Course in Historical Source Research for Restoration
Online 300-hour course in historical source research for restoration. 6 modules covering ISO 15489-1 (records management), ISO 11799 (document storage requirements) and Zotero. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Historical Source Research for Restoration — studying from Ireland
Ireland has an active heritage vehicle and classic machinery community, supported by clubs, restoration workshops and specialist suppliers serving classic cars, motorcycles and agricultural equipment. Engineering skills in this area combine historical knowledge with modern techniques in fabrication, materials and diagnostics. Restoration work is often linked to heritage conservation and museum collections, and classic vehicles operate under national roadworthiness and vehicle registration rules. Professional bodies and enthusiast organisations help maintain standards and knowledge across the sector.
Fees for Ireland: €546 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Is there a recognised professional body in Ireland for classic vehicle restoration?
Classic vehicle restoration in Ireland is largely a craft and hobby sector, supported by enthusiast clubs and heritage bodies rather than a regulated professional title. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so they do not confer membership or formal recognition. Check the requirements of any club or body you wish to join.
Would Irish restoration businesses or employers value this qualification?
Restoration businesses in Ireland often rely on hands-on skill, reputation and portfolio work. A private online qualification may add to your CV, but employers decide for themselves whether it is relevant. Your final project can help show your capability, though there is no guarantee of any outcome.
Can I study this part-time while keeping my current commitments?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home around existing commitments. Durations are 300, 800 or 1,900 hours depending on the course, so plan your schedule accordingly. Fees can be paid in instalments, and each student has an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Justify documentary research prior to a restoration.
Locate factory technical documentation, catalogues and manuals.
Consult archives, newspaper libraries and records methodically.
Analyse photographs and oral testimonies as sources.
Interpret marks, finishes and traces on the vehicle itself as a source.
Cite and organise sources using bibliographic and archival standards.
Write a research report that supports restoration decisions.
Who it's for
- Automotive documentalist looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
- Automotive historian looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
- Restoration researcher looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
- Industrial heritage archivist looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
- Vehicle authenticity consultant looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
- Museum curator looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter automotive museums and archives.
What you'll work with
- ISO 15489-1 (records management)
- ISO 11799 (document storage requirements)
- ISO 690 (bibliographic references)
- ISAD(G) (International Standard Archival Description)
- ISO 15836 (Dublin Core)
- Turin Charter (FIVA)
- Law 16/1985 (Spanish Historical Heritage)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1What questions the research must answer1.2Technical, historical and usage data1.3Primary and secondary sources1.4Reliability and hierarchy of sources1.5Risk of repeating published errors1.6Research plan for a project1.7Reasonable time and cost1.8Recording what has been found and what has been searched1.9Citation method and traceability1.10Workshop: research plan for a vehicle
2.1Parts catalogues and their editions2.2Workshop manuals and service bulletins2.3Drawings and specifications2.4Homologation records2.5Colour and finish lists2.6Microfiches and digitised archives2.7Brand historical archives2.8Requesting factory certificates2.9Contradictions between documents2.10Practice: locating a specific technical data point
3.1Historical and provincial archives3.2Registration records3.3Company and fleet archives3.4Coachbuilder and supplier archives3.5Newspaper libraries and specialist press3.6Period advertising3.7Technical libraries3.8Club archives and model registers3.9Consultation methodology3.10Practice: a campaign in an archive
4.1Period photography and its analysis4.2Dating a photograph4.3Historical film and video4.4Postcards, leaflets and commercial catalogues4.5Interviews with former workers4.6Interviews with previous owners4.7Interview protocol and consent4.8Reliability of testimony4.9Transcription and archiving4.10Practice: interview and analysis of a photograph
5.1The vehicle itself as a document5.2Casting and mould marks5.3Paint layers and how to read them5.4Numberings and punch marks5.5Old repairs and their traces5.6Materials analysis5.7Documented disassembly as research5.8Comparison with other units5.9Limits of physical evidence5.10Practice: reading the vehicle as a source
6.1Contrast between contradictory sources6.2Distinction between data, inference and conjecture6.3Drafting of the research report6.4Use of research in restoration6.5Gaps and decisions with incomplete information6.6Publication and dissemination of findings6.7Contribution to the knowledge of the model6.8Rights of use of images6.9Common research errors6.10Final Project: Historical Research Report of a Vehicle
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it easy to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Zotero, Tropy, Omeka, Adobe Acrobat (OCR), advanced Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real archive and newspaper library consultation procedures, period photograph analysis and oral interviews with witnesses. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Justify documentary research prior to a restoration.
Locate factory technical documentation, catalogues and manuals.
Consult archives, newspaper libraries and records methodically.
Analyse photographs and oral testimonies as sources.
Interpret marks, finishes and traces on the vehicle itself as a source.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory reading.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You work with Zotero, Tropy, Omeka, Adobe Acrobat (OCR), advanced Excel. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open-source alternative where one exists.
An in-house diploma from SEIUM Institute upon passing continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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