Admission Requirements
The course is normally open to those candidates who are in possession of an honours degree, of at least second class category, in a discipline related to architecture, civil engineering, material science, chemistry or physics, obtained from the University of Malta, or from a foreign university or institute recognised by this University. The course is taught in English, and candidates admitted to the course are expected to be fluent in the English language. The course is held every two years, and the next projected course will commence in October 2007.

Course Duration
The taught Course leading to the Diploma has a duration of nine months of full-time study, the lectures being generally organised on three days of the week so that it is possible for candidates to make work release arrangements with their employers.

Course Lecturers
Lecturers include members of staff from various Faculties and Institutes of the University of Malta, as well as local and foreign conservation professionals.

Visiting lecturers on previous courses have come from University College London (UCL) UK, the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (IUAV) Italy, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics Hungary, the University of Antwerp, Belgium and the Universita’ degli Studi di Bologna Italy. Experts in glass conservation and the conservation of wooden structures from the UK and Italy have also been invited.

Course Structure
Study areas covered during the taught course include:

• History and Theory of Conservation
• Studies in Conservation (including Museum Studies)
• Urban, Legislative and Economic Contexts
• Documentation and Research
• History of Technology and Building
• Masonry Materials and Structures(including stone, mortars and plasters, and concrete)
• Ancillary Materials in Buildings (including metals, wood, glass, ceramics and polymers)
• Environment and Monitoring
• Deterioration of Masonry Materials
• Deterioration of Ancillary Materials
• Deterioration of Masonry Fabric
• Structural Masonry Interventions
• Conservation of Masonry Material
• Conservation Projects

Click here to access the course catalogue.

A Final Comprehensive Examination is held at the end of the study-units. The final result is based on the performance in the Final Comprehensive Examination (40%) and the performance in the coursework assigned. The Postgraduate Diploma is awarded to those candidates who are successful in the final results, except that if an overall grade 'A' or 'B' is obtained, the respective candidate is eligible for registering for the Course leading to the MSc Degree.

MSc Degree
Candidates admitted to the course leading to the Degree are required to write a thesis on an original research project, not less than 35,000 words long, and not exceeding 40,000 words, containing the results of the research project, a critical review of the relevant literature and a critical discussion of the results. The final result for the MSc degree takes into account (40%) the performance during the Diploma coursework and examinations. It is normally expected that the research project will require at least six months of full-time work, but it is generally carried out on a part-time basis over eighteen months.

Contact 
Professor JoAnn Cassar
Course Co-ordinator
E-mail: joann.cassar@um.edu.mt
or
E-mail: masonry-construction@um.edu.mt