Architecture BA Honours

Program Overview

Architecture BA Honours

Overview

The Architecture BA Honours course at the University of Westminster is a three-year undergraduate program that provides students with a comprehensive education in architecture, preparing them for a career in the field.

Course Structure

The course is divided into three years, with each year building on the previous one to provide a progressive learning experience.

Year 1

• Design Studio: Architectural design is taught twice a week in small groups of around 20-22 students, with a lead tutor supported by a second tutor on the first studio day and a postgraduate student on the second.
• Technical Studies: Students are introduced to structural and environmental principles underpinning architectural design, fabrication processes, building components, and assembly techniques.
• History and Theory: Through lectures and small group seminar discussions, students study a range of European and non-western histories of architecture.

Year 2

• Design Studio: Students can choose to study within one of seven studios, each offering a particular approach to design or engagement in current issues and characterized by diverse themes.
• History and Theory: A lecture program on theory and contemporary issues in architecture and urbanism is followed by small group seminar sessions.
• Technical Studies: Students are introduced to architectural practice by following the live progress of a construction site (Site Diary module).

Year 3

• Design Studio: Students can choose to study within one of six studios, offering a diverse range of design approaches.
• Technical Studies: Students investigate a particular area of environmental or technical interest and apply this knowledge in their second Major Project.
• History and Theory: Students write a dissertation: an extended piece of written research on a subject of interest from the field of architecture.

Entry Requirements

UK

• A levels: BBB (120 UCAS Tariff points)
• T levels: 120 UCAS Tariff points
• International Baccalaureate: 120 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme
• BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM in Art and Design
• BTEC Diploma: Not accepted on its own
• Access: 120 UCAS Tariff points from the Access course

International

• International Baccalaureate: 120 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme
• We accept a wide range of international high school level qualifications.

English Language Requirements

• If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS score of 6.0 overall, with a score of 5.5 in each component.

Tuition Fees

UK

• UK tuition fee: £9,535 (Price per academic year)

International

• International tuition fee: £17,000 (Price per academic year)

Additional Costs

• What your tuition fees cover:
  • Prior to enrollment, you'll be provided with information on reading lists and the equipment you'll need for the duration of your course.
  • There's no requirement for you to buy books as all the key texts are available in the library.
• What your tuition fees do not cover:
  • You may prefer to have your own laptop.
  • Optional ‘starter kits’ for first-year students are available from our on-campus shop Marylebone Books.
  • The cost for printing, paper, and workshop materials will be approximately £150 per semester/£300 per academic year.
  • The cost for gallery and site visits will be £20 per semester/£40 per academic year.
  • Field trip costs: An optional field trip is offered to second-year students at an additional cost of £379 per field trip.

Portfolio Guidance

• Number of recommended portfolio pieces: 15-20 pieces
• What should I include in my portfolio submission:
  • The portfolio is an opportunity to show your range of creative skills and projects.
  • The selection should include both observational studies and creative work, and evidence developmental processes as well as final outcomes.
• How should I structure my portfolio:
  • Please send Portfolios digitally, ideally in a single PDF format, maximum 10MB.
  • Please avoid sending individual images.
• How will my portfolio be evaluated:
  • Your portfolio will be evaluated on the following criteria:
    • Personal Ambition and Interest in Architecture, Art and Design
    • Creativity and Originality
    • Spatial Exploration
    • Representation Skills

Teaching and Assessment

• How you'll be taught:
  • Teaching methods across all our undergraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application.
• How you'll be assessed:
  • Our undergraduate courses include a wide variety of assessments.
  • Assessments typically fall into two broad categories:
    • Practical: examples include presentations, videos, podcasts, lab work, creating artefacts
    • Coursework: examples include essays, reports, in-class tests, portfolios, dissertation

Facilities

• Architecture studios: Our architecture studios provide unrivaled facilities for study and collaborative learning.
• Fabrication Laboratory: The Fabrication Laboratory allows students to explore the exciting field of digital fabrication.
• Marylebone Campus: In the heart of London, our Marylebone Campus is home to the Westminster Business School and our Architecture, Planning, and Tourism courses.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• Overview: Architecture is a fascinating subject involving wide-ranging academic, practical, and vocational activities.
It requires creativity and imagination, as well as the inventive employment of environmental and technical knowledge. Architecture is normally studied with a view to becoming a professional architect, but as it embraces the fields of art, history, and science, it also opens doors to a range of postgraduate study options and other forms of career development.
• Objectives: The course aims to educate students in sustainable, regenerative approaches to architectural design, building construction, and material technology.
Students are encouraged to engage with climate justice, to be aware of the need to minimize embodied carbon, waste, and pollution, and to reduce a building's demands on energy and water.
• Description: The course is taught in small groups by current practitioners, reflecting London's dynamic architecture scene.
It includes design studios, lecture courses in environmental and technical studies, history and theory of architecture, as well as numerous opportunities to engage with the architecture profession through construction site visits, mentoring, and a work placement. Field trips are offered in the second year, and there are opportunities to study abroad, with recent destinations including Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and China.

