Architecture and Sustainable Design MArch

Program Overview

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Architecture and Sustainable Design MArch

Overview

This course is a design-based master's degree that provides advanced training in integrated environmental design and sustainability in the built environment. The course will equip you with the necessary skills to integrate environmental and sustainable design principles from an early stage in the design process, enabling you to deliver truly sustainable buildings.

Why Choose This Course?

• 8th in the UK for architecture (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)
• Published research in conferences, trade magazines, and academic journals
• Collaborative links with practices
• Top 100 in the world for architecture and built environment (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025)
• 1st in the Russell Group universities for 'overall satisfaction' in Architecture (The National Student Survey 2022)
• Top 3 architecture school in the country (Architects Journal, 2020)

Course Content

• Autumn and spring semesters: 120 credits worth of modules, including two design modules
• Summer semester: 60-credit supervised dissertation or design thesis
• Modules:
  • Advanced Sustainable Design (20 credits)
  • Advanced Sustainable Design (20 credits)
  • Advanced Design Project 1 (30 credits)
  • Advanced Design Project 2 (30 credits)
  • Architecture and Urbanism Research (10 credits)
  • Case Study Project (20 credits)
  • Architecture and Built Environment Dissertation or Design Thesis Project (60 credits)
• Optional modules:
  • Urban Design Theory (10 credits)
  • Renewable Energy and Energy Efficient Technologies (10 credits)
  • Sustainable Urbanism (10 credits)

Learning and Assessment

• How you will learn:
  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Workshops
  • Tutorials
• How you will be assessed:
  • Presentation
  • Essay
  • Dissertation
• Contact time and study hours:
  • Teaching for this course comprises circa 6 contact hours per week for lecture-based modules and circa 6 contact hours per week for studio-based modules during term-time
  • Self-study time: circa 10 hours per credit

Entry Requirements

• Home/UK students:
  • Undergraduate degree: 2:1 in a relevant subject
  • Portfolio: required
• EU/International students:
  • Undergraduate degree: 2:1 in a relevant subject
  • Portfolio: required
  • IELTS: 6.5 (no less than 6.0 in each element)
• Alternative qualifications: considered on an individual basis

Fees

• Home/UK: £10,400
• International: £27,150
• Additional costs:
  • Equipment: circa £100 per year
  • Printing and model making: circa £50 per year

Careers

• Careers advice: individual support for all postgraduate students
• Job prospects: most graduates are employed in architectural practices, environmental consultancies, or universities across the world
• Placements: short placements within the UK may be available after the submission of your dissertation and before graduation

Funding

• Scholarships: available for high-achieving international scholars
• Government loans: available for eligible students
• Check the guide for more information on funding your postgraduate degree

Where You Will Learn

• University Park Campus: 300 acres, with green spaces, wildlife, period buildings, and modern facilities
• Creative Energy Homes: a key resource for micro-smart grids, energy storage, demand-side management, and occupants' acceptance of innovative technologies

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Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

The Architecture and Sustainable Design MArch program at the University of Nottingham emphasizes the application of theoretical and technological aspects of environmental design and sustainable architecture in creative studio design projects. The course focuses on problem-solving, integrating technical and theoretical knowledge into design projects, and a unique learning method in environmental design education, where students learn the theory alongside applying it in practice.

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Outline:

The program consists of 120 credits worth of modules in the autumn and spring semesters, including two design modules. These are studio-based exercises where practical skills and creativity are challenged and examined through an architectural project. Additional lectures and seminar modules provide a parallel knowledge base and intellectual support for the design project and for the final dissertation or design thesis project. In the summer semester, students produce a 60-credit supervised dissertation or design thesis project. This is an in-depth study that offers an opportunity to conduct a major piece of independent research or a comprehensive design project informed by research that reflects individual interests and aspirations.

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Assessment:

Each module has a set of marking criteria aligned with its learning outcomes. This is used to assess student work via studio reviews, portfolio submissions, essays, and research papers. The same goes for the dissertation, which is marked by at least two staff who are experts in the chosen subject. None of the core modules require students to seat an exam. Students must pass each module with at least 50% to progress. Their final degree classification will be calculated based on the weighting of each module, which reflects their credits.

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Teaching:

Teaching for this course comprises approximately 6 contact hours per week for the lecture-based modules and approximately 6 contact hours per week for the studio-based modules during term-time. This is subject to timetabling and depends on which optional modules students choose. As a guide, one credit is equal to approximately 10 hours of work, and therefore students will be expected to do a significant amount of self-study time. For their dissertation, they will receive a minimum of 30 hours of support between meetings and feedback on their progress. Class sizes vary with the modules. Studios are generally undertaken in small groups, usually between 10 and 20. Other core modules such as Advanced Sustainable Design and Case Study Project have medium-size classes (usually 15-25 students), which allow for effective workshops. In Research and Professional Skills, Tools and Methods, students will join the whole masters cohort in a large group, which will allow them to meet others outside their course.

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Careers:

Most graduates of the MArch Architecture and Sustainable Design course are employed in architectural practices, environmental consultancies, or universities across the world. As a graduate of the University of Nottingham, students can get access to a 2-year post-study work visa for international students, designed to expand the opportunities for talented individuals to build successful careers in the UK. The visa allows eligible students to work, or look for work, in any career or position of their choice, for two years after completing their studies.

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Other:

• The program is ranked 9th in Architecture in the Times Good University Guide 2023.
• The department has strong collaborative links with practices.
• The program is ranked 1st in the Russell Group universities for ‘overall satisfaction’ in Architecture in the National Student Survey 2022.
• The program is ranked in the top 3 architecture schools in the country by the Architects Journal (2020).

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Tuition Fees:

International fees: £25,250 UK fees: £9,700