Home

Architectural Design MArch

London, Bloomsbury

UK students International students

Study mode

Full-time

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

£17,300

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)

£37,500

Duration

1 calendar year

Programme starts

September 2024

Applications accepted

Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 05 Apr 2024

Applications closed

Applicants who do not require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024

Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class UK degree in an appropriate subject or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants with extensive experience in the field may also be considered. A design/creative portfolio is also expected. Applicants will be asked to submit a portfolio of their design work once their completed application has been received, and should not send or upload work until it has been requested.

The English language level for this programme is:Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English coursesare for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on ourEnglish language requirementspage.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from theInternational Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Students engage critically with new developments in technology, which are rapidly changing the landscape of architecture, its social and economic role and its effectiveness in industry applications.

Placing advanced design at its core, Architectural Design MArch devotes a high proportion of its time to studio-based design enquiry, culminating in a major project and thesis.

Who this course is for

We are looking for applications from graduates or professionals who wish to be part of a speculative architectural design environment, and who would benefit from The Bartlett's unique studio culture.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

Students develop an advanced, practical understanding of design-based, speculative research, spending around two thirds of their time in student-based design enquiry. The programme is organised into research clusters, each with their own research agendas, underpinned by the shared resources of technical tutorials, and theoretical lectures and seminars.

The programme brings together internationally renowned experts in cutting-edge design and fabrication. Students are introduced to theoretical concepts through lectures and introductory design projects, supported by computational and robotics skills-building workshops.

The Bartlett School of Architecture helps students to prepare for successful careers in a range of fields. We aim to be an exciting and innovative place to study architecture, located in the heart of London with global perspectives. Our students have the opportunity to develop their creativity, curiosity and dynamism, and learn the skills they need to build a better future for people and the planet. Our school is consistently ranked highly in UK and global league tables, and our staff are at the forefront of international research and teaching with award-winning buildings all over the globe.

The Bartlett is the UK's largest multidisciplinary Faculty of the Built Environment. Our work is all about human spaces. That means physical structures like homes, buildings and cities, but also the invisible structures that govern these things: political and legal systems; financial frameworks and social norms; even our understanding of the past, present and future. Combining design, history, theory, digital representations and models across all of these areas, we understand the structures shaping society today – and we work to make them fairer and more prosperous.

The Bartlett is ranked #1 in the world for Architecture and the Built Environment and remains #1 in the UK for the ninth year in a row (QS World University Subject Rankings 2023), and our research is recognised as internationally leading (UK REF 2021).

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

With the opportunity to develop expertise in many of the cutting-edge design technologies shaping the global built environment, graduates from this programme are equipped for an exciting career in architecture or design.

Employability

The Bartlett School of Architecture is recognised as one of the world's leading schools of architecture and graduates from our Master's programmes are highly sought after.

Networking

The Bartlett School of Architecture hosts numerous events throughout the year that feature industry guests and networking opportunities. These include lecture series, seminars, conferences, symposiums, book launches, and show launch events. The school also hosts a Future Practice event each year that links students with employers.

Additionally, there are a broad range of university-wide career events to help current students and recent graduates develop their employability skills, explore different sectors, increase commercial awareness, build professional networks and more.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, site visits and workshops, and incorporates both individual and group working.

Assessment is through coursework assignments, essays, presentations and portfolio examinations.

Across terms 1, 2 and 3 full-time students can typically expect an average of 10 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, introductory workshops, crits and tutorials. During the summer period students will be completing their own final projects, keeping in contact with their design tutors where necessary.

The contact hours usually include a one week field trip organised by individual studios

Outside of directed teaching full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

Modules

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

Students are introduced to the theoretical concepts which underpin Architectural Design through lectures and initial design projects. Students then undertake a thesis project, a report and work in specialist teaching groups. Modules are design-based with specialist lecture input.

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MArch in Architectural Design.

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

Architectural Design: Historical, Cultural and Theoretical Skills

Design Thesis Report

Bartlett Architecture Skills Elective (B-Pro Courses)

Architectural Design Thesis Initial Projects

Architectural Design Thesis Final Project

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MArch in Architectural Design.

Fieldwork

Students have the opportunity to join an annual field trip, subsidised by the school.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained fromAccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from theUCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Architectural Computation MSc/MRes, Architectural Design MArch and Urban Design MArch

Whether your ambition is to design better buildings, plan better cities, build sustainable communities or help meet the challenge of climate change, The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment could be a big step towards it. Learn more about our courses through a range of taster lectures, Q&As and info sessions.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time
Tuition fees (2024/25)	£17,300
Tuition fees (2024/25)	£37,500

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on theUCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

All students are required to pay afee depositof £2,000 for this programme.

There is an optional field trip for this programme annually, which costs students a maximum of £500 each. We estimate that students spend between £750-£1000 on specialist materials throughout the programme.

All students work differently so costs incurred depend on the approach they take to the brief given. The school encourages students to use recycled materials in their models and presentations, not only is it sustainable, but also cost effective and potentially innovative. The school also offers limited subsidies for exhibition costs.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure atAccommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

UCL offers a range offinancial awardsaimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies.

Any additional funding available fromThe Bartlett School of Architectureand theBuilt Environment Faculty Officeare advertised on the respective websites.

In our faculty, The Bartlett Promise Scholarship aims to enable students from backgrounds underrepresented in the built environment to pursue master's studies. Please see theUK Master's scholarshipandSub-Saharan Africa Master's scholarshippages for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit theScholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

: Bartlett Promise Sub-Saharan Africa Masters Scholarship

Deadline: 3 April 2024

Value:Fees, stipend and other allowances (Duration of programme)

CriteriaBased on financial need

Eligibility:EU, Overseas

Bartlett Promise UK Master's Scholarship

Deadline: 31 May 2024

Value:Tuition fees plus £15,364 maintenance/yr (Duration of programme)

CriteriaBased on financial need

Eligibility:UK

UCL East London Scholarship

NOW CLOSED FOR 2024/25 ENTRY

Value:Tuition fees plus £15,700 stipend ()

CriteriaBased on financial need

Eligibility:UK

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found atApplication fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

why you want to study Architectural Design at graduate level
why you want to study Architectural Design at UCL
what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

We recommend that you apply for a maximum of two programmes. Multiple applications are less likely to result in an offer of admission.

Tier 4 Student Visa holders are advised to meet the English language proficiency of their offer no later than the end of June, in order to allow sufficient time to obtain a CAS number and visa.

To accept your offer, you must pay the non-refundable fee deposit within 4 weeks and decline any other offers for programmes at the Bartlett School of Architecture. If you do not respond within 3 weeks, your offer will be withdrawn.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

This programme only requires one reference in support of your application. Your reference should be academic unless you have been out of university education for more than four years. Further information regarding references can be found on this Selecting your referencespage.

Choose your programme

Please read theApplication Guidancebefore proceeding with your application.