Conservation of clocks student in the horology workshop at West Dean College

Horology, Clocks and Related Objects

Campus Open Day – Friday 7 February 2025 - Register now 
Virtual Open Day – Various - Register now 

The horology courses at West Dean College give you the opportunity to develop the skills and competences to work towards becoming a professional horologist or horological conservator, or to undertake further professional development in horology.

Perhaps you have previously studied engineering, maths or chemistry or are looking for a career change and would like to pursue a subject with a more specific application. Our courses offer the chance to gain practical experience of clock making, conserving and repair.

Take a Virtual Tour of the clocks facilities and college.

Depending on the level you wish to study, there are a range of courses to choose from.

Levels 4 & 5: Foundation Degree (FdA) specialising in Horology
The foundation degree in horology starts with the basics of clockmaking skills and over the course of two years prepares you, no matter what your starting ability, to begin a horological career or to continue on to further study on our professional development or graduate programmes.

Level 6: BA (Hons) Craft Practices
The BA (Hons) Craft Practices course is a one-year programme designed to provide a route into professional practice in your chosen field or for progression onto postgraduate study.

Level 6: Graduate Diploma in Conservation Studies
The Graduate Diploma introduces horologists to complex technical repairs and decision-making. Through a grounding in contemporary methodology and conservation science, this course prepares students for a career within the heritage sector. Graduates of the programme usually transition to the MA Conservation Studies. 

Level 7: MA Conservation Studies
The global industry standard for conservation which continues to introduce more challenging practical proficiencies and a supplementary in-depth view of materials science relevant to the conservation of historic objects.

Objects from historical and private collections are provided for you to work on, to acquire and practise both established and developing techniques. Recent examples include a wide range of projects from longcase clocks to clocks with balance wheel escapements such as carriage clocks and chronometers as well as antique watch repair. In keeping with professional standards, treatments are discussed and agreed with stakeholders, with reference to the current and historical context of the item, its technical makeup, and a scientific understanding of its materials.

Level 7: MFA Craft Practices
A two-year full-time masters course designed to support you to further advance your practical, theoretical and professional skills, through an emphasis on specialist studio practice. 

Gallery

    •

    Take a tour of the Clocks workshop

    Escapement of clock on horology course at West Dean College
    Horology Student at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation Credit Chris Ison
    Student looking close up at clock at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation
    Diploma in conservation of clocks at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation
    Clocks student in workshop at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation
    FdA Clocks Course at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation
    Student and tutor looking at clock mechanism at West Dean College
    Take a tour of the Clocks workshop

    Take a tour of the Clocks workshop

    Dale Sardeson West Dean College Alumni at Geoff Alnutt Clocks

    After you graduate and career progression

    Graduate Diploma students often choose to further their studies on the MA Conservation Studies which includes a six week work placement. The College’s extensive links with museums, conservators and professional bodies in the heritage sector opens up an impressive range of work placement opportunities. Placements have included The Clockworks in London and Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum.

    Graduates have gone on to work as clockmakers, designers, repairers, restorers, sellers or advisors. There are many areas of specialism within and associated with the profession and graduates occasionally go into watchmaking or automata. Some alumni work independently, whilst others pursue positions as conservators or curators in heritage institutions. Many high-level institutional roles are occupied by College graduates, including at: 

    • The British Museum
    • Royal Museums Greenwich
    • Wien Museum in Vienna
    Read more in our interviews with alumni

    Facilities

    Our well-equipped specialist clocks workshop* has a professional standard range of hand and machine tools for the production and treatment of clocks. Facilities include:

    • Individual work benches for each student
    • Access to the full range of metalworking and woodworking facilities in the adjacent departments
    • Digital photography facilities for the production of photographic records and documentation
    • Area for cleaning and testing completed work

    The College Art and Conservation Library has thousands of specialist books and journals and all students have access to specialist databases in the IT suite.

    Find out more about our facilities

    Tutors

    Tim Hughes, clocks tutor at West Dean College

    Tim Hughes

    Subject Tutor, Clocks (and Related Objects)

    Tim Hughes MBHI, clock maker, trained at West Dean College and works as a clockmaker and scientific instrument restorer, and as external consultant at Bellmans Auctioneers. He has received several awards, including the Trustees' Prize while at West Dean College and a QEST Scholarship. 

    Courses

    • BA (Hons) Craft Practices

      The BA (Hons) Craft Practices: Clocks, Furniture, Metals, Musical Instruments and Books and Bindings course is a one-year programme designed to provide a route into professional practice in your chosen field or for progression onto postgraduate study.
      The course constitutes the final year of a BA (Hons) degree and is suitable for students who have undertaken a foundation degree, HND or the first two years of a degree programme in a related field or who have considerable professional experience.

      Read more

    • Foundation Degree Arts - Clocks

      Equip yourself for a career in clock making and working with dynamic objects by acquiring the practical and technical skills, the theory, principles and techniques used in historic horological manufacture. You will make your own clock before working on a range of historic clocks; this bench-based activity is integrated with theory and professional practice. Learn how to combine and use this knowledge when making treatment decisions as a professional practitioner.

      Read more

    • Graduate Diploma Conservation Studies

      The Graduate Diploma provides the theoretical and practical knowledge and experience necessary to start your career as a conservator and to begin to develop an area of specialisation. The programme is designed to be accessible from both the humanities and science study backgrounds. 

      Read more

    • MA Conservation Studies

      The MA Conservation Studies equips you with the high level specialist skills sought by the conservation sector. This rigorous and highly respected programme draws on an extensive sector network, nationally and internationally, including industry bodies such as ICON.

      Read more