Outline:

• Year 1:
• Design Studio:
Introduces fundamentals of scale, architectural drawing, and creative practice. Includes on-site sketching, building visits, modeling, digital representation skills, and photography. Students develop a small design project and a longer project investigating site, context, and stakeholders.
• Technical Studies: Introduces structural and environmental principles underpinning architectural design, fabrication processes, building components, and assembly techniques.
• History and Theory: Covers European and non-western histories of architecture through lectures, seminars, and guided building visits.
Students develop writing skills supported by analytical drawing.
• Subjects of study: A History of Architecture, Introduction to Design and Skills, Design, Materials and Fabrication, Introduction to Design Practice, Introduction to Technical Studies.
• Year 2:
• Design Studio:
Students choose one of seven studios, each offering a particular approach to design or engagement in current issues. They create two architectural proposals, developing their understanding of environmental issues and using large-scale models to examine design details.
• History and Theory: Lectures on theory and contemporary issues in architecture and urbanism are followed by seminars to develop critical skills and help students choose a subject for their final year dissertation.
• Technical Studies: Introduces architectural practice by following the live progress of a construction site (Site Diary module).
Students identify a site, negotiate regular visits, and develop an understanding of the building procurement process.
• Subjects of study: Architectural History and Urbanism, Design Investigation, Design Projects, Site Diary, Environmental Design Study: Mapping and Modelling.
• Placement Year: Students have the opportunity to undertake a year in industry (work placement) and gain work experience, enhancing their employability after graduation.
• Year 3:
• Design Studio:
Students choose one of six studios, offering a diverse range of design approaches. They work on larger, more complex projects encompassing urban-scale thinking down to detailed design resolution. The second Major Project forms the culmination of their design practice and technical development, presented to an external examiner and exhibited at the annual summer exhibition.
• Technical Studies: Students investigate a particular area of environmental or technical interest and apply this knowledge in their Major Project.
This includes an environmental audit of their design decisions and a detailed study of how their proposal would be built.
• History and Theory: Students write a dissertation on a subject of interest from the field of architecture, supported by weekly tutorial group sessions.
• Preparation for Professional Practice: Students undertake a two-week work-placement in architectural practice, studying the organization of the practice, contractual relationships, and the procurement process.
They also prepare their CV and build a website to showcase their work.
• Subjects of study: Dissertation, Design and Technical Exploration, Major Design Project, Preparing for Practice, Technical Design Study: Exploration and Application.

Assessment:

• Year 1: 100% coursework
• Year 2: 100% coursework
• Year 3: 96% coursework, 4% practical

Teaching:

• Methods: Teaching methods focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and practical application where appropriate.
• Faculty: Over 60 members of staff teach on the course, including full-time lecturers, visiting architects, other practicing professionals, academic specialists, and historians.
The course is run by Julian Williams, with year leaders overseeing each level. It also features strong connections with professional practice, attracting a diverse teaching team of practitioners from London's architectural network.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Part 1 Architectural Assistant (leading to qualification as an Architect)
• Interior Designer
• Urban Designer
• Project Manager
• Architectural Visualiser
• Opportunities: The course offers dedicated careers support, CV workshops and advice, and a growing global network of 3,000 employers.
Students gain first-hand knowledge of working in architectural practice in the third year and have the opportunity of mentorship by an architect.
• Outcomes: Graduates find employment with established world-class architects such as Make, Squire and Partners, Foster + Partners, BDP, Sheppard Robson, and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.
Alternative career paths can take graduates to multi-disciplinary practices in interior and urban design and planning, or to the client side of architecture for contractors, developers, or housing providers. Graduates also progress to further study or research in technological and environmental subjects related to building design, project or construction management.

Other:

• Facilities: The course benefits from world-class facilities, including the Fabrication Lab and an enviable central London location.
• Student Work: Each year, the School of Architecture and Cities showcases the achievements and emerging talent of students at their end-of-year exhibition, OPEN.
• Awards: Students win an extraordinary number of international awards.
• International Opportunities: The course offers international study and work experiences, including semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world, international summer schools or field trips, and volunteering or work placements abroad.

UK Fees:

£9,250 (Price per academic year)

International Fees:

£15,400 (Price per academic year)