombuds Services is a place where members of the UCLA community–students, faculty, staff and administrators–can go for assistance in resolving conflicts, disputes or complaints on an informal basis. In order to afford visitors the greatest freedom in using its services, the Office is independent, neutral and confidential.
Accessible Education
The UCLA Center for Accessible Education (CAE) is responsible for the administration of UCLA’s commitment to ensuring access and participation for all students with qualifying disabilities or medical conditions.
Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion advances campus strategies for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion, combatting discrimination, and achieving our shared values of upholding dignity for all.
Student Tax Information
The UCLA Graduate Division provides Fellowship Tax Information for students to better understand how the Internal Revenue Service and the California Franchise Tax Board considers student fellowships as taxable income. They also provide information on Tax Preparation Assistance. The information on this site should not substitute for professional tax counseling for individual student tax situations. The 1098-T tax form is used to help determine eligibility for education tax credits. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program provides assistance to low- to moderate-income, disabled, and elderly individuals in Los Angeles.
University Library
Campus Map
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology
Conservation Program General Information
Keys
Keys to the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology and Conservation Lab are given to new students by the Student Affairs Officer.
Student mail is placed in the Conservation Student Mailbox in the office at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology.
Purchase Requests
Purchase requests for lab supplies, equipment, and travel must be authorized in advance. Requests are submitted on the Conservation Purchase Request form and submitted to the Lab Manager.
Reimbursement Requests
Reimbursements for lab supplies, equipment, and travel must be authorized in advance. Requests are submitted on the Reimbursement Request form.
Cotsen Conservation Lab
The roughly 400 square foot laboratory at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology contains a binocular microscope, a polarized light microscope and a metallurgical microscope, as well as equipment for metallographic sampling and sample preparation. Analytical instrumentation for inorganic analysis is also located here and includes portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Additional instrumentation is made available through the various labs and academic departments at UCLA, which students have benefited from for their analytical work, includes scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), RAMAN spectromicroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).
Student Desks
PhD students are provided with desk space at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology. They are provided with desk space in the Getty Villa Labs and Library as needed when they are using the facilities.
MA students are provided with desk space in the Getty Villa Labs and Library. They share common desk space at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology.
Housing
Many of our students find their own housing in Los Angeles. At times, graduating students recommend units they have rented, and can certainly give advice. A convenient neighborhood is Santa Monica because of its location between the UCLA campus and the Getty Villa in Malibu, however it is one of the most expensive areas in greater Los Angeles. Neighborhoods south of campus are generally more affordable.
Visit the UCLA Housing home page to learn more about housing: https://portal.housing.ucla.edu/, and this page to learn about graduate student housing: https://portal.housing.ucla.edu/content/housing-single-graduate-students-and-students-families. We advise checking these sites early, however you may not apply for university housing until you have been admitted to the program. Once you are admitted, our Student Affairs Officer sends the names of our students to the Housing Office. We are limited to a certain number of student housing allocations each year, so apply early once you are admitted if you know that you want student housing.
Getty Villa
General Information
Getty Villa Maps
https://www.getty.edu/visit/downloads/gv_interim_map_eng.pdf
https://www.getty.edu/visit/gettyvilla_map_2012.pdf
Keys
Keys are provided to the Conservation Labs at the Getty Villa by the Lab Manager.
Getty Villa Conservation Labs
The Program has dedicated conservation and research laboratories located in a purpose-built building for students and faculty on the Getty Villa campus in Malibu. This roughly 1,200 square foot laboratory contains various types of equipment used for teaching, thesis/dissertation research, and grant funded research. The equipment housed here includes, but is not limited to, the following: laboratory oven, a Q-Sunlight aging chamber, freeze-dryer, polarized light microscope (PLM), Keyence digital microscope, laboratory furnace, analytical balance scales, X-rite Pantone spectrophotometer, portable Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), fiber optic reflectance spectrometry (FORS), portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer, and binocular microscopes.
In addition to the Program’s equipment, the facility also provides access to the X-radiography equipment owned by the Getty Museum, supervised by Getty staff, which allows for further examination of objects. The Program also has a photography studio in the Villa lab used for imaging and technical examination of art. In addition to digital photography, the lab also has equipment for specialized photography including ultraviolet and infrared filters, an alternate light forensic source (mini Crimescope), Specim IQ HyperSpectral camera, Artec 3D scanner, and reflectance transformation imaging (RTI) capture gear.
The facility includes a secure art storage space, which not only houses the Program’s study collection of artifacts, but also allows us to collaborate with area museums and borrow objects from their collections.
Library
- Access
- You should not work in the lab alone. You should make sure that there is a student or faculty member present in the building. If you are working with chemicals you are not allowed to work alone, in case of injury or emergency.
- The labs hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 pm.
- If you work outside these hours during the week, or anytime during the weekend or on a Getty holiday, you must sign in with security to let them know you are staying after hours and you must sign out when you leave. The sign in book is at the security desk located in the basement level near central staff parking.
- The Sign In/ Sign Out policy includes working in the library as well.
- You are not allowed to work with chemicals alone in the lab outside of normal lab hours (past 6:00 pm Monday to Friday, or on Weekends, or on Holidays). If there is no one around and you must work alone, you can only do tasks that do not involve chemicals (examining objects, photography, non-chemical treatments).
- Getty Security does sweeps outside of normal lab hours. If you are caught violating these rules, your after-hours access to the lab will be revoked.
- No food or drink is allowed in the lab. Food and drink are only allowed in the student workroom. If you eat or drink in the student workroom, make sure to clean up after yourself. Throw away food and other materials and take any glasses or plates down to the pantry to be placed in the dishwasher.
- The laboratory is a space shared by everyone. Please make sure to keep your work area tidy and clean up after yourself at the end of the day. Put away any supplies and equipment when you are done working for the day.
- There will be a designated “lab clean-up day” each week. Students will be assigned an area of the lab and they are responsible for tidying up and cleaning that area on that day.
- Always put supplies and equipment back in the location where you found it. Do not put things away in different cupboards/cabinets or locations.
- If we are running low on any lab supplies, please make sure to let the lab manager know before we run out of that item. This is also the case for the color toner cartridges in the computer room.
- Do not take any supplies or equipment to UCLA. If something is needed in the UCLA lab, please tell the lab manager so that it can be ordered for the UCLA lab. If you must take something over to UCLA, please let the lab manager know before doing so, to ensure no one else needs it, and sign the item out using the sign out sheet near the main doors of the conservation lab.
- After using the microscopes in the lab, please make sure the light source is turned off and the microscopes are covered to prevent dust from accumulating on the optics or other areas of the equipment.
- If using the hotplate or oven, make sure to turn it off when you are finished. If you need to leave something heating for a prolonged period of time or overnight, please let someone know and place a notice near the over or hotplate as well.
- Please make sure to keep the photography room tidy. Make sure to put away any sandbags or foam supports used for photography. Make sure that the camera lenses are covered and the cameras and other equipment is put away in the appropriate location when you are done.
- When cutting foam or board, please make sure that a cutting mat or cardboard is placed under the material to prevent cutting into or scratching the table tops.
- Please do not leave scraps of storage or packing materials lying around the lab or artifact storage area. A bin and box for scraps is located in the unlocked cages. Please make sure to throw away scraps too small to reuse and put away the larger pieces.
- Due to the large amount of sunlight that comes through the windows in the student workroom, please do not leave any paper material (books, photocopies, etc.) on top of the wooden counters. This will prevent these materials from fading.
Transportation
Public transportation to the Getty Villa is LA Metro bus 134, departing from near the Santa Monica Pier. The frequency of Bus 134 is 30 minutes but sometimes is reduced during off-peak hours from 10 am to 3 pm. Various buses operate from the UCLA main campus to the Santa Monica Pier including Big Blue Bus No.1, No.2 and No.8. The whole trip from the UCLA main campus to the Getty Villa takes around 50~70 minutes. For students visiting via private vehicles, please pay attention to the parking reservation email sent by our lab manager.
Laboratory Guidelines
Lab Safety Training
UCLA’s Environment, Health & Safety Office (EH&S) requires everyone working in the UCLA/Getty Villa labs to complete a series of safety training sessions listed below in order to work in the lab space.
- Lab Safety Fundamentals
Students must complete the Laboratory Safety Fundamentals training course in order to work in the lab. (If they have already taken this course, they must be up to date with the Laboratory Safety Fundamentals Refresher training).
This training can be taken online through UCLA’s Environmental Health & Safety’s (EH&S) training site called “Worksafe”. https://worksafe.ucla.edu
To sign up and take the Lab Safety Fundamentals Training course, follow these steps:
- Navigate to EH&S’ Online Learning Center at https://worksafe.ucla.edu
- Sign in using your UCLA Logon/Password (If you are not affiliated with UCLA and do not have one, you can create one on the Worksafe site)
- Navigate to COURSE CATALOG from the left‐hand menu
- Select Environment, Health and Safety – Online Training folder
- Click on LAUNCH next to the UCLA Laboratory Safety Fundamentals (LAB‐LSFCOL).
Once students complete the training and pass the exam, please send a copy of the training record to the Lab Manager (training records are available through EH&S’ Online Learning Center – Worksafe).
