Vignette 4 Explicating interdisciplinarity in a postgraduate materials conservation programme

Abstract

The contemporary practice of cultural materials conservation is very much an interdisciplinary field. Preparing students to enter this profession requires a curriculum that combines humanistic and scientific understandings and methodologies. Findings from a review of a new coursework masters programme in Cultural Materials Conservation at the University of Melbourne are used to argue for greater alignment between graduate attribute statements, learning outcomes, assessment tasks and grading criteria. In particular, it is suggested that assessment tasks and grading criteria need to explicitly articulate the central features of interdisciplinary approaches.