Faculty of Humanities

Degree Programs

Master`s Program in Art History with special qualification in Monument Preservation and Monument Management

Monument preservation as part of the art history education

The Master's program in “Art History with special qualification in Monument Preservation and Monument Management” at the Institute of Art History at the University of Bern incorporates the field of monument preservation as a part of art history studies. The objective is to offer a study program that is both theoretically grounded and practice-oriented, and that leads to promising career opportunities in Switzerland and beyond. This unique program offers students the opportunity to combine the study of monument preservation in the “Monument Preservation and Monument Management” application area as a minor (30 credits) with a regular Art History major (90 credits) in the Master's program. In this manner, monument preservation is not only addressed in its practical form, but also and especially within the context of its cultural and historical dimension and meaning.

Master Kunstgeschichte: Denkmalpflege und Monumentenmanagement
Otto Rudolf Salvisberg, Fernheizwerk Zürich, 1934, denkmalgerechter Umbau zu ETH Laps 2018, Foto: Bernd Nicolai Prof. Dr. Bernd Nicolai, 2018
Flyer (PDF, 3 Seiten, 681KB)
Basic information
Degree: Master of Arts in Art History with special qualification in Monument Preservation and Monument Management, Universität Bern
Number of credits: 120 ECTS
Degree programs: Mono 120 ECTS
Duration: 4 semesters
Language: German
Beginning studies: Fall or spring semester

Details of program

Architectural and artistic monuments are unique and irreplaceable historical objects. They are the material manifestations of craftsmanship and technical expertise from the past and are thus archives of information in the broadest sense of the word. They therefore hold great significance as objects that create identity on the regional, national and international level. Monument preservation is a part of the public service whose mission is to collect information on cultural heritage objects, assess and appraise them, and ensure that they are handled and managed properly. Because activities here also include research into the history of such objects, their significance in the present and their preservation for the future, monument preservation also plays an important role in the design of the environments we live in; that means it involves a certain amount of social responsibility as well.

Courses

  • Practicing Preservation I: Insight into the Work of the Municipal Monument Preservation
    Tatiana Lori (monument conservator of the Canton of Bern)
  • Practicing Preservation II: Insight into the Work of the Cantonal Monument Preservation
    Dr. Jean-Daniel Gross (monument conservator of the City of Bern)
  • Management of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Monument Preservation and Marketing of historical buildings at the Klassik Stiftung Weimar
    Dr. Ulrike Lorenz (director of Klassik Stiftung Weimar)
  • Ethics and Methods in Monument Preservation
    Reto Nussbaumer (monument conservator of the Canton of Aargau)
  • Preservation of Historical Monuments in Switzerland. History and Structures
    Dr. Nina Mekacher (deputy director, section Baukultur, Federal Office of Culture)
  • Theory and History of Monument Preservation in the German-Speaking World
    Dr.-Ing. Eva Schäfer (head of architectural conservation office Architekturgeschichten)

Last updated February 1, 2023

Students must also complete an internship lasting at least four weeks in an institution within the field of monument preservation (4 credits).

Concept and development

Prof. Dr. Bernd Nicolai, Institute of Art History, Chair of Architectural History and Monument Preservation, with external colleagues.

 

Deadlines

Educational Targets

  • To acquire basic theoretical and practical knowledge of the preservation of architectural and artistic monuments. The qualification is offered through additional courses within the framework of the art history program
  • To raise awareness of the social significance of the historical record and the contemporary conditions of conceptualizing monuments
  • To prepare students for the professional field of historic preservation and in the field of construction research and inventorisation of historical monuments
  • To gain insight into the activities of institutions through the completion of an obligatory internship (min. four weeks)
  • To acquire contacts and establish a network amongst professionals working in monument preservation

Requirements

Individual academic requirements

The following academic qualifications are required for admission to the master’s degree program in Art History: Monument Preservation and Monument Management (mono):

a) Bachelor`s degree from a Swiss university with at least 105 ECTS credits in the branch of studies of Art history.
b) Bachelor's degree from a Swiss university in a different branch of studies with at least 60 ECTS credits in in the branch of Art History, provided that the master's degree can be successfully completed with an additional maximum of 60 ECTS credits or
c) Bachelor's degree from a recognized foreign university with equivalent qualifications, provided that the necessary requirements for the successful completion of the Master's programme can be met by earning a maximum of 60 ECTS credits.

If the bachelor's degree was earned more than ten years ago, additional credits may be required.

Language requirements

a) three modern foreign languages or
b) Latin plus two modern foreign languages

Evidence of language proficiency must be presented before the master's degree program can be completed. These language skills are acquired as part of extracurricular studies during the master's degree program. The ECTS credits will be listed separately in the diploma supplement as extracurricular attainments.

 
For questions regarding application and admission, please contact the Admissions Office.

Application and admission

Current UniBE students

Apply for a change to the M A in Art History with special qualification in Cultural Heritage, Universität Bern by self-service as part of the re-registration for the next semester.
Renewal of semester registration → Self-service
Recognition of academic achievements
Procedure and timing of the renewal of semester registration
   

Application with a Swiss degree

Online application
Assessment
Steps from application to registration
 

Application with an international degree

Online application
CHECKLIST - Documents for your application / Important information
Steps from application to registration

 
For questions regarding application and admission, please contact the Admissions Office.