- UCLA’s Laboratory Safety Manual and Chemical Hygiene Plan
Students need to read UCLA’s Laboratory Safety Manual and Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) and confirm that they have read it online. They can access this via the Worksafe website. The course is listed in the COURSE CATALOG as CHEMICAL HYGIENE PLAN (LAB-CHPOL).
- Laboratory Hazard Assessment Summary Report
Students need to read and understand the information provided in the Laboratory Hazard Summary Report, which lists all of the possible hazards associated with working in the UCLA/Getty Conservation Program labs. On the day of the Villa Lab orientation they are given this information and will need to sign that they have read and understood the information provided in the report.
- UCLA/Getty Conservation Villa Lab Orientation
Students complete a lab orientation prior to starting their work in the UCLA/Getty Villa labs. The training introduces them to different lab specific safety requirements; describe the personal protective equipment available to users; and review emergency procedures specific to the Getty Villa labs. After the training session, students sign that you have received the training and understood the information presented in the training session.
- Site Specific Training
All lab users are required to complete a training session for a protocol or procedure specific to work undertaken at the UCLA/Getty labs at the Villa. This will be completed in person in the lab prior to the start of work there.
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Chemicals that are deemed highly toxic or hazardous require additional training and documentation in order to understand the hazards these chemicals present and how they are to be safely used in the lab (SOPs). Students need to read and sign that they have read and understood the information provided. *Please let the Lab Manager know what type of lab work you will be undertaking or what chemicals you will be using in order to determine whether you will need additional training specific to those chemicals.
- Radiation Safety Training
Students are required to complete radiation safety training in order to use radiation producing equipment at the program labs at UCLA and the Getty Villa (portable XRF, XRD and the Getty’s X-ray machine). They must sign up and take the online class offered through Worksafe titled “Radiation Safety for Users of Radiation Producing Machines “, and the course ID is “RAD-RPM-OL”. Theyt can find the course on the Worksafe site listed under the “Schedule” or “Course Catalog” menu or they can search for it using the course name or ID. After completing the course notify the lab Manager so you can be added to the list of authorized users for X-ray producing equipment.
To operate the pXRF at either location, students are required to wear a ring dosimeter. Once you have completed the radiation safety training you must contact the EH&S Dosimetry office and request a ring dosimeter (radbadge@ehs.ucla.edu). If you do not have a ring dosimeter, you cannot operate this equipment even if you’ve completed the training session. Note that the ring dosimeters are provided on a quarterly basis and are administered by the lab manager. They arrive at our lab at UCLA at the start of each quarter and can be picked up in our lab at the Cotsen (A410). The ring dosimeters must be returned to the lab manager or the dosimeter storage location in A410 by the end of the quarter so they can be returned for processing. Ring dosimeters are no longer required to operate the Rigaku Spider XRD in our Cotsen labs.
In order to use the X-ray machine at the Getty Villa, students must have a whole body dosimeter. Since the X-ray machine belongs to the Getty, the dosimetry is administered through them and not UCLA. You must still take the radiation safety course offered at UCLA (RAD-XRAY). You will not be allowed to operate the Getty Villa X-ray machine yourself but must coordinate with and work with JPG Museum Antiquities Conservator Jeff Maish. If you need to use the X-ray machine at the Villa, please first speak with your course professor or advisor and coordinate dosimetery with the lab manager.
- Respirator Fit Testing
If students will be working with hazardous or toxic chemicals and require a respirator, they will need to take the Half-Face Respirator Training and Fit Testing offered through UCLA EH&S. This is an in person training session and you must register for the course through Worksafe. It is listed in the COURSE CATALOG as ENV-HALF. Once you have taken the training and have been fit for a specific respirator, bring that information, along with a list of the chemicals you will be using, to the lab manager so the correct respirator and appropriate respirator cartridges can be ordered for you.
If you would like more information on UCLA EH&S Laboratory Safety Policies and Procedures, you can find the information and additional resources on their website: https://www.ehs.ucla.edu/
Chemical Waste Management
- In the event of an emergency or spill call Getty Security at x6000. You can also press the auto dial emergency button (in pink) on any phone and it will connect you directly to security.
- There are several waste containers, located near the emergency shower/eye wash station in VN224 for the disposal of wastes. The containers are labeled and for the following:
- One black metal container for Flammable Liquids
- One black metal container for Flammable Solids
- One white plastic bucket for Acids (or materials with a pH above 12)
- One white plastic bucket for Bases
- One white plastic bucket for Toxic Materials containing heavy metals
- One white plastic bucket for Universal Waste-such as batteries, fluorescent bulbs
- You cannot dispose of waste directly into the waste containers. The waste containers work as “secondary” containers. You must put any waste in some other sealable jar or bag, which is the primary container, and then dispose of it into the appropriate chemical waste container.
- For example, any swabs produced from cleaning something using acetone must be placed in a Ziploc bag before being thrown out in the chemical waste bucket. Double bag these materials to make sure you contain the smell of the solvents.
- To dispose of a solution, you must keep the solution in a sealed jar or container and then throw that container away in the chemical waste buckets.
- Do not evaporate items in the fume hood. Dispose of any solid or liquid waste in the appropriate waste container.
- If you are not sure where something should be disposed of, check the MSDS (red binder in VN225 or ask the lab manager) for disposal information. You can also check the pH of the material in order to determine into which container it should be disposed in.
- The chemical waste station is inspected each week by the lab manager to make sure there aren’t any problems with any of the containers.
- Glass should be thrown away in the appropriate glass disposal container. If the glass is contaminated with a chemical, the glass must be thrown away in the appropriate chemical waste container for the contaminant.
- Any questions, please ask the lab manager
UCLA/GETTY Emergency Procedures
- During the lab orientation prior to starting your work in the UCLA/Getty Villa labs emergency procedures specific to the Getty Villa labs will be reviewed.
- A copy of the Getty Villa Emergency Procedures Manual is available in the lab.
Health & Safety
In order to work at the Lab at the Getty Villa and at UCLA, students must complete the relevant health and safety training sessions at UCLA and a mandatory health and safety training session at the Getty Villa. The training at the Getty Villa is scheduled during the first week of the Fall quarter.
DEIA Strategic Plan
UCLA/Getty Interdepartmental Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan
2023-2028
Approved October 6, 2023
The UCLA/Getty Interdepartmental Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), and this plan serves as a new, robust framework through which to expand on our previous progress. The long-term goal is to build a more welcoming, diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible environment for all of our students, staff, and faculty. To do this, fundamental shifts must be made in order to decrease existing barriers. Implementation of this plan will help the Program truly live up to its core values of Collaboration, DEIA, and Sustainability. As stewards of cultural heritage, the plan will also allow us to better contribute to the preservation of underrepresented cultures, supporting the human right of cultural equity.
Increasing student and faculty diversity is a top priority for the Program. Efforts will be made to promote diversity in the student body, leadership, and in decision-making positions. Efforts will also be made to: revise the curriculum to include a greater diversity of perspectives, increase student support, improve the workplace environment, expand disability accommodations, and continue the formation of collaborations with other campus units, organizations and community partners.
DEIA is the responsibility of all Program faculty, staff, and students. This Strategic Plan is accompanied by a DEIA Action Plan with annual goals that will be revised for each academic year.
Background
The Program’s previous DEIA efforts have included:
- Increased racial diversity of admitted students
- Website – featuring news items and announcements on DEIA issues
- Classes centered on inclusion of Indigenous artists and staff of Indigenous Museums (began in 2006)
- MA and post-graduate research directed toward Indigenous collections care (began in 2006)
- Andrew W. Mellon Opportunity for Diversity in Conservation (established 2017)
- Redrafted Mission Statement and incorporated core values (2020)
- Formation of a DEIA Committee to initiate planning (2020)
- ANAGPIC faculty workshop on diversifying syllabi and curricula (2020)
- Launch of Distinguished Speaker and Conservation Conversations lecture series featuring diverse speakers (2020)
- NEH Community, Collaboration, and Cultural Heritage Conservation Project (2020)
- Preservation of Indigenous Cultural Resources & Collections Online Courses, NEH Care & Conservation of Indigenous Collections Workshop (3-year grant awarded in 2021)
- NEH Sustainability in Conservation Education Initiative (2022)
- Changes in the admissions requirements (2022)
- Eliminating conservation internship requirement
- Eliminating GRE requirement
- Creation of the Director of Community Engagement & Inclusive Practice Position (2022)
- Curriculum Review process including Sustainability and DEIA discussions in the context of program courses (2022-2023)
Goals and Strategies
The following goals and areas of focus were identified through Program-wide discussion:
- Modify hiring practices in order to increase faculty and staff diversity
- Increase diversity of decision-making bodies in the Program
- Improve the work-place environment for current and future members
- Improve student support
- Diversify content and integrate DEIA values into the curriculum and pedagogy
- Invest in increased community collaboration and in the preservation of cultural heritage from historically underrepresented communities
- Disseminate content focused on the Program’s DEIA efforts
Goal 1: Modify hiring practices in order to increase faculty and staff diversity
A critically important area of focus is faculty and staff diversity. In particular, faculty diversity is currently lacking. We will evaluate current hiring practices to look for areas for improved equity and inclusion in the hiring process while being mindful of university-wide policy. Modifications to the recruitment and hiring practices will be made such as updating required qualifications, using more inclusive language, expanding methods for posting job announcements, and revising interview processes.
