The chemical analysis of cultural materials is taught, not with the primary aim of developing expertise in any particular technique, but in order to illustrate the essential steps, and some of the problems associated with the analysis of cultural property. The course, taught as part of the Bachelor of Applied Science in Conservation of Cultural Materials at the Canberra College of Advanced Education, emphasizes the need for conservators to communicate effectively with professional analytical chemists through an understanding of the full analytical process, and the acquisition of a basic technical vocabulary, and to critically evaluate analytical data. The reasoning and philosophy underlying the development of the course is discussed, and examples of subjects and laboratory practicals are presented. -- AATA