UDARCHIT - BA Architecture

Architecture is a mobile and extensive field of study that stretches from technical to conceptual issues, from commercial to social, and BA (Hons) Architecture leads the student through aspects of building and built environment design in preparation for practice. The course has been designed in consultation with students and employers to ensure that it meets the aspirations of our students and the demands of the contemporary employment environment, and it is both academic and vocational. It offers an outward looking, multifaceted design-based education whose successful completion will provide the student with the first stage of a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) professional qualification in architecture. In so doing, the course establishes an explicit understanding as to how the design of an architectural project is defined through wide reference to historical and current practice and practice in related disciplines including art, interior design, planning, urban design, and engineering.

The location of the School of Art, Architecture and Design enjoys both proximity to the city and to the ‘maker’ industries of the locality. BA (Hons) Architecture shares workshop facilities with the other courses of the School, and students are therefore exposed to a range of cross-disciplinary practices. Students will have access to a wide variety of facilities and computer suites in addition to dedicated studio space.

BA (Hons) Architecture encompasses the study of all different aspects of the discipline of architecture including technologies, histories, professional practice, as well as of their various methods, knowledge, and insights. It approaches these fields as 'subject studies’ and draws them together into a synthesis through design projects undertaken in the studio. The student’s learning will be organised through a fourfold structure during each year of study, which consists of equally weighted modules, achieving an integrated and holistic approach to architecture. At each level there are two project-based design modules, and two subject studies modules, one focusing on technology and the other on critical and contextual studies which encompasses history and professional practice. All the modules make provision for integrated learning development, specifically through Weblearn, our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) an electronic portal to course, module, syllabus, and project related information, and includes links, activity-based learning tests, events, as well as self-evaluations.

The underpinning philosophy of the course is centred on the ideas and practices of making, an architect’s professional duty of care, social and environmental responsibility, and design as ‘thinking through doing’, involving exploration and collaboration. We subscribe to the notion of ‘ecology of practice’, which nurtures a professional duty towards the environment, whilst practically embracing different scales and methodologies, including live projects and in-situ fabrication. It is an approach to material, social and spatial ecology, capturing what, how and why we work, and projecting this through collaborative design teaching and learning. Students will benefit from teaching guided by the ‘Education for Social Justice Framework’ (ESJF), a university-wide initiative, designed to enhance teaching communication and practices which recognises the value of difference in pedagogy. In these ways, the course promotes individualised learning opportunities and student choice in curriculum and approach to study and aligns with the University’s strategy in terms of its ambition for professional confidence and excellence for both students and staff.

The teaching team is made up of renowned practitioners who bring a wealth of professional and technical expertise and provide insight into industry best practices within this constantly evolving arena. With the combined knowledge of traditional and contemporary practices, of basic principles and innovations, staff are well equipped to help students work towards their own developmental goals and to explore potential career paths. Employability is fostered through learning from direct experience and real-world contact with external partners and live project opportunities. Independent and critical thinking and an awareness of our social responsibility to consider the impact of our decision and actions is fundamental to the course’s principles.

Consideration has been given to the following: the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement (Architecture, 2020), the HE Qualification Framework, the University’s Strategic Plan and Student Partnership Agreement Charter and the University’s Academic Regulations. In addition, student, external examiners and employers, and industry feedback is annually embedded in development of the course. Due consideration has also been given to inclusivity in the course and in the Education for Social Justice Framework. In addition, consideration is given to the requirements set out by the Architects Registration Board (ARB), the RIBA ‘The Way Ahead’.

As designers, makers, and thinkers within the architectural field, BA (Hons) Architecture aims to develop graduates with skills appropriate to a professional architectural framework. At each level, the course addresses categories of learning and achievement which build upon one another over time: at Level 4, students will develop knowledge of underlying concepts and principles and subject specific skills; at Level 5, students will develop knowledge and critical understanding of established principles; at Level 6, students will develop systematic understanding of key aspects of architecture, including acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge, leading to cognitive, intellectual, and transferable skills. Below, the course aims for each level are described according to three themes which relate to the modular structure: design, critical and contextual studies and technology.

At Level 4, the students will develop knowledge of underlying concepts and principles, which are subject specific skills.
1. Design: aims to deliver principles of a range of representational techniques, which are then deployed to different socio-spatial contexts, working analogically to increase awareness of materiality and scale.
2. Critical and Contextual Studies: aims to develop principles through a patchwork of tasks, guiding the student to collect, organise and deploy knowledge. The context for this encompasses ideas and concepts of history and professionalism as practice, so that the student forms a critical understanding of the objects of their study, using a range of written forms of presentation, noting specific terms, languages, references, genres, and audiences.
3. Technology: is delivered across four areas of technology, which include structure, materials, construction, environment, and services. It aims to demonstrate technological principles in a series of succinct classes, whereupon the knowledge is conceptually applied to precedents, represented through orthographic drawing.