Goal 2: Increase diversity of decision-making bodies in the Program
We will ensure that all decision-making bodies in the Program, such as the Faculty Advisory Committee, Search Committees, and the Admissions Committee, have diverse compositions. This would include representation from historically marginalized communities in the United States. Diverse representation at this level will help decrease the chance of implicit bias in our decision-making and will help advance university-wide anti-bias efforts.
Goal 3: Improve the work-place environment for current and future members
The Program will strive to improve its organizational culture in order to both increase the satisfaction of current members and to attract new employees. We will work to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all Program members regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, etc. We will first evaluate the work environment, fair compensation, and treatment of Program members. This will then be followed with decided-upon modifications. We will enthusiastically support, announce, and advocate for access to accommodations for People with Disabilities.
Goal 4: Improve student support
Students-specific modifications are required in order to ensure that students are properly supported as they traverse the Program regardless of their race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ability, socioeconomic status, parental status, etc. Support in this context not only means financial support, but for example could also mean support in resolving interpersonal conflict within the Program, handling administrative issues, finding supportive affinity groups, or acquiring disability accommodations. Conversations will take place between Program leadership and students in order to better understand potential issues. Modifications to the Student Handbook and Program policies will be made in order to improve student support.
Goal 5: Increase diversity of content and integrate DEIA values into the curriculum and pedagogy
We will analyze the skills and knowledge that the students are gaining through their courses, workshops, and internships. Additions and modifications will be made to further incorporate DEIA values into the Program’s curriculum and pedagogy. As we work with global collections, global perspectives on preservation and collections care will be incorporated into the curriculum. Collaborations and guests that bring in diverse perspectives will continue to be encouraged. Skills such as cultural competency, community organizing, and consensus building will be better emphasized. DEIA training opportunities will be provided for staff, faculty, and students.
Goal 6: Invest in increased community collaboration and in the preservation of cultural heritage from historically underrepresented communities
We will continue and increase the formation of working collaborations with groups focusing on the preservation of underrepresented cultural heritage, both externally and interdepartmentally within UCLA. We will cultivate reciprocal relationships with marginalized communities, focusing on Los Angeles and Southern California. We will take particular care to develop collaborations that support the original inhabitants of the Los Angeles basin and South Channel Islands, the Gabrielino/Tongva People, in recognition of the critical role they have had and continue to play in the area.
Goal 7: Disseminate content focused on the Program’s DEIA efforts
As appropriate, we will disseminate our DEIA work through social media, newsletters, our website, and through academic and public workshops and seminars. Protocols will be developed that will ensure that approval from collaborators is received before dissemination and that everyone involved is properly credited. Efforts will be taken to prevent tokenism. The Program website should be evaluated for accessibility and improvements should be made. Other revisions should be considered for the website as well such as the inclusion of a land acknowledgement and an anti-racism statement.
Student Handbook
Introduction
The UCLA/Getty Interdepartmental Master’s Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage is a practice-focused degree that is rich in scholarly and scientific content. The Program grants a three-year MA degree in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage. The mission of the Program is to educate and train students in the highest standard of conservation practice and decision-making and to prepare them to work as professionals in the preservation of archaeological and cultural materials.
The Program provides a multidisciplinary education enhanced by collaborations across the university, the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Museum, the Fowler Museum, and other regional museums. Program goals include enhancing the standards of conservation treatment and research through the application of both cultural understanding and scientific methods of documentation, examination, analysis, and practice. The Program emphasizes collaboration with communities associated with cultural heritage. Sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion are among its core values.
The preparation of the students is based on a three-year intensive curriculum consisting of two years of coursework, electives within the university, independent study opportunities, and internships in museums and archaeological sites. Students undertake a ten-week internship between the first and second year, and a final nine-month internship during the third year. They complete a master’s thesis by the end of their second year, which includes a component of innovative research in any of the fields of conservation covered in the Program.
The aim of this handbook is to provide detailed information about progress in the MA Program for our students. It contains forms that need to be submitted at various stages of progress, and a timeline that includes deadlines for each milestone towards completing the degree
Students must read and follow the Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA which is updated regularly and supersedes this student handbook https://grad.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/spfgs.pdf.
Timeline
NB: See additional timeline information for thesis research and writing under Thesis tab
Year 1
- November: ATALM conference
- January – March: Discuss summer internship possibilities with Faculty Internship Coordinator
- April: ANAGPIC conference
- April 1: Choose faculty member Thesis Advisor, discuss possible research projects
- May 1: Submit brief thesis proposal to Advisor (no more than 400 words)
- June 15: Submit expanded thesis proposal to Advisor (approximately 2,000 words)
- June 15: Submit Thesis Budget Form
- June 15: Submit Conservation Purchase Request Form for thesis expenses
- June 30: Register for CLT HTG 290 for fall quarter early, especially if you are declaring California residency to avoid being charged NRST fees.
- June: File petition for California residency for Year 2 (for non-residents) To avoid NRST fees, do not wait for September deadline to apply for California residency
- July: Submit at least one internship image for Program social media post
- August 31: Submit summer internship Site Evaluation Form
Year 2
- September – March: Conduct thesis research and analysis
- October 1: Student Affairs Officer prepares Nomination of Master’s Thesis Committee form
- October 1: Program Chair submits Nomination of Master’s Committee form to the Division Dean for official appointment
- October: Summer internship presentations
- October – December: Discuss summer and 3rd year internship possibilities with Faculty Internship Coordinator
- November: ATALM conference
- April: ANAGPIC conference
- April: Students are strongly encouraged to submit expanded outline of thesis to Advisor
- June: Students are strongly encouraged to complete experimental work in June, and final thesis during the summer.
- July: Submit at least one internship image for Program social media post
- August: Submit In Absentia Registration Petition for 3rd year
- August 31: Submit summer internship Site Evaluation Form (if internship is undertaken)
Year 3
- September – March: Submit at least one internship image for Program social media post
- December 1: Submit 1st Quarter Internship Report
- February: Students with any outstanding balances or reimbursements from the university should notify the SAO to make sure all payments are processed prior to graduation. It is difficult for the university to settle outstanding balances when students are no longer enrolled.
- March 15: Submit 2nd Quarter Internship Report
- April: ANAGPIC conference
- April: Submit Advancement to Candidacy Form prior to second week of spring quarter
- June 1: Submit 3rd Year Site Internship Evaluation Form
- June 1: Submit 3rd Quarter Internship Report
- June: File thesis by the date established by the Graduate Division
- June: Graduation – Oral presentation of thesis research is given as part of graduation events (NB: oral presentations are not a Program requirement)
Graduation Requirements
MA students must fulfill the following Program requirements in order to graduate
- Courses
A minimum of 130 units of course work are required for graduation. Graduation unit requirements: 80 units of graduate courses; 8 units of 598 (M.A. thesis preparation) and 42 units of 290 (internship).
- Internships
11.5 months of internship work are required for graduation: one 10–week summer internship between the first and second years, and one 9–month internship following the second year
- Thesis
As described on the Thesis tab of the MA Student Handbook
Program requirements are described on the Graduate Division Program website
Financial Support
Financial offers that include department awards, tuition, fees, and health insurance (including vision and dental) are outlined in letters sent by the UCLA Division of Graduate Education as part of the admissions process. This financial support comes from proceeds generated by Program endowments, including the Getty Endowment, the Kahn Endowment, and the Cunard Endowment, along with internal and external grants, donations, and fellowships procured by the Program. Some of our past students have received UCLA Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP) awards. The Program initiates application for GOP awards. The Program encourages students to apply for additional internal and external financial support.
Some internal and external grants and fellowships procured by the Program to support students are not added to the financial support outlined in offer letters. They are part of the resources that allow the Program to provide the support that is offered. The Program may modify funding offers if students receive an individual external award which covers fees and living expenses. Should students accept/receive financial support from a non-UCLA source, they must forward a copy of their award letter to the Student Affairs Officer promptly. Students should consult with the Student Affairs Officer and/or Program Chair about questions regarding financial support.
Some students choose to supplement their graduate school stipend by taking on external employment. The Program has no internal rules that restrict students from obtaining outside employment. For information on employment opportunities within UCLA, please visit Working at UCLA. Opportunities may include Teaching Assistantships, Research Assistants, Work-Study, etc.
UCLA’s Cost of Attendance page contains information from the past two academic years that may be helpful in understanding local costs. Additionally, the Financial Aid office provides an estimate of students’ Financial Aid Notice which is sent directly to students each quarter. They also have a Financial Aid Net Price Calculator which can be used to calculate initial estimates.
An average of $200 per student is built into the program’s budget to support thesis research. This is further described in the Thesis section of the handbook.
Students may apply for summer funding for archaeological fieldwork through the Research Travel Funds managed by the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology. Summer TA-ships are also available by application to other departments at UCLA.
The Division of Graduate Education Fellowships and Financial Services Office announces extramural funding opportunities available for graduate study, travel abroad, dissertation and postdoctoral research through Gradfellowships-L Google groups. Check out their website and sign up for relevant lists.
UCLA Graduate Education Funding Opportunities Resources
UCLA offers a number of Fellowship, Scholarships & Grants. Some are described in the Graduate Division Fellowships and Programs and Graduate Division Privately Endowed Fellowships sections of their Financial Aid and Finances website.
In addition, many foundations support graduate research with the specific focus of their mission. Some foundations are listed on the Search for Funding (or GRAPES) page of the Graduate Division website.
