Landscape Architecture with a Foundation Year - BA (Hons)

Program Overview

Landscape Architecture with a Foundation Year - BA (Hons)

Overview

Landscape Architecture is the design of external spaces, as a combination of art, utility and natural systems. You could design parks, play areas, green spaces, a town square - or even a city! The role of a Landscape Architect is to design spaces that are suitable and inclusive for the user, so if you have ideas how to make the world around you a better place, this is something you can explore through this Landscape Architecture course.

Why Choose Us?

• The course is fully recognised and accredited by the Landscape Institute, allowing you to work towards full UK chartered membership.
• You’ll gain real industry experience, working on a wide range of briefs, from broad strategic scale, down to detailed design for construction.
• Our connections with the region’s best landscape architecture practices give you unrivalled work experience while studying and helps you secure employment after graduation.
• 91 per cent of leavers from the College were in employment or further study, according to a recent survey.
• The College of Architecture is highly respected and has a rich history of providing education and opportunities. It celebrated its centenary in 2009.
• Two-thirds of the impact of our research was judged to be very considerable (3) or outstanding (4) - REF2021

What's Covered in This Course?

Covering all aspects of landscape architecture, our course is fully recognised and accredited by the Landscape Institute (LI) and supported by a leading design team in its field.

You’ll work in a design studio culture, which mimics real-world creative practice for landscape architects and prepares you for your future career.

Experience on live local sites and project briefs in landscape studios will develop your design creativity and hone your professional practice skills. Placements and competitions will give you fantastic opportunities. There are also chances to compete for industry connected awards.

You’ll have the chance to be part of collaborative architecture and design initiatives within Architecture that give you the chance to work on a diverse variety of live projects. Past examples include: explorations in timber construction in the Wyre Forest, communicating with the public about what they really want from design for Stirchley High Street in Birmingham and implementation of a viewing structure to observe wetland ecology at Henbury Ponds.

You’ll also have the opportunity to attend lectures and take part in workshops from a large variety of international and award winning professionals. Previous guest speakers have included Martha Schwartz, Andrew Grant, Andrew Wilson, Jeppe Aagard Anderson, Neil Porter, Chris Beardshaw and Kim Wilkie.

You’ll be based in our multi-million pound City Centre Campus within our Parkside Building, where you will have access to digital studios and 3D design workshops. The proximity of the newly built Eastside Park provides inspiration to your studies, introducing a strong example of contemporary civic space and park design.

Entry Requirements

Essential Requirements

• 80 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about UCAS Tariff points.
• GCSE and other level 2 requirements: This course does not require evidence of GCSE qualifications. Please see A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirements below.
• A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirements:
  • A Level / AS Level:
    • A Level: 80 UCAS Tariff points / CDD (or equivalent)
    • AS Level: Must be in a different subject to A Levels
    • A maximum of four subjects will be considered
  • Pearson BTEC (Diploma / Extended Diploma/ Extended Certificate):
    • 80 UCAS Tariff points
    • Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications
    • Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
  • T Level: Pass overall (C or above on the core) All subjects accepted but Design, Surveying and Planning preferred.
  • Access to HE Diploma: Pass with 60 credits, 45 credits at level 3 Accepted subjects: Construction, Planning, Built Environment subjects preferred but other subjects also considered
  • OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications: 80 UCAS Tariff points
  • NCFE CACHE Level 3 qualifications: 80 UCAS Tariff points
  • WJEC Level 3 qualifications:
    • 80 UCAS Tariff points
    • Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
  • Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers): Minimum of 80 UCAS Tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects
  • Scottish Higher / Advanced Higher: 80 UCAS Tariff points from three Advanced Highers (DDD) or two Advanced Highers (DD) plus two Highers (DD)
  • Welsh Baccalaureate: 80 UCAS Tariff points. Considered with three A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
  • UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma: Pass overall
  • Foundation Studies (Art and Design, and Art, Design and Media): Pass overall

International Qualifications

• International Baccalaureate Diploma: Obtain a minimum of 24 points overall
• EU / International students: Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In addition to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require IELTS 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in each band.