At Level 5, the students will develop knowledge and critical understanding of established principles.
1. Design: aims to allow students to build upon their skills in knowledge and understanding to develop a wide range of 2D and 3D digital and analogue drawing and modelling techniques used professionally. These are then explored critically through design projects at different scales and technologies.
2. Critical and Contextual Studies: aims to allow students to develop knowledge of architecture in conjunction with professionalism. Critically, the duality of modern and contemporary history facilitates the understanding of the broader context of the role of architects. Structurally the delivery builds on expertise from the Level 4 ‘patchwork’ to further develop new formats of communication, as essay and case study.
3. Technology: aims to encompass four areas of technology: structure, materials, construction, environment, and services, like the technology module at Level 4. It develops this knowledge and understanding and extends to larger and more complex buildings.

At Level 6, students develop a systematic understanding of key aspects of their field, detailed knowledge, leading to cognitive, intellectual and transferable skills.
1. Design: aims to enable students to develop their capacity to define and analyse architectural problems, generate briefs and proposals, integrate knowledge derived from different fields and sources to produce socially relevant inhabitable spaces. They develop processes of design which enable the integration of knowledge.
2. Critical and Contextual Studies: aims to result in an independent dissertation. It builds on two years of undergraduate study that critically engages students in the history and theory of their discipline, its extent and conventions, and its broader social and material context in culture and contemporary practice.
3. Technology: aims to integrate and synthesis key areas of professional architectural knowledge within the context of the major design project. It thus builds on the knowledge delivered in aspects of all modules at Level 4 and 5, using the design modules at Level 6 to provide its critical context.

The course learning outcomes for the BA (Hons) Architecture are designed to ensure the effective and successful achievement of the University’s academic standards and the meeting of the joint criteria for validation as described by the Royal Institute of British Architects Criteria for Validation and the ‘The Way Ahead’ (RIBA), and in the Architects’ Registration Boards’ (ARB) General Criteria for Part 1.

On successful completion of the course students will be able to demonstrate subject specific skills in the ability to:

LO1. apply a range of communication methods and media to present design proposals clearly and effectively through:
a. creating well-crafted architectural designs that satisfy both aesthetic and technical requirements;
b. communicating through verbal, written and visual representations, architectural ideas, and propositions at a range of scales and to different audiences.

LO2. generate design proposals using understanding of a body of knowledge, some at the current boundaries of professional practice and the academic discipline of architecture, including:
a. a range of contexts, particularly urban design, but more generally contexts of knowledge including ideas and techniques at the forefront of architecture;
b. apply appropriate theoretical concepts to studio design projects;
c. devise and sustain arguments whilst appreciating the uncertainty, ambiguity, and limits of knowledge.

LO3. understand the range of materials, processes and techniques that apply to architectural design and building construction, including:
a. building technology, environmental design, construction methods, processes of assembly, in relationship to human well-being and sustainability;
b. alternative methods of procurement regarding self-and community build projects.

LO4. evaluate evidence, arguments, and assumptions to make and present sound judgments within a structured discourse relating to architectural culture, theory and design, as follows:
a. evaluate and analyse the ethical and professional issues involved in the design, construction, and occupancy of the building;
b. critically analyse architectural, artistic and design culture and history, their influence, the methodologies, and ideologies involved in their theories, criticism, and interpretation.

LO5. deploy knowledge of the context of the architect and the construction industry, and the professional qualities needed for decision making in complex and unpredictable circumstances, including:
a. integration of architectural designs constructional and structural thinking, environmental strategies as an awareness of the regulatory requirements that apply;
b. professional, legislative, and statuary regulatory processes;
c. sustaining a conceptual and critical approach to architectural design that balances its aesthetic, technical and social demands.

LO6. identify individual learning needs and understand the personal responsibility required for further professional education, such that students can:
a. work individually or collaboratively to seek, handle and interpret visual, written, and verbal information for the purpose of proposing realisable and coherent solutions;
b. be flexible and adaptable in approaches to, and the development of, an issue, problem or opportunity;
c. manage learning, make use of original, scholarly, and professional knowledge, and relate it to wider personal and career goals.

http://QAA Subject Benchmark Statement Architecture February 2020

The BA (Hons) Architecture course is designed to deliver a professional qualification as part of the degree award and therefore requires careful monitoring of standards of achievement. The professional qualification is output-oriented and emphasises the quality of achievement and demonstration of competence in the academic portfolio of design projects and other work. The assessment strategy for the course reflects this professional expectation and has been designed holistically, to ensure manageable timing, workloads, and clarity of expectations for students, and to avoid duplication of assessment of learning outcomes. Where appropriate, students are engaged as partners in the design of their assessments. Although each module is assessed separately against specific outcomes and criteria, the assessed items can be seen in relation to each other in the form of an overarching ‘portfolio’ and students will be encouraged to see their work as a whole.