Grants and scholarships may also be obtained from professional organizations such as the American Institute for Conservation, including their Professional Development Grants & Scholarships. Our students have been successful in obtaining their “Take a Chance Grants” and “George Stout Fellowships.”
Pathways to Science provides a list of grants and fellowships available to students in STEM fields.
Native American students should check our funding opportunities described on the Native American Opportunity Plan (NAOP) site. Non-California residents may qualify during their second year after they become California residents.
Below is a list of scholarship opportunities for American Indian Students:
American Indian Education Foundation Scholarships
Native Forward – formerly known as American Indian Graduate Center
Association on American Indian Affairs, Inc. Scholarship Program
Frances Crawford Marvin American Indian Scholarship
Travel & Purchasing
All travel and supply purchases must be approved in advance by the Lab Manager. Laboratory and other Program supplies are purchased by the Lab Manager.
Coursework
A minimum of 130 units of course work are required for graduation. Graduation unit requirements: 80 units of graduate courses; 8 units of 598 (M.A. thesis preparation) and 42 units of 290 (internship).
Most UCLA courses are assigned a unit value. One unit represents three hours of work per week per term by the student, including both class attendance and preparation.
Registrar’s Conservation of Cultural Heritage Course List
Please note that some courses taught in the past are still listed, but are not taught on a regular basis.
Students in the MA Program must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 units per quarter, with all of the courses at the graduate level. Most of the required courses are a combination of lectures and practical laboratory work, with a strong emphasis on the application of learned skills. Electives may be taken in a variety of related departments, including Anthropology, Art History, World Arts and Cultures, Materials Science and Engineering, Atmospheric Sciences, Folklore and Mythology, African American Studies, American Indian Studies, Asian American Studies, Latin American Studies, etc. Students should work with their thesis advisor and Program Chair to select electives. Courses are not always open to students from other departments and IDPs.
Faculty will strive to schedule courses on only three days each week (preferably Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). Ideally, courses will not take place on Monday and Friday, allowing one day to be a free day for students to use as they wish and one day to be available for other Program activities. Quarterly modifications to this schedule may be unavoidable.
Required Courses
CLT HTG 210 Cultural Materials Science II: Characterization Methods in the Conservation of Materials (4)
CLT HTG 210L Cultural Materials Science Laboratory (Technical Study) (4)
CLT HTG 211 Science Fundamentals in Conservation of Materials (4)
CLT HTG M215 Cultural Materials Science I: Analytical Imaging and Documentation in the Conservation of Materials (4)
CLT HTG 216 Science of Conservation Materials and Methods I (4)
CLT HTG C220 Field Methods in Archaeological Conservation: Readiness, Response, and Recovery (4)
CLT HTG M221 Principles, Practice and Ethics in Conservation of Cultural Heritage (4)
CLT HTG 222 Conservation and Community (4)
CLT HTG 230 Conservation Laboratory: Ceramics, Glass and Glazes (4)
CLT HTG 231 Conservation Laboratory: Stone and Adobe (4)
CLT HTG 232 Conservation Laboratory: Organic Materials I (4)
CLT HTG 234 Conservation Laboratory: Metals I (4)
CLT HTG 238 Conservation Laboratory: Organic Materials II (4)
CLT HTG 239 Conservation Laboratory: Metals II (4)
CLT HTG M240 Environmental Protection for Museums, Libraries, and Archives (4)
CLT HTG M244 Collections Management for Museums, Libraries and Archives (4)
CLT HTG M250 Conservation Laboratory: Rock art, Wall Paintings and Mosaics (4)
CLT HTG 260 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Ceramics, Glass, and Glazes (2)
CLT HTG 261 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Stone and Adobe (2)
CLT HTG 262 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Organics I (2)
CLT HTG 263 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Metals (2)
CLT HTG 264 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Rock Art, Wall Paintings, Mosaics (2)
CLT HTG 265 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Organics II (2)
CLT HTG 290 First Summer Internship in Absentia (2)
CLT HTG 290 3rd Year Internship in Absentia (12)
CLT HTG 598 MA Thesis Preparation (2 to 12)
Electives or Independent Studies (500 series)
MA students may take electives in other departments at UCLA or at other UC campuses, or take independent studies. Students must provide a copy of the catalog course listing for proposed courses to the Student Affairs Officer, and a description of the objectives for taking the course following this example:
Elective Course Request Example:
AM IND M200C. Contemporary Issues of the American Indian Instructor: CHAMPAGNE, D.W. Final Examination Code: 30. Seminar, three hours.
Introduction to the most important issues facing American Indians as individuals, communities, tribes, and organizations in the contemporary world, building on historical background presented in course M200A and cultural and expressive experience of American Indians presented in course M200B. Letter grading. Units: 4.0.
Objectives can be a particular interest in working with American Indian collections, an appreciation of collaboration issues involved in ethnographic conservation, etc.
Independent Study 596 Courses may be a course taught by a professor for credit. They may also be based on an activity, such as working in a museum, object-based research, or materials/methods investigation. The activity may support Master’s thesis research.
For an activity based 596 course, complete a proposal not to exceed 2 pp. and include the name and contact information for the potential supervisor at the museum or university, whether you have had any contact with this person about your elective, your objectives in choosing this activity, and what steps and resources are necessary to arrange this elective. Indicate what kind of results will be produced for evaluation for grading.
Activity-based 596 Course Museum Work Proposal Example:
Working with Angela McGrew at the SW Museum with the objectives being learning the systems for surveying and tracking objects in large collections move, how priorities are set for re-housing collections, and constructing handling and transport supports for objects. Grade will be based on student work in 3 areas: survey sample sheets, a final report, and completed storage supports.
Independent study 596 Course Object-based work under a faculty advisor at UCLA:
This applies to a technical study, documentation, and/or conservation treatment of an identified object or object type. Complete a proposal not to exceed 2 pp. and include whether the specific object has been identified (versus a type of object you may wish to gain experience with: the location for the object (or objects), your objectives in choosing this activity, and what analytical methods may be needed. Cite 5 of the most relevant bibliographic sources for this project. Indicate what steps and resources are necessary to arrange this elective. Students are encouraged to include objects in the UCLA collections at the Villa labs, minimizing outside arrangements. Indicate what kind of results will be produced for evaluation for grading.
Activity-based 596 Course Object-based work under a faculty advisor Examples:
Example 1: Technical study of Mexican lacquer with objectives being a literature review, locating reference materials for documented material components, and comparing these analytically using FTIR to examine samples from actual object(s). Objects are ### from Fowler Museum. Second objective is to distinguish and document visual characteristics and solubility of Mexican lacquer from that of oil paint, in order to propose safe and effective treatment. Grade will be based on a written report.
Example 2: Examination, documentation, and treatment of an Alaskan whalebone sculpture, UCLA ###, with objectives being a literature review, a detailed report describing materials, method of manufacture, and current condition, and a completed treatment. Grade will be based on treatment outcome and a written report.
Activity-based 596 Course Materials/method work under a faculty advisor
This applies to a technical study of an identified material, or a study of a method used in conservation. Complete a proposal not to exceed 2 pp. and include whether material samples and/or equipment needed have been identified, the location for the samples/equipment, and your objectives in choosing this activity. Cite 5 of the most relevant bibliographic sources for this project. Indicate what steps and resources are necessary to arrange this elective. Indicate what kind of results will be produced for evaluation for grading.
UC Intercampus Exchange Program: Students may enroll in courses at other UC campuses through petition. This is a time consuming process – start early by consulting with the Student Affairs Officer and filling out the petition.
Internships
In total, 11.5 months of internship work are required for graduation: one 10–week summer internship between the first and second years, and one 9–month internship following the second year. Some students opt for an additional internship between the second and third year, but program support is more limited.
During the internships, students must be supervised by a conservator or other professional who can supervise the task at hand. Evaluations are conducted by both students and supervisors. These evaluations are managed by the Student Affairs Officer.
To expose the student to both field and institutional environments, it is preferred, but not required, that one internship be associated with a field project and the other be with a museum or similar institution. Field experience includes archaeological excavation projects, ethnological field projects, work at an indigenous cultural center, or other similar situations.
The Program works with other institutions to develop internship positions and projects. All intern placements must be pre-approved by the Program and developed in collaboration between faculty and students.
Please discuss all internships well in advance with the Faculty Internship Coordinator, currently Professor Pearlstein. Your thesis advisor and the Program Chair will also be helpful in locating potential internships.
Prior student evaluations from internship experiences are stored in a digital Box folder that is made available to current students.
Students submit Internship Budget Forms by May 10, prior to their summer internships, including support for travel, housing, basic utilities, and meals.
See the Financial Support tab in the MA Student Handbook for more information about internship finances.
First Summer Internship
Internship Budget Form
Internship Site Evaluation Form
Second Summer
Second summer internship is optional, with the same requirements as for first summer.
Third Year Internship
Third year students must enroll in CAEM 290 during their 3rd year internship for all three quarters.
All students will be enrolled In Absentia during their third-year internships. An In Absentia Registration Petition must be completed in September.
To assist you in filling out the form – where it asks for `Explanation of request’ – you will need to enter: “As part of graduation requirements, each student in the UCLA/Getty Conservation Program must complete a 9-month internship in conservation to gain hands-on experience. I will be working with _____ (put in supervisor’s name) at the _________ (site or Museum title). While on this internship I will be working on ______ (a brief description of what you will be doing – i.e. working on ethnographic materials from Native Americans, etc.).
