Master of Architecture

Program Overview

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Master of Architecture

School of Arts & Sciences

The University of Notre Dame Australia’s new Master of Architecture program provides an outstanding education embedded in architectural practice. You will learn how architecture enhances people’s lives by creating meaningful human environments through research and professional placements.

Why study this degree?

The unique experience of studying architecture at The University of Notre Dame Australia is founded on a holistic way of thinking and acting to combine creative design processes and technical skills with an understanding of human, cultural and environmental issues.

The curriculum focuses on diverse graduate employment opportunities and is mapped to the Australian National Standard of Competency for Architects. In addition to gaining professional competencies, you develop high-level strategic research agility, resourcefulness, and design innovation that open up opportunities within traditional and non-traditional career pathways.

The program covers four key areas:

• Design studios, technologies, and applied skills: Socio-spatial design studios are central to the Fremantle Master of Architecture Program. The studios provide opportunities to use your knowledge, creativity, and strategic problem-solving skills to design built environments.
• Technology in practice and professional practice: Placements with our professional partners will enable you to work under the direct supervision of an architect in practice, in tandem with your on-campus studies. These placements will offer a range of work-integrated learning experiences in which you can collect evidence to meet the Australian National Standard of Competency for Architects. This integrated approach to delivery ensures that the program provides you with relevant and up-to-date professional learning.
• Contexts: theory and architecture research: you will develop high-level strategic research agility, resourcefulness, and design innovation that will open up opportunities within traditional and non-traditional career pathways. You will engage in traditional and creative-practice research disseminated through exhibitions, stakeholder engagements, and design competitions.
• Core Curriculum: Notre Dame’s Core Curriculum is a distinguishing characteristic of its undergraduate and postgraduate education. You will undertake the course Ethical Issues in Professional Life: Architecture and explore the relationship between moral philosophy and applied ethics in the profession. Throughout the program, you will be challenged to consider critical issues such as power and privilege, identify positive professional values and behaviours, and reflect critically on your impact on people and places, preparing you to be ethically, socially, and environmentally responsible professionals.

The strength of this program lies in its unique combination of the following:

• a small, diverse cohort
• high-quality teaching approaches
• tailored practice placements
• socio-spatial design studios that tackle contemporary issues
• working within a studio-based, creative-practice research culture

During practice placements, you apply your professional and technical learning in local practices under the supervision of a Registered Architect.

Program summary

The program structure for the two-year program is as follows:

Year One:

• Semester One:
  • ARCH6000: Architectural Design Studio 3: Public Projects
  • ARCH6001: Architectural Contexts: Urbanism & the living city
  • ARCH6003: Technology in Practice: Practicum A
• Winter Term:
  • ARCH6002: Architectural Design Studio: Contextual Projects
• Semester Two:
  • ARCH6005: Architectural Design Studio: Heritage Contexts
  • PHIL6020: Ethical Issues in Professional Life
  • ARCH6004: Technology in Practice: Practicum B

Year Two:

• Semester One:
  • ARCH6006: Advanced Research Studio: Community Building
  • ARCH6007: Architectural Research Methods
  • ARCH6008: Professional Practice Practicum
• Winter Term (or Summer Term):
  • Architectural Placement (optional)
• Semester Two:
  • ARTS6000: Literature Review OR ARTS6005 Special Project (Professional Writing)
  • ARCH6009: Advanced Practice-Led Research Studio OR ARCH6010 Independent Research Project
  • ARCH6011: Practice Management Practicum

Full details of the Master of Architecture program requirements are contained in the Program Requirements.

More information regarding courses can be found at the course descriptions page.

Please note: the availability of these courses is indicative only and may be subject to change.

Entry requirements

Applicants seeking entry into Master of Architecture must have a recognised Australian or international bachelor level degree in Architecture or equivalent. The application process will include an interview based on a portfolio of bachelor level work and may also include relevant professional work.

Advanced standing and/or recognition of prior learning may be available towards this program by application to the Dean, or delegate, and in accordance with the University’s General Regulations.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Master of Architecture graduates will be able to:

1. Apply the knowledge and skills necessary for the profession of architecture across design, documentation, project delivery and practice management in compliance with the Australian National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA)
2. Apply analytical, critical, and creative thinking, within spatial, social, and environmental contexts, to the design of contemporary architectural projects
3. Use advanced problem-solving strategic and technical skills to create innovative sustainable solutions to environmental issues and challenges
4. Apply professional and ethical decision-making that fosters social, environmental and community responsibility, with sensitivity to cultural diversity, within the practice of architecture and the built environment
5. Apply broad philosophical thinking that informs practical action and decision-making in response to a range of complex socio-spatial design problems
6. Apply advanced technical, visual, written, and verbal communication skills to support inclusive and participatory engagement with specialists, stakeholders, and communities in local, regional and international contexts
7. Operate as an active, responsible, and collaborative member within multidisciplinary teams and demonstrate professional leadership skills in the built environment; and
8. Apply strategic agility, forward-thinking and creative research skills to advance architectural design research that critically appraises and reflects on national and international discourses and practices.

Practical component

You are required to complete four (4) practicum placement courses: ARCH6003 Technology in Practice: Practicum A ARCH6004 Technology in Practice: Practicum B ARCH6008 Professional Practice Practicum ARCH6011 Practice Management Practicum.

Career opportunities

A Master of Architecture will give you global professional recognition as an architect. You can become a leader in your field in the private and public domains.

Real-world experience

You will learn from academics who are industry leaders and, through our practicum placements and internship programs, you will gain real professional experience and make valuable contacts with potential employers.

Professional accreditation

We are an accredited Master of Architecture program for Australia. In Australia architectural programs are accredited through a process run nationally by the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) and the relevant state-based Architects Board.

Scholarships

Scholarships provide financial support to students while they are completing their studies. There are various scholarships available to prospective and current students, across all study levels and campuses.

These can be funded by Notre Dame, industry, individuals and non-profit organisations, to provide financial assistance to students to support costs associated with study. This could include buying food, paying rent, transport, and household bills, raising children as single parents, being a single-income household, becoming unemployed or caring for a sick loved one.

Please visit the Scholarships Finder to see which scholarships are available to Postgraduate students.

Fees and costs

This Program has the following loan scheme(s) available for eligible students:

Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is a place at a university where the Australian Government pays part of your fees. This part is a subsidy, not a loan, and you don’t have to pay it back. However, this subsidy does not cover the entire cost of your study. Students must pay the rest, which is called the ‘student contribution amount’.

In a Commonwealth Supported Place, your fees are subsidised by the Australian Government. Your fees will be split into two portions:

The Commonwealth contribution, which is the portion paid by the Australian Government.

The student contribution, which is the portion you pay. You may choose to pay upfront or defer your student contribution with a HECS-HELP Loan. The HECS-HELP loan scheme assists eligible students with the payment of all, or part, of their tuition fees, not including additional study costs such as accommodation or textbooks. Your HECS-HELP debt will be indexed each year in line with the Consumer Price Index.

Eligible students will be offered a CSP – you do not need to apply.

International Full-Fee Paying Tuition costs depend on an international student’s study load and discipline. Fees are payable each semester at least four weeks prior to the commencement of your program.

For indicative fees and information on how to pay, including Government loan schemes and our online calculator, visit our Fees, costs and scholarships page.

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