Programme description

The Protection of Cultural Property is a study programme designed to meet the dynamically developing theoretical and practical issues in Poland’s protection of cultural heritage. Students of this programme explore the history of art, archaeology, and ethnology, the management of historical monuments, taking inventory of monuments in museums’ collections and outdoor, legal aspects of monuments protection, doctrines of conservation, and making monuments available for tourists. The classes are complemented by field activities conducted by lecturers from the Institute, presenting students with problems, challenges, and perspectives for protecting cultural property in practice. Classes prepare students for work at conservation offices, cultural institutions, galleries, museums, and local administration units.

Information regarding Faculty

The Faculty of History has the category A granted by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and is the best faculty of history in Poland according to the the ranking of ‘Perspektywy’ Education Foundation. In addition, the study programmes conducted at the Faculty have been at the forefront of this ranking for years. The Faculty of History is the right place for enthusiasts of ancient cultures and people interested in studying art, the preservation of cultural heritage and history. The study offer includes such fields as: Archaeology, Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, History, History of Art, Jewish Studies, Musicology, and Protection of Cultural Property. These fields of study have a long tradition of teaching, yet the classes are conducted innovatively and respond to the current needs of students and employers.

The Faculty consists of 6 institutes. Protection of Cultural Property classes are delivered at the Institute of the History of Art, located in the very center of Kraków. This Institute is the oldest academic institution of this kind in Poland and, at the same time, the fastest developing institute of art history in the country. There is a photo collection (Fototeka) at the Institute with approximately 200 000 archive photos available for employees and students (a part of the collection is available online). Numerous plaster casts and prints, and samples of building materials collected by the Institute are used during the classes. A part of the classes takes place in the JU Museum and other museums of Kraków, as well as in the museum and private conservation workshops, which allows students to directly take part in the activities concerning the preservation of cultural heritage. Similarly, students may benefit from classes conducted in churches and other historical places in Kraków and its surroundings. The didactic process is also carried out during workshops concerning monuments in Poland and abroad.

Rankings, distinctions, accreditations

• Category A granted to the Faculty by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education

Curriculum overview

Programme curriculum consists of information regarding classes in which you will take part while studying at this field of study. The programme provides data on classes in particular semesters, which of them are compulsory or optional, which of them end with an exam, and which do not. Each class has its own syllabus – a description of contents of the class.

Student’s life

Time spent at the university is not all about education and class participation; it is also an excellent opportunity to develop hobbies and interests. Many research societies and student organizations operate at the Jagiellonian University, including faculty- and university-wide ones. These societies allow students to spend their free time actively, gain knowledge, develop their talents, participate in engaging, unconventional projects, go on research and team-building trips, participate in conferences, and meet fellow students outside the lecture halls. There are many student associations at the Faculty of History.

Students interested in the international dimension of studying can participate in a wide variety of exchange programmes, such as Erasmus+, Utrecht Network, bilateral exchange programmes, European university Una Europa, or the domestic mobility programme called MOST.

More than just studies

• Student Government of the The Faculty of History

Admission to studies

Admission at the Jagiellonian University is conducted electronically in the Online Application System (IRK): irk.uj.edu.pl. Admissions Office is responsible for the admission process at the Jagiellonian University. In case of questions regarding admission, contact the Office directly or visit websites: welcome.uj.edu.pl and irk.uj.edu.pl.

Information regarding admission to this study programme, including qualification rules, admission and tuition fee, schedule, required documents and information on final result calculation, are available on the Online Application System (IRK): irk.uj.edu.pl

Transfer from other university or study programme

Transfer from other university or other study programme is possible, with the consent of the dean: after finishing a first year of studies and fulfilling additional conditions described by the Faculty Council. In case of questions regarding a transfer, contact the unit in charge of study programme directly.

Graduates

Protection of Cultural Property study programme responds to the challenges of modern society, which defines its identity through various use (sometimes an overuse) of cultural heritage. Graduates are prepared to enter the labor market in the areas such as the protection of cultural heritage, antique restoration, museology, and related areas. The programme graduates can document various aspects of cultural heritage, evaluate it, recognize risks, and create maintenance and popularization programs. During the studies, students acquire knowledge regarding the management of historical monuments (its legal and economic aspects) and the ability to critically analyze conservation programs and activities based on the knowledge of the so-called doctrine of conservation and the history of its formation.

The programme's core is numerous traineeships in museums and cultural institutions in Kraków and partner institutions. The classes are complemented by field activities conducted by lecturers of the Institute, presenting students with problems, challenges, and perspectives for the protection of cultural property in practice. They focus on monuments located in Lubelszczyzna and Podkarpacie regions. Field activities and traineeships in institutions dealing with the cultural heritage protection, in addition to the various skills necessary to work in the profession, are to provide students with the competencies required to effectively function in the modern world (teamwork skills, ability to obtain the source information, bibliographic and online information selectively, the ability to raise funds for activities undertaken in the social interest). Therefore, graduates may become great employees, even in institutions not directly related to the protection of cultural property.

Further education possibilities

• Doctoral School, f.e. Doctoral School in the Humanities
• Post diploma programmes
• Second-cycle programmes

Offer for school

The following events are conducted in Polish – to find out about the offer for English-speaking audience, please get in touch with the organizer directly. Additionally, due to the current pandemic, some faculty and university events may be canceled or conducted in a form other than that described below.

We invite all schools to a series of meetings, "University Closer to you – trips to the Jagiellonian University." The purpose of the sessions as part of the tours is to familiarize students with our university's history through a broad educational offer (lectures, workshops, laboratory classes, etc.). The current program of the event is available on the organizer's website - Centre for Communications and Marketing.

The Jagiellonian Library allows you to visit the old and new parts of the building. The tour program includes presentations of information about the history of the Library and the building itself and a tour of the Warehouse Department. The offer of Collegium Maius consists of the "Traces of science" and "Traces of history and art" lessons as well as interactive online classes. We also invite you to familiarize yourself with the educational offer of: the Botanic Garden, the Nature Education Center, the Confucius Institute, and the Museum of the Department of Anatomy UJ CM.

Contact

The study programme is conducted at the Institute of History of Art, a unit of the Faculty of History. The Institute is located in the historic centre of Kraków. For more information, please contact:

ihs@uj.edu.pl

ul. Grodzka 53
31-001 Kraków, Poland
Phone: (+48) 12 663 18 48, 12 663 18 49

ihs.uj.edu.pl
historyczny.uj.edu.pl

Other programmes that may interest you

• History of Art (Faculty of History) – programme in Polish
• Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology (Faculty of History) – programme in Polish
• International Cultural Studies (Faculty of International and Political Studies) – programme in Polish
• Intercultural Relations (Faculty of International and Political Studies) – programme in Polish