Don’t forget to add in the full name of the Program and Program Chair in the signature section. After you sign the form please send it to the Student Affairs Officer who will obtain the necessary signatures and deliver to Graduate Division.
Third Year Internship Reports:
During the third year, each student is required to submit a variety of reports required by the host institution. The number and type of reports (i.e. documentation of surveys, assessments, treatments, and analysis) will depend upon your internship. These reports are also submitted to the Program and function as requirements for the CAEM 290 course . They are due every quarter. The reports should be sent to the thesis advisor and Program Chair in care of the Student Affairs Officer. Please advise your host that images are for internal use only, and will not be disseminated without permission.
Final student reports should be submitted by the Wednesday of the last week of classes, during final exams. The last week of classes can be found on the Registrar’s Term Calendar.
Students must submit a written statement, not to exceed 750 words, describing their 3rd year internship activities. This report should be regarded as a formal submission, designed to inform the UCLA/Getty Conservation faculty about your activities. It should include:
- Name, date, internship site, supervisor
- Typical work schedule
- Description of projects and how they fit into a larger program
- Amount of time typically spent conducting activities (for example, examination of collections or sites, analytical investigation, library work, conservation treatment, preventive activities, consultation with supervisor(s), consultation with collections staff, cultural consultation, etc.)
Within the 750 words, include a statement about:
- How the internship is contributing to your MA degree in Conservation and your professional career as a conservator
- What you hope to emphasize in the coming months that will augment your development.
Social Media
Students are required to submit at least one image from summer internships and at least one image per quarter for third year internships to be used on the Program’s social media channels. Submit these images to the Lab Manager and Program Chair. Internship supervisors must approve the images.
Thesis
Consult the Graduate Division website for University thesis process and requirements:
https://grad.ucla.edu/academics/masters-studies/
https://grad.ucla.edu/academics/graduate-study/file-your-thesis-or-dissertation/
Timeline:
Year 1
- April 1: Choose faculty member Thesis Advisor, discuss possible research projects
- May 1: Submit brief thesis proposal to Advisor (no more than 400 words)
- June 15: Submit expanded thesis proposal to Advisor (approximately 2,000 words)
- June 15: Submit Thesis Budget Form
- June 15: Submit Conservation Purchase Request Form
Year 2
- September – March: Students conduct research and analysis; students are encouraged to enroll in two courses related to thesiswork during year 2
- October: Students work with Advisor to select committee members; students meet with potential committee members to form committee
- October: Students work with Student Affairs Officer to prepare the Nomination of Master’s Committee form; SAO submits the form to Division of Graduate Education for approval
- October: Program Chair submits Nomination of Master’s Committee form to the Division Dean for official appointment
- October: Students submit IRB application or request for exemption if appropriate (see below)
- April: Students are strongly encouraged to submit expanded outline of thesis to Advisor
- May: Students are strongly encouraged to complete experimental work in June, and final thesis during the summer.
Year 3
- April: Submit Advancement to Candidacy Form prior to second week of spring quarter
- June: File thesis by the date established by the Graduate Division
- June: Oral presentation of thesis research is given as part of graduation events (NB: oral presentations are not a Program requirement)
Each student will propose a thesis project in consultation with appropriate advisor(s) by May 1 of their first year. Selection of the thesis topic, creation of the project design, and conducting the investigation proceed under the supervision of the student’s M.A. advisor(s). The thesis must be based in whole or in part on an original investigation. Students are encouraged to reflect upon one or more of the program values, which include collaboration, equity, diversity and inclusion, and sustainability. The proposed project may emphasize any of the following aspects of conservation research, theory and practice:
- scientific examination directed toward the identification of materials and techniques of archaeological and/or cultural materials
- examination and testing directed toward the understanding of deterioration mechanisms
- testing and evaluation of conservation materials and treatments
- critical review of selected concepts or philosophical aspects of conservation
- exploration of conservation treatment method(s), and
- exploration of collaborative practice method(s).
In view of the large amount of coursework required to graduate from the Program, the subject and scope of the M.A. thesis should be carefully considered in terms of feasibility and duration.
The thesis will include the investigative methodology that guided the development of the project.
The thesis will be 7,500 – 10,000 words in length (excluding figures, tables, bibliography and appendices) that will be submitted to the thesis committee for evaluation.
Brief Thesis Proposal:
A brief proposal about the thesis topic (no more than 400 words) is required for submission by the end of the first week of May of the first year. Students work closely to define and prepare the MA thesis proposal with their MA supervisor/advisor (who will automatically act as your MA committee Chair). An expanded, and in some cases revised, proposal approximately 2,000 in length which follows the guidelines below must be submitted by the end of May.
Expanded Thesis Proposal:
The expanded thesis proposal should include:
- A summary statement of the exact nature of the problem to be researched,
- identification of resources (collections, sites, instruments, facilities) needed to complete the research,
- the proposed methods,
- a timeline illustrating completion of project phases,
- preferred faculty thesis major advisor,
- identification of experts outside of Program faculty proposed as advisors.
Students ordinarily begin work on their thesis during the fall quarter of their second year. Students are encouraged to send their final thesis to the M.A. committee by the first week of September during the third year.
Thesis Budget Proposal:
After the MA Thesis Proposal is approved, students work with their advisor to develop estimated costs for the thesis research by May 31 of their first year, including anticipated costs for materials, equipment lab use fees in other departments, travel expenses, and consultations. An average of $200 per student is built into the Program’s budget. If higher costs are anticipated, students request additional expenses to the Program Chair in an email with copies to the Lab Manager and the advisor. The Program Chair works with the Lab Manager and Cotsen Financial Manager for financial requests beyond annual allocations. Students are provided $500 travel allocations when they enter the program that may be used to support thesis related travel.
Once approved by the advisor and/or the Program Chair, expenses are requested on the Conservation Purchase Request Form, managed by the Lab Manager.
Conservation Purchase Request Form
Committee Requirements:
Thesis committee requirements are described on the Graduate Division website:
Nomination of Master’s Committee Form
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review
Students who will conduct interviews in which they are collecting personal, family, or community information during their research will need to submit their proposed research design to UCLA’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) for review. This is to ensure that they comply with applicable regulations, meet commonly accepted ethical standards, follow institutional policies, and adequately protect research participants. Given the nature of our research, students sometimes apply for an exemption from this Human Subjects Review. A good outline of that process is available with an example from San Jose State University. Work with your advisor, and visit the UCLA IRB web page to submit your application. Although there are many resources that provide information on IRBs, a good overview can be found on Wikipedia.
Grades:
The M.A. thesis is graded on a pass/fail basis. An oral presentation is not a degree-requirement.
Formatting Guidelines:
Formatting guidelines are provided in the UCLA Graduate Divisions’ UCLA Thesis and Dissertation Filing Requirements document: https://grad.ucla.edu/gasaa/etd/filingrequirements.pdf
Thesis Filing:
Refer to the File Your Thesis or Dissertation guidelines prior to filing
https://grad.ucla.edu/academics/graduate-study/file-your-thesis-or-dissertation/
Future Thesis Access:
UCLA requires that research and scholarly work conducted by graduate students and incorporated into theses and dissertations be made publicly available through the University of California’s institutional repository, eScholarship.
Advancement to Candidacy:
Graduating students must submit an Advancement to Candidacy Form prior to the second week of the Spring Quarter of the third year (approximately April 10).
The left-hand column should list courses required for graduation. The right side is for courses that you have taken over and above the requirements. Two 598 courses should go on the left, any remaining 598 courses and any 596 or elective courses should go on the right.
Further information regarding the Advancement to Candidacy Form can be found in the Standards and procedures Manual – http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/spfgs.pdf
Final Presentations:
Oral presentations of thesis research and third year internship are given as part of graduation events, but are not part of the Program requirements.
Service
Students are not required to perform service, or volunteer work within the Program, at UCLA, or within the profession. Program requirements include courses, internships, and thesis. However, many students find that service work can be fulfilling. It can help develop valuable work/life skills, build a curriculum vitae, and most importantly make student voices heard to facilitate programming and changes within the Program and the field.
The Program encourages each student to make their own choices about the nature and extent of service work. Students are encouraged to follow their own passions. Above all, we encourage students not to take too much on. The class of 2023 agreed that 30 minutes to 2 hours per week is a reasonable amount of time for most students.
The following service opportunities are detailed in the Student Service/Volunteer Work Opportunities that was drafted by the class of 2023. It will be updated by future student cohorts.
American Institute for Conservation
ECPN Program Representative
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology
Graduate Student Association of Archaeology (GSAA) Program Representatives
Anti-Harassment Committee
Ask an Archaeologist volunteer presenter
Backdirt editor
UCLA Social Science Division
Social Science Council (SSC) Representative
UCLA/Getty Conservation Program
Conservation Conversations host/organizers
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Sustainability in Conservation (SIC) Organization
Student Ambassadors
UCLA Science Fair
Getty Villa College Night
ANAGPIC
ANAGPIC, the Association of North American Graduate Programs in Conservation, works together to strengthen and advance graduate-level education and training in art and heritage conservation. Since its inception, ANAGPIC has held annual conferences to provide students from member programs the opportunity to present current research to their peers. Submission guidelines for papers and posters can be found on the ANAGPIC site. One of the primary functions of the ANAGPIC website is to present these conference papers so that conservation and preservation colleagues may benefit from them.