The requirements of briefs and their components, the assessment criteria, grading scheme and descriptors are published and explained to students at the start of the year and are designed to be used as consistently as possible. The assessment regimes for the modules and tasks are designed together with the briefs, prior to the start of the year, considering student, external examiner, professional collaborator, and colleague feedback from previous instances. Assessment is related to the achievement of learning outcomes; qualification frameworks and subject benchmark statements are consulted to ensure clear language that is appropriate to level of study. The course adheres to the University’s requirements for assessment and feedback turnaround times and to academic regulations for marking and second marking sampling. Additionally, the course engages in Subject and School parity exercises to ensure that assessment standards are consistent - especially important in relation to studio delivery through which students on the same modules will be undertaking differing projects. Students are informed of the procedures for first, second and parity marking, and external examiner scrutiny of the assessment process and marks, to ensure that they understand and have confidence in the probity of the process and security of the final marks.

The assessment and feedback strategy fosters a culture of continuous production and feedback at all levels and in all the modules. In every case, there is required formative assessment and feedback prior to summative assessment at set points. This is recorded so that it can be used by both students and staff to track further progress and engage support where it is required. Feedback follows good pedagogic practice in that it is constructed as ‘feed-forward’, with a focus on specific actions and strategies as to how to improve, not only on what requires improvement. Challenge to students is managed, so that students performing well in-year are encouraged to strive for excellence, while those performing less well experience clear, targeted and structured guidance, including notice of where they are doing well or are showing potential. Practically and ideologically the course observes the Education for Social Justice Framework.

As a requirement of the Part 1 RIBA criteria, BA (Hons) Architecture offers mandatory components in professionalism at Levels 5 and 6 as part of critical and contextual studies modules. Work-related learning is embedded in the course both formally and through live projects, practice, industry visits, visiting professional speakers and participation in public events. Workshops in preparation for work and possible careers are also held.

We support undergraduate students to secure a work-related learning opportunity during their studies. These opportunities may take the form of working on live projects delivered through placement, live briefs, real entrepreneurial activities or short in-term work placements. We encourage students to engage in competitive recruitment processes and pitching for opportunities, and they are given opportunities to reflect on their experiences of projects or placements to help forward career action planning.

Most tutors and lecturers contributing to the course are practitioners who share their knowledge and experience with students throughout their course of study. The flexible practice-led model of delivery for the course means that evolving opportunities for work-related learning through collaboration with external companies, agencies, institutions, competitions and professionals are taken up as they arise. Students’ understanding of professional standards and expectations builds as they progress from level to level. During their final year, students work towards completion of interview-ready professional portfolios of project work, exhibited at the annual summer show and associated events.

ACADEMIC PROGRESSION: As a condition of progressing from level 4 to 5 and level 5 to 6, students are required to have gained 120 credits per level, that is, by achieving pass marks (40%) in all four modules in the preceding level of study.

COURSE COMPLETION
Level 6: To qualify for the award of BA (Hons) Architecture and exemption from Part 1, students must have completed and passed each Level 6 module at minimum of 40%.

Part-time Structure

Part-time study is defined as 60 credits per year. Consequently, in part-time mode, the duration of study for a 360-credit degree will be 6 years. The prescribed pattern of study in this instance shall be as follows:

Year 1: AR4001 (DESIGN Skills 1.1) & AR4002 (DESIGN Project 2.2)

Year 2: CP4012 (Critical and Contextual Studies 1 Architecture) & AR4003 (Technology 1)

Year 3: AR5001 (DESIGN Skills 2.1) & AR5002 (DESIGN Project 2.2)

Year 4: CP5012 (Critical and Contextual Studies 2 Architecture) & AR5003 (Technology 2)

Year 5: AR6001 (Design Development 3.1) & AR6002 (Design Resolution 3.2)
OR
Year 5: AR6001 (Design Development 3.1) & AR6002 (Design Resolution 3.2) & AR6003 (Technology 3: Integrated Design Audit)

Year 6: CP6012 (Critical and Contextual Studies: Dissertation (Architecture)) & AR6003 (Technology 3: Integrated Design Audit)
OR
Year 6: CP6012 (Critical and Contextual Studies: Dissertation (Architecture))

A part time (PT) student may take either 2 or 3 modules in their final year, however, AR6001 and AR6002 must be taken together as they are co-requisite.