Fees & How to Apply

UK Students

• Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
• Award: BA (Hons)
• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Full Time
• Duration: 4 years
• Fees: £9,535 in 2025/26
• Apply via UCAS

International Students

• Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
• Award: BA (Hons)
• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Full Time
• Duration: 4 years
• Fees: £17,690 in 2025/26
• Apply Online

Course in Depth

Foundation Year

• The foundation year provides an opportunity to explore the exciting world of contemporary design through various scales and develop creative solutions, encapsulating Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Interior Architecture and Design, and Product and Furniture Design.
• It provides a supported learning environment to explore conceptual ideas through to detailed design, mapping and modelling and is assessed through mini design-focussed projects and a specialised final project in a chosen field.

Year One

• Laying the foundation for deeper understanding, this year covers a broad spread of study areas, moving seamlessly, connecting abstract design theory and consideration of global scale contexts, to micro-scale understanding of materials and technology.
• Through this process, you will gain an understanding of the scope, scale and connectivity of landscape architecture, its transformative abilities and power to help ensure a global human future.

Year Two

• You'll develop professional approaches to design and construction in your second year.
• You will develop connections between key design theories and real-world practice, through debate of current topics, placement study, collaborative projects (Co.LAB), and the exploration of two different multifaceted design processes.

Professional Placement Year

• In order to qualify for the awards with Professional Placement, a student must successfully complete all of the modules listed above as well as the following Level 5 module.
• Professional Placement (Optional) 120 credits

Year Three

• Through guided but self-directed investigations, you will define your own academic pathway.
• Built on research and led via creative but pragmatic exploration in design, you will successfully communicate connections between theory, contextual analysis, project brief, conceptual proposals, design development and design detail, to produce a broad-scale, multi-layered design project.

Employability

• You’ll have a sound knowledge of the physical, economic and social factors which influence contemporary built environment practice.
• You’ll also understand the professional, legal and institutional framework of landscape architecture.
• You’ll develop a comprehensive portfolio that shows employers a range of skills in design practice and academic study.
• Experience on live local sites with client-driven briefs in landscape studios will develop your design creativity and hone your professional practice skills.
• You’ll be skilled in the latest techniques, including rapid prototyping and 3D design.

Facilities & Staff

• When you join Birmingham City University, the first thing you will notice is the exceptional quality of our campuses. With an investment of over £400 million across our buildings and facilities, we are committed to giving you the very best learning environment to help shape your experience.
• You will be based in our multi-million pound Parkside building – a state of the art facility located within our City Centre Campus. Here you will have full access to our recently upgraded, high spec CAD (Computer-Aided-Design) workstations situated within our dedicated computer labs and open access areas. We also provide access to leading edge digital design software, enabling you to explore technical drawing, graphics, 3D modelling, visualization, animation, computation, simulation, and virtual reality.

Our Staff

• Lucas Hughes
  • Senior Tutor
  • Lucas encourages creative, design-led thinking from regional and city scale to construction details. A practising Urban Designer and Landscape Architect, with a PhD exploring Spatial Computing and Co-Urban Design, Lucas aims to bridge design, planning, politics and society with hands-on appreciation of physical and social built environment design.
• Eccles Ng
  • Course Director for BA Landscape Architecture and BA Landscape Architecture with Urban Design
  • With a diverse background in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and art, Eccles promotes a holistic, adaptable, and value-driven approach to education. He is dedicated to creating a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that equips students with the skills and confidence needed for both academic excellence and professional success.
• Dr Rasha Sayed Mahmoud
  • Flying Faculty for BIFCA and Link Tutor for BIFCA & SHAPE
  • Rasha has a PhD in environmental architecture design and urban planning, and has been in international private practice as a licensed professional architecture consultant for sixteen years. By 2017/2018, Rasha finished her program as a Visiting Scholar at MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology, urban planning department DUSP, sustainable...