The ANAGPIC conference is held annually, typically in April. Starting in 2024, the association decided to move from live conferences hosted by individual programs to remote conferences. The host program will continue to develop conference logistics in communication with the other programs.
Academic Forms
Supplemental PDF Documents
Supplemental PDF Documents
Student Handbook
Introduction
The Conservation of Material Culture (CMC) PhD program is designed to train the next generation of multidisciplinary researchers and cross-cultural leaders in the theoretical and experimental developments and policies of cultural heritage conservation. Through rigorous research and multidisciplinary scholarship students acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to become leaders in the field. They have the opportunity to build their academic training through a combination of interdisciplinary coursework, academic mentored research, teaching experience, and skilled guidance from academic advisors and mentors.
The program’s aim is to provide:
- An integrated, comprehensive curriculum to foster the next generation of conservation leaders with strong research, theoretical and applied qualitative and quantitative skills;
- Rigorous training in conservation theory, ethics, policy and research;
- Substantive research training in a specific domain of application in conservation;
- Experiential learning and mentoring in communication, scientific writing skills, and the ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.
The aim of this handbook is to provide detailed information about progress in the CMC program for our students. It contains forms that need to be submitted at various stages of progress, a checklist that includes each step towards completing the degree, and a timeline that includes deadlines for each of these milestones.
Students must read and follow the Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA which is updated regularly and supersedes this student handbook https://grad.ucla.edu/gasaa/library/spfgs.pdf
Timeline
To maintain satisfactory progress, students should endeavor to reach the degree milestones and send appropriate forms to the Student Affairs Officer by the following deadlines:
- Academic Research Plan (1st Quarter)
- Credit Transfer of Previous Graduate Courses Petition (1st Quarter)
- Required Foundation & Elective Interdisciplinary Courses (6th Quarter)
- Oral Preliminary Exam (6th Quarter)
- Written Exam (6th Quarter)
- Doctoral Committee Nomination (Prior to submitting Oral Qualifying Exam form)
- Oral Qualifying Exam (6th Quarter)
- Mentored Research (6th Quarter)
- Doctoral Defense (12th Quarter)
- Dissertation Filing
Quarters listed above represent cumulative completion and not necessarily when the activity will take place. Exceptions should be discussed with your advisor.
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 |
University Policy
A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from 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 academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.
UCLA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and by numerous special agencies. Information regarding the University’s accreditation may be obtained from the Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2107 Murphy Hall.
Financial Support
Financial offers that include department awards, tuition, fees, and health insurance (including vision and dental) are outlined in letters sent by the UCLA Division of Graduate Education as part of the admissions process. Unlike the financial support for MA students, which comes from Program endowments, support for PhD students comes from the Graduate Division in the form of block grants to the program and Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) positions and stipends that are provided by the Social Science Division. Some of our past students have received UCLA Eugene V. Cota-Robles Awards. The Program initiates application for Cota-Robles awards.
Some internal and external grants and fellowships procured by the Program to support students are not added to the financial support outlined in offer letters. They are part of the resources that allow the Program to provide the support that is offered. The Program may modify funding offers if students receive an individual external award which covers fees and living expenses. Should students accept/receive financial support from a non-UCLA source, they must forward a copy of their award letter to the Student Affairs Officer promptly. Students should consult with the Student Affairs Officer and/or Program Chair about questions regarding financial support.
UCLA’s Cost of Attendance page contains information from the past two academic years that may be helpful in understanding local costs. Additionally, the Financial Aid office provides an estimate of students’ Financial Aid Notice which is sent directly to students each quarter. They also have a Financial Aid Net Price Calculator which can be used to calculate initial estimates.
Additional financial support is obtained from a combination of fellowships and Teaching Assistantships (TAships) that students procure in other departments. See ASE Appointment Opportunities for a list of teaching assistant appointment opportunities on campus. Students should apply as well to special fellowships offered by UCLA. The final year of thesis completionmay be funded through a (competitive) Dissertation Year Fellowship from the Graduate Division. Additional funding for continuing students is available through UCLA as well as through extramural organizations.
Some students choose to supplement their graduate school stipend by taking on external employment. The Program has no internal rules that restrict students from obtaining outside employment. For information on employment opportunities within UCLA, please visit Working at UCLA. Opportunities may include Teaching Assistantships, Research Assistants, Work-Study, etc.
Students are strongly encouraged to apply for outside funding starting in their first year. Obtaining external funding is prestigious and bolsters your curriculum vitae. Also, it allows the Program to distribute funding from the Social Science Division to other students. With more external support we will be able to accept additional students into the program in the future.
The Division of Graduate Education Fellowships and Financial Services Office announces extramural funding opportunities available for graduate study, travel abroad, dissertation and postdoctoral research through Gradfellowships-L Google groups. Check out their website and sign up for relevant lists.
UCLA Graduate Education Funding Opportunities Resources
Native American students should check our funding opportunities described on the Native American Opportunity Plan (NAOP) site. Non-California residents may qualify during their second year after they become California residents.
Outside funding is particularly critical for research travel abroad and available by application through sources such as:
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Funding
- Jacob K. Javits Fellowship
- Fulbright
- NSF Dissertation Improvement Grant
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
- Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC)
- American Academy in Rome
- American School of Classical Studies at Athens
- American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT)
- Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute (CAARI)
- The American Society of Oversees Research (ASOR)
- American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE)
- American Institute of Indian Studies
- Wenner-Gren Foundation Engaged Research Grant
- Pathways to Science
- UCLA Dissertation Year Fellowship Program
Other fellowships can be found through UCLA’s Graduate and Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) database.
Students may apply for summer funding for research travel and fieldwork from the Steinmetz Family Foundation and Friends of Archaeology managed by the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology by applying for a Graduate Summer Research Mentorship. Summer TA-ships are also available by application to other departments at UCLA.
Grants and scholarships may also be obtained from professional organizations such as the American Institute for Conservation.
California Residency
Students who are US citizens but are not California residents are provided with non-resident supplemental tuition (NRST) for the first year of study, but are expected to qualify and register for California residency after the first year. NRST will no longer be provided after the first year in the program. Students are expected to consult with the Student Affairs Officer to fulfill the appropriate procedures. Please see Classification as a Resident for additional information.
For US residents, to avoid NRST fees do not wait for September deadline to apply for California residency
For international students, NRST is normally provided for the first two years in the PhD program, after which they are expected to advance to candidacy for the PhD, at which point the university will waive NRST for three years.
Faculty Advisor
The first step in the student’s PhD journey is to work with their advisor in designing their academic plan. Students are assigned a faculty advisor upon admission to the program. In addition to counseling on the academic plan, advisors assist students with general course of study, answering questions concerning courses, course materials, and research in their area of interest. It is important that students maintain a regular meeting schedule with their advisor to ensure academic success.
The chair of the Conservation of Material Culture IDP serves as the Graduate Adviser, and directs all academic affairs for the doctoral students.
Academic Research Plan
The Academic Research Plan is developed in the first quarter of the program. The Academic Research Plan form must be sent to the Student Affairs Officer and Graduate Advisor (Program Chair) by the end of the first quarter.
Students should fully familiarize themselves with this handbook before completing their plan.
The plan should include the following information:
- Text describing the research proposal within one of the major fields and subdisciplines
- List of proposed courses to be taken along with department/unit
Students are to work with their advisor in drafting the Academic Research Plan. Given the cross-disciplinary nature of the program, students have the flexibility to develop a plan that reflects their unique approach to their area of study within the conservation of material culture. In designing the plan, it is important for students to conduct necessary research in advance to determine when both conservation and interdisciplinary courses are typically offered. Students should review https://www.registrar.ucla.edu/Academics/Course-Descriptions, and contact departments to inquire about when prospective courses will be offered in order to determine their schedule of coursework.
In creating their program of study, students are encouraged to take elective courses with interdisciplinary faculty in their research area. This will help students familiarize themselves with UCLA faculty and their research as they consider additional advisors or chairs to build their doctoral committee.
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review
Students who will conduct interviews in which they are collecting personal, family, or community information during their research will need to submit their proposed research design to UCLA’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) for review. This is to ensure that they comply with applicable regulations, meet commonly accepted ethical standards, follow institutional policies, and adequately protect research participants. Given the nature of our research, students sometimes apply for an exemption from this Human Subjects Review. A good outline of that process is available with an example from San Jose State University. Work with your advisor, and visit the UCLA IRB web page to submit your application. Although there are many resources that provide information on IRBs, a good overview can be found on Wikipedia.
Major Fields and Subdisciplines
The Conservation of Material Culture Program offers eight interdisciplinary major fields and subdisciplines. Students develop their research proposal within one of these areas. Additional subjects in emerging cross-disciplinary areas of research related to conservation will also be considered.
I. Influences of History, Culture and Policy on Conservation Practices
This area includes a broad range of possible research areas. For instance, students may focus on the historical development of the field, historical conservation theory, emerging theory in contemporary art conservation, cross cultural conservation practices, illicit trade, repatriation and restitution, social justice, and civic engagement in conservation. Research methodologies often include some of the following: bibliographic research, archival research, ethnography, and participant observation. Students who choose to work within this area will take elective courses and work with advisors from social science and humanities departments across the campus.
