In 1986 the conservation course at Gateshead Technical College in the United Kingdom was altered so that the award offered is no longer a College Diploma together with the B/TEC Higher Diploma in Conservation of Fine Art, but the CNAA Master of Arts Degree in Conservation of Fine Art. Reasons that led to the change are outlined, and the rationale of the new course is described. A link already existed between Gateshead Technical College and the School of Art History at Newcastle Polytechnic, and this link is now very much closer, although a great part of the teaching still takes place at the Technical College. Some comments are made concerning the changeover to the new course in the light of the author's previous paper Conservation training at Gateshead - the past ten years, ICOM Committee for Conservation 5th Triennial Meeting, Zagreb, 1978. -- AATA