All modules on the course are core and compulsory (there is no flexibility in choice or in the order in which modules may be taken), interim awards are therefore defined by the course structure. The part time route is prescribed (section 23).

Completing the course with Certificate of Higher Education students are required to have gained 120 credits per level, that is, by achieving pass marks (40%) in all four Level 4 modules: AR4001 & AR4002, CP4012 & AR4003.

Completing the course with Diploma of Higher Education students are required to have gained 120 credits per level, that is, by achieving a pass at Level 4 and in addition pass marks (40%) in all four Level 5 modules: AR5001 & AR5002, CP5012 & AR5003.

BA (Hons) Architecture has a principle of guiding learning through a practice-led curriculum, which promotes ongoing reflection and personal development. Throughout the modules and the course students build bodies of work, including reflections on progress and achievement, and planning for their future achievement of targets. This is supported by regular formative feedback on work in progress that enables students to understand their progress and find opportunities for multiple and individualised routes to successful outcomes. Most modules are year-long, with interim points of review, which ensures that students, together with their tutors, can devise study strategies appropriate to individual learning styles, while ensuring monitoring of engagement and progress.

The system of teaching is highly individualised, but also benefits from peer engagement in studio critiques. The School’s programme of employability events and embedded work-related learning within the curriculum supports students’ personal development planning. Through these initiatives, students are increasingly able, as they progress from year to year, to understand the professional environment of their disciplines, the various opportunities available to them, and how to shape their learning according to their ambitions.

The professional and design-based rationale of the course places a strong emphasis on reflective learning and personal development. The course’s engagement with external partners and employers ensures that personal development for career planning is effectively contextualised and suitable for the contemporary workplace. Students need to position themselves not only in relation to their own preferred development, but also their multiple roles in the socially complex industry of architecture. The course thus includes opportunities for self-development and provides a carefully articulated critical environment for testing work and ideas: taking responsibility and understanding the consequences of responsibility lies at the heart of the teaching and learning.

The course is validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and prescribed by the Architects’ Registration Board (ARB). Students who are awarded BA (Hons) Architecture are exempted from RIBA Part 1.

Successful completion of the BA (Hons) Architecture course represents the first stage in the professional qualification of an architect. It immediately provides enhanced career opportunities in architecture and the allied design industries. Students leave with a high-quality portfolio of work and a range of practical, professional and academic skills, providing an excellent base for both work and further study. Graduating from the BA (Hons) Architecture is the start of lifelong learning and an exciting and varied career in design. It provides graduates with core knowledge and skills to enable individuals to work in a wide variety of fields such as interior design, urban design and planning and other related professions.

After successful completion of the course students may work in an architectural practice before continuing their studies on a RIBA 2 accredited course, the second stage in the professional qualification of an architect.

Students can also benefit from support and guidance from the Careers and Employability services and the University’s business incubator unit, ‘Accelerator’.

Following successful completion of the course, most graduates go on to complete their RIBA Part 2 and 3, and gain a professional qualification in architecture. Previous alumni have worked for companies such as Caruso St John, David Chipperfield Architects, Macreanor Lavington, Tony Fretton Architects and SANAA in Tokyo.

Graduating with this degree provides you with the core knowledge and skills needed to work in fields such as interior design, urban design and planning. You'll leave with a high-quality portfolio of work, an understanding of relevant cultural and social issues, and the research, design, making and presentation skills valued in many design-related professions.

Our architecture graduates have gone on to exciting careers as architects, design consultants, architectural assistants and designers at impressive practices including Tony Fretton Architects, Eric Parry Architects, Stephen Taylor Architects, Adamson Associates Architects, and Conrad and Partners.

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• a minimum of grades BBB in three A levels, one of which comes from a relevant subject area such as Art, Humanities or the Social Sciences (or a minimum of 120 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification in an art related subject)
• English Language and Mathematics GCSE at grade C (grade 4) or above (or equivalent qualification)
• potential in spatial design, a creative imagination and visual or constructive aptitude
• a portfolio review

If you don't have traditional qualifications or can't meet the entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, you may still be able to gain entry by completing our Architecture (including foundation year) BA (Hons) or Art and Design (including foundation year) BA (Hons).

Interviews

We normally ask candidates to attend a portfolio interview to talk about the process and ideas of their portfolio work. Please be aware that digital portfolios can't be viewed at the interview. The interview day includes a general introduction, a tour and the chance to meet a variety of staff and students. To find out what to include in your portfolio, view our portfolio guidance.