II. Conservation and Communities
Conservation is an increasingly socially and community-centered undertaking. Students in this area will research the need for more representation among minoritized communities in conservation, the broadening of the methodological approaches that reflect different cultural norms, and the impact of different knowledge systems and epistemologies on the philosophy and practice of conservation. This area focuses on the dialogues between material culture (both archaeological and indigenous) and ethical and philosophical concepts of what, how, why material culture should be conserved and who should be involved in the decision-making process. Students may use fieldwork, interviews, archival research among other research methods in their work. Course offerings from Ethnic Studies, Anthropology, World Arts and Cultures, and others are available for interdisciplinary research.
III. Conservation & Material Culture Science
Building on the fundamentals of science and engineering, this cross-disciplinary research area aims to address critical questions of the past and sustainable preservation challenges through the fundamental understanding of the chemistry, microstructure, and properties of material culture. Through the application of science and engineering to archaeology, ethnography and conservation, the focus is to understand both the physical nature of material culture (material type, chemical composition, , the ways in which humans have interacted with them across time and space (including date, context, and style), and to assess the environmental impact (weathering and diagenetic processes, defects, and products of alteration). More specifically, this research area focuses on the application of principles and methods from geochemistry, physics, life sciences, and materials science and engineering to develop innovative methods and approaches to address global conservation challenges, understand human behavior, and make technological choices.
IV. Sustainable Preventive Conservation & Care of Collections
Material culture conservation strives to minimize change while maximizing longevity. This research focus incorporates social, economic, and environmental sustainability into environmental research, and research on actions (both preventive and passive) taken to inhibit, pacify, or delay the deterioration of material culture. Research foci may include locally resourced materials for collections care, and sustainable environmental conditions and management (light, humidity, temperature), pest management, exhibition policies, condition assessments, monitoring, reporting, presentation, and dissemination. This research area relies on life sciences, material sciences, and anthropological research, classes found those areas as well as in UCLA’s Institute of Environmental Sustainability, experimentation, and possibly field work.
V. Cultural Property Forensics
This research area is based on the materials, technology and the environment. Students explore the challenges and technological difficulties pertaining to forensic science investigations in art and archaeology. It focuses on technological innovations and improvements of analytical methods, techniques to enhance detection and fingerprinting, the application of different scientific techniques to identify and determine production events, provenance of cultural heritage materials. Areas of focus include the recovery of artifacts, criminal investigations associated with looted artifacts requiring material characterization/authentication, identification, provenance, and repatriation of looted objects.
VI. Advanced Multidimensional Documentation
This research focus is based on accessing and disseminating information on material culture change through 2 and 3D digital imaging and chemical imaging. Students research scientific technologies and approaches to understanding, visualizing, displaying, interpreting, sensing, data capturing, analysis and mining. This research area focuses on temporal and spatial dimensions, traditional research areas and innovations in multi-scale (from the macro to the nanoscale), multispectral and hyperspectral applications of X-rays, UV, Vis, IR, THz, and computational modeling.
VII. Biocultural Heritage Conservation
Deeply rooted in the materials, environment and traditional ecological knowledge, this emerging field of biocultural heritage conservation focuses on material culture changes, mainly immovable cultural heritage such as rock art and archaeological/cultural sites at a spatial (urban setting, tropical/temperate grasslands, savannas, lake systems, tundra, polar systems, and cold winter deserts) and temporal scale, planning and management. This research area builds both on quantitative and quantitative competencies and public policy to ensure the protection of cultural and natural property. By developing an understanding of biocultural conservation and creating monitoring and reporting systems; providing emergency technical assistance for sites facing imminent threats; encouraging participation of the local population in the preservation of cultural and natural heritage; developing public awareness-building activities; and encouraging international collaborations.
VIII. Emergency Planning and Managing Disaster Risks of World Cultural Heritage
This research focus explores recent conservation trends and develops new strategies in key areas to secure endangered movable and immovable material culture and plans appropriate preparatory procedures for the post-disaster recovery caused by natural hazards, war, and conflict. It develops qualitative procedures on how cultural property at risk is identified, assessed, and evaluated in order to enhance cost-effective crisis response strategies and planning while increasing efficiency in emergency documentation and recovery of movable and immovable heritage. One of the main goals is to provide joint programming between cultural and humanitarian sectors (first responders) and building national capacities for emergency planning and managing disaster risks. This research area will further explore building capacity and collaborative initiatives at the national level introducing tactical training on emergency preparedness plans and recovery in areas of conflict.
Coursework
Doctoral students are required to obtain 40 Units of coursework and 8 units of mentored-research experience, totaling 48 units. Full time graduate students must register for a minimum of 12 units per quarter with all of the courses at the graduate level, with upper level undergraduate courses available by petition. These 12 units consist of a combination of required core courses (28 units) and additional research specific courses (CLT HTG 290, 12 units) which should be completed by the end of the 2nd year (6th Quarter) of enrollment at UCLA.
Core courses are from the Conservation Program and electives are from other departments as agreed upon with the student’s adviser. The core courses prepare students for the oral preliminary examination by providing foundational theory and research methodology. Interdisciplinary electives further prepare students for the written examination and doctoral research. Electives may be taken in a variety of related departments at UCLA or other UC campuses. Students are encouraged to contact departments to determine when prospective courses will be offered in order to determine their schedule of coursework.
Doctoral students’ schedules vary, and are meant to be adaptable to individual student needs. Keep in mind that most UCLA courses are assigned a unit value. One unit represents three hours of work per week per term by the student, including both class attendance and preparation.
Coursework Requirements
Conservation Program Core Courses (20 units)
CLT HTG 211 Science Fundamentals in the Conservation of Materials (4)
CLT HTG M215 Cultural Materials Science I: Analytical Imaging and Documentation in the Conservation of Materials (4)
CLT HTG 216 Science of Conservation Materials and Methods I (4)
CLT HTG 221 Principles, Practice and Ethics in Conservation of Cultural Heritage (4)
CLT HTG M240 Environmental Protection for Museums, Libraries, and Archives (4)
A minimum of 4 units from the following courses:
CLT HTG 260 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Ceramics, Glass, and Glazes (2)
CLT HTG 261 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Stone and Adobe (2)
CLT HTG 262 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Organics (2)
CLT HTG 263 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Metals (2)
CLT HTG 264 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Rock Art, Wall Paintings, and Mosaics (2)
CLT HTG 265 Structure, Properties and Deterioration of Materials: Organics II (2)
Archaeology Core Course (4 units)
ARCHAEOL M201C: Archaeological Research Design (4)
Students may petition to take approved doctoral research methods courses in other departments.
Major Fields or Subdisciplines Coursework (12)
Students are required to take a minimum of 12 units of graduate courses in other UCLA departments or other UC campuses that are relevant to their research. Common departments include Anthropology, Art History, Architecture and Urban Design, Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Digital Humanities, Earth Planetary and Space Science, Geography, Information Studies, Law, Material Science and Engineering, Philosophy, Public Policy, and World Arts and Cultures. Students may petition to take upper division undergraduate courses.
Individual Study and Research Courses
CLT HTG 596 courses may be established by faculty for students to conduct individual study or research
CLT HTG 597 Preparation for PhD Qualifying Examination
CLT HTG 599 PhD Dissertation and Preparation
CLT HTG 290 This course designation us used to obtain credit for internships
Transfer of Credit
Students with a Master’s degree from a recognized conservation program may petition to replace required core courses with elective courses from other UCLA departments or UC campuses that are relevant to their research while still fulfilling the 28-unit requirement. They may also petition to have up to 12 units (3 graduate level courses) from their prior degree recognized towards the PhD degree requirement. Grades in the courses must be a B or higher.
The Graduate Degree Petition Form must be submitted to the Petition website within the first quarter of study. The petition is then reviewed by the Student Affairs Officer, Student Affairs Officer (Program Chair), and a Graduate Division staff member.
Teaching Experience
We strongly recommend that students gain teaching experience during at least one quarter in their second to fourth year. Paid TAships are an ideal way to gain this experience. For PhD candidates interested in academic careers, teaching experience not only provides additional communication and pedagogical skills but also qualifications that increase competitiveness in the field. Students are encouraged to communicate with other relevant departments at UCLA in order to secure TAships. Anthropology, Chemistry, Engineering, Art History, and other departments are often in need of TAs from outside of their programs. See ASE Appointment Opportunities for a list of teaching assistant appointment opportunities on campus.
TA preparatory courses are offered by the UCLA Center for the Advancement of Teaching.
Graduate Student Programs & Support – UCLA Center for the Advancement of Teaching
International students should note that prior to being eligible to serve as teaching assistants they must pass the UCLA Test of Oral Proficiency. The exam is required of international students whose first language is not English and who do not hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an institution in the U.S. completed fully in English. Students should arrange to take this test as soon as they are able after arriving at UCLA so that their eligibility for TAships can be established.
Mentored Research Experience
Mentored Research Experience Form
The mentored research experience is undertaken within the CLT HTG 290 (8 unit) course. The aim is to compliment the student’s research and elective courses by introducing them to conservation challenges and helping them gain experience and skills in the field. This requirement may be satisfied by participation in a research project at a museum, conservation, science laboratory, national facility, archaeological project, non-governmental organization, or alternative industries
Spring Reviews
The Graduate Advisor (Program Chair) provides each student with a review of their progress in the program each spring. The report includes a summary of work the student accomplished to date along with recommendations for continued progress. It is sent to the student and filed in a student folder accessible to the student.
Oral Preliminary Examination
Oral Preliminary Exam Request Form
Oral Preliminary Exam Assessment Form
Submit Oral Preliminary Examination Request Form to Advisor with the subjects to be examined 6 weeks prior to the exam. Students are encouraged to take the exam by the end of Quarter 6. Students who have Master’s degrees and feel prepared to take their oral preliminary exams early may do so.
The Oral Preliminary examination encompasses the body of knowledge in the Conservation of Material Culture at the level equivalent to that required for a Master’s degree. It may be taken prior to completing all required coursework. Students must choose four out of five subjects for the exam. The exams are thirty minutes each and are typically administered on the same day, each administered by two faculty/instructors associated with the Program.
The 5 subjects are:
1) Chemistry and Properties of Material Culture
2) Environment and Environmental Deterioration of Material Culture
3) Conservation Methods and Materials (polymers, chelating agents, solvents, inorganic mineral consolidants, etc.)
4) Documentation and Characterization of Material Culture
5) Conservation Principles and Ethics
The oral preliminary examination is graded by members of the examiners as: Pass, No Pass.
Pass: Excellent performance, suitable for PhD
No Pass (Fail): Unsatisfactory for MS
The Oral Preliminary Examination can only be taken twice. It is expected that students who do not pass the exam will retake it within a three-month period.
Written Qualifying Examination
Written Qualifying Exam Assessment Form
Submit Written Qualifying Examination Request Form to Advisor with the subjects to be examined 6 weeks prior to the exam. The written exam may be taken prior to completing all required coursework. Students are encouraged to take the exam by the end of Quarter 6.
Note that the written exam can only be taken twice.
The following is a description of the standard Written Qualifying Examination model, but students and their advisers may agree upon an alternate model for the written exam. They may also adjust the standard model by changing the number of questions, expanding the examination time, or changing the criteria for the essays and bibliographies.
The written qualifying examination consists of a take home examination, typically of four research questions based on four different topics relevant to the student’s doctoral research. The topics are agreed upon in advance between the student and advisers. They may develop six questions, four of which will be selected by the advisers for the exam. Each research question is answered in the form of a fully cited review paper of approximately 2000-2500 words excluding references, notes and captions. The paper should include an abstract, an introductory paragraph, the main body and conclusions, up to four figures or tables (optional), and 15-20 references. One purpose of this exam is for students to create a bibliography on their research topic and build on the literature with their own knowledge and perspectives.
The standard time frame for the written exam is 480 hours (20 days) for completing the four papers. All papers are submitted together at the end of day 20 (completion of 480 hours). The written examination is graded by two program faculty members, or members of the doctoral committee as Pass, No Pass.
Pass: Excellent performance, suitable for PhD
No Pass (Fail): Unsatisfactory for MS
The Written Examination can only be taken twice. It is expected that students who do not pass the exam will retake it within a three-month period.
Doctoral Committee
Nomination of Doctoral Committee Form
Students must obtain the Program Chair’s signature on the approved Nomination of Doctoral Committee form and submit to the Graduate Division. The Dean of the Graduate Division appoints the committee upon approvable.
Consult UCLA’s Standards and Procedures at Standards & Procedures for Graduate Study and Graduate Education Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution for doctoral committee requirements Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution, Effective 2016 Fall.
All doctoral committees at UCLA require a minimum of four faculty members among whom a minimum of three members (including the Chair) must hold UCLA Academic senate faculty appointments. Students are strongly encouraged to identify a co-chair of the doctoral committee from a different UCLA academic unit, reflecting the cross-disciplinary and synergistic nature of the program. One of the co-chairs must have an appointment in the Program. Students are also encouraged to have an external advisor from a cultural heritage organization, community repository, national facility, government agency, or private company. This will help ensure that the research plan is not only of high academic merit but that it also addresses a real need in the cultural heritage conservation sector.
Students should consult the UCLA Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution to ensure that their committee meets these standards.
Students should be in regular contact with all committee members throughout the dissertation process.
University Oral Qualifying Examination
Oral Qualifying Exam Request Form
Submit the Oral Qualifying Examination form 6 weeks prior to the exam.
Students are encouraged to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination (OQE) by the end of the 6th Quarter. All coursework, Oral Preliminary Examination, and Written Examination must be completed prior to the OQE.
Students should work with the Student Affairs Officer to arrange an agreed upon date and a room for the oral qualifying exam. The exam is open only to the student and members of the doctoral committee. If a member of the doctoral committee requests remote participation, the student must petition the committee chair in advance of the examination. The committee chair must provide written approval to the student ahead of the examination. Only one non-Chair committee member may participate remotely with prior approval.
A dissertation prospectus must be submitted to the doctoral committee members two to four weeks before the exam. Students will need to complete Archaeology M201C or another approved doctoral research methods course in order to develop the prospectus. The prospectus should be a minimum of 8,000 to 10,000 words and include a timeline, research design, and an innovative bibliography that represents a diversity of approaches to examining the research subject.
The prospectus needs to show that the research can be accomplished within the allotted timeline. It should include information about the background and significance of the area of research, the specific aims to be addressed, and experiments proposed, if applicable. The prospectus must represent independent work and offer the doctoral committee the opportunity to evaluate and provide feedback on the student’s ability to think creatively and to formulate significant ideas for research.
The nature and content of the University Oral Qualifying Examination are at the discretion of the doctoral committee. The exam is a review of the student’s prospectus. The student’s presentation should convey to the doctoral committee that the prospectus is a meritorious proposal for a PhD. During the presentation the committee questions the candidate on the proposal, on the general knowledge of the subject area, and on the dissertation research progress. The committee will assess the merit of the proposal in its mastery of research design, depth of knowledge, reflection on the research subject, understanding of the research process, familiarity with the literature, and creative thinking.
The committee’s decision to advance a student to candidacy or allow the student to repeat all or part of the oral qualifying exam, or to disqualify the student, is based on the student’s overall record at UCLA as reflected in coursework, examinations, and the student’s research ability and productivity. After successful completion of the oral qualifying exam, the Committee Chair submits the Report on the Oral Qualifying Examination and Request for Advancement to Candidacy to the Student Affairs Officer for processing.
Advancement to Doctoral Candidacy
Students are encouraged to advance to candidacy by the end of the 6th quarter. Students are advanced to candidacy following completion of course requirements, the oral preliminary exam, the written qualifying exam, and the oral qualifying exam. The academic residence requirement for doctoral advancement to candidacy consists of four quarters of registration, three of which (ordinarily the last three) must be spent in continuous residence at UCLA. A student is advanced to candidacy by the Graduate Division when the Report on the Oral Qualifying Examination and Request for Advancement to Candidacy are received, providing that all the above conditions are met. The student is automatically billed for the doctoral advancement to candidacy fee at the time advancement occurs.
Doctoral Dissertation
Students must submit the dissertation to committee members at least 4 weeks prior to the doctoral defense date, arranging with committee members whether they want to receive the dissertation electronically or in print. Students must work with the Student Affairs Officer to arrange the date and a room for the defense.
The program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research, that constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study. It is expected that students will file their dissertation within 15 quarters.
Consult the official UCLA Thesis and Dissertation Filing Requirements that contain established criteria for uniformity in the format of theses and dissertations. The regulations included in it supersede any style manual instructions regarding format. It also includes information on filing dates and procedures, registration of copyright, and guidelines for submission.
Students are encouraged to attend a workshop on manuscript preparation and filing procedures conducted by the Graduate Division offered at the beginning of each quarter. Information is available at the Graduate Division website Thesis & Dissertation Filing Deadlines and Workshops and students should consult with the Registrar’s Calendar for important dates.
Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)
Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation) Request Form
Submit the Final Defense Form 6 weeks prior to the exam.
For the Final Oral Examination (defense of dissertation), the entire committee is required to be in attendance and each member must record a decision of “passed” or “not passed.” A student is not considered to have passed the final oral examination if they have more than one “not passed” vote, regardless of the size of the committee. Doctoral candidates should read the UCLA Thesis and Dissertation Filing Requirements in preparation of filing the defense.
The Final Oral Examination takes place only after all other degree requirements have been met. In this exam, doctoral candidates demonstrate to their committee satisfactory command of all aspects of the work presented, including original thought, performance of independent research that constitutes a distinct contribution in response to a need in the field of material culture conservation and other related subjects, if applicable.
Submit the Reconstitution of the Doctoral Committee and/or Change in Final Oral Examination Requirement form if the doctoral committee needs to be reconstituted.
Remote oral qualifying examinations or final defenses are permitted with the approval of the committee chair or co-chairs. If the student requests it or agrees to a request from the committee chair or co-chairs, oral qualifying examinations or final oral examinations (defense of dissertation) may be held fully or partially remote with the approval of the committee chair or co-chairs.
File Dissertation
Refer to the File Your Thesis or Dissertation guidelines prior to filing.
In the term that students intend to file their dissertation, they may go on Filing Fee status instead of enrolling for courses on the condition that they are completing only their dissertation. Filing fee status may be applied only for one quarter.
Note that there is a filing fee. Read the File Your Thesis or Dissertation guidelines for important details.
Academic Forms
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