Program Overview

The BSc Hons Architectural Studies program at the University of Strathclyde is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in architecture, preparing them for a career in the field. The program is accredited by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Architects Registration Board (ARB).

Key Facts

• UCAS Code: K100
• Accreditation: Royal Institute of British Architects & Architects Registration Board, LAM/PAM
• Study abroad: Opportunity to study in Europe, Canada, South East Asia & South America (subject to Visa conditions)

Course Content

The program covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Design Studies: Students will engage in a series of design projects that explore the fundamental principles of architecture, from conceptualization to construction.
• Experiencing Architecture: A compulsory series of discussion sessions and workshops in communication skills and media.
• Cultural Studies: An introduction to the cultural context of architecture, encouraging students to develop confidence in observing and commenting on architecture of all periods.
• Technology Studies: An introduction to the building and environmental technology aspects of architectural design.

Year 1

• Design Studies 1A: Introduction to the architectural design process.
• Design Studies 1B: Investigation of the fundamental need of man “to shelter”.
• Design Studies 1C: Introduction to the challenges of designing to a brief within the context of the urban environment.
• Design Studies 1D: Engagement with real clients to develop a programmatic response.
• Experiencing Architecture 1: Communication skills and media.
• Cultural Studies 1: Overview of the cultural context of architecture.
• Technology Studies 1: Introduction to building structures, construction processes, and environmental responsibility.

Year 2

• Design Studies 2A: Investigation of what it means ‘to belong’ through a series of small projects.
• Design Studies 2B: Investigation of what it means “to gather”, understood as a basic human need.
• Design Studies 2C: Focus on the programmatic activity of what it means “to learn”.
• Experiencing Architecture 2: Continued development of communication skills and media.
• Cultural Studies 2: Introduction to key issues, historical movements, and events that shaped the modern built and cultural environment.
• Technology Studies 2: Expansion of knowledge in structural and construction systems.
• Elective Class: Choice of an elective class from the University Class Catalogue.

Year 3

• Design Studies 3A: Investigation into the nature of what it means to live and work in the urban realm.
• Design Studies 3B: Consideration of the architectural implications of what it means “to play”, as a collective cultural phenomenon.
• Cultural Studies 3: Critical evaluation of cultural theory and architectural history.
• Technology Studies 3: Detailed understanding of structural, construction, and environmental systems.
• Introduction to Practice: Introduction to the key features of the architectural profession and the construction industry.

Year 4

• Design Studies 4A: Focus on the design of a small programmatically complex, multi-functional urban building.
• Design Studies 4B: Focus on the design of a large programmatically simple, multi-functional urban building.
• Cultural Studies 4: Opportunity to define, explore, and articulate an area of investigation of own interest.
• Special Study Project 4: Individual project allowing students to further the aims and outcomes of one of the key areas of the syllabus.

Learning & Teaching

The program offers a variety of educational experiences, including:

• Design Studio: Weekly design tutorials taught by academics and professional architects and engineers.
• Study trips: Visits to architectural hotspots and less familiar sites.
• Site visits: Examination of architectural sites in urban and rural areas of Scotland.
• Live build: Hands-on build projects exploring construction techniques and material choice.
• Professional attributes: Development of skills in self-critique, confidence building, and independent learning.

Assessment

• Subject class assignments based on coursework.
• Design Studies: Periodic and final reviews of students’ project work.
• Cultural Studies: Written and graphical assignments.
• Technology Studies: Assignment and written examination.

ARB/RIBA Part 1: Portfolio

• The first three years of academic study carry the professional status of Part 1, ARB/RIBA accreditation/validation.
• Students are expected to present a complete digital academic portfolio at the end of the academic session.

Guest Lectures

• Senior students and staff run a program of guest lectures aligned to department themes and topics.
• Recent speakers include prominent architects, photographers, and professors.

Work Placement

• RIBA/ARB Stage 1 (Part 1) Training: Recommendation for students to undertake a year of professional work experience in an architectural practice after Year 3.
• International study: Opportunity to study abroad during Year 3 or Year 5, with agreements with 22 institutions across Europe, Canada, the Far East, and South America.

Entry Requirements

• Highers: AAAB (normally English B, Maths or Physics B, Art & Design/Graphic Communication/Design & Manufacture B).
• A Levels: ABB-BBB (Maths or Physics; GCSE Art & Design or Product Design 6/B, GCSE English Language 6/B or English Literature 6/B).
• International Baccalaureate: 34-32 (English HL5 and Maths HL5 or Physics HL5).
• HNC/HND: HND Architectural Technology; Interior Design; CAAD or 3D Design with AA Graded Units.
• International students: View the entry requirements for your country.

Fees & Funding

• Scotland: £1,820.
• England, Wales & Northern Ireland: £9,535.
• Republic of Ireland: If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status.
• International: £25,550.
• Placement year: To be confirmed.
• Additional costs: Course materials, placement & field trips, drawing materials, model making, miscellaneous costs.

Careers

• Career opportunities range from working in large multidisciplinary practices to smaller specialist firms.
• Many graduates are employed by highly respected practices throughout the world, while others have set up their own businesses.
• The broad-based nature of the degree program has allowed many recent graduates to explore varied career options in web design, architectural model making, theatre set design, and in computer games, film, and music industries.

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Outline:

• Year 1
• Design Studies 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D: The first design studio project will introduce you to the whole of the architectural design process: from conceptualisation and inception, through design development and resolution, to full size realisation and construction.
Subsequent projects will develop design methodologies to enable you to design your first building.
• Experiencing Architecture: a compulsory series of discussion seminars and communications skills workshops supporting the Design Studies programme
• Cultural Studies 1: we encourage you to develop confidence in observing and commenting on architecture of all periods, and to express yourself clearly and accurately in spoken and written communication
• Technology Studies 1: this class introduces you to areas such as building structures; construction processes; building physics; and sustainability and environmental responsibility and control
• Year 2
• Design Studies 2A, 2B, 2C: You'll work on a series of increasingly complex architectural projects set in a Scottish context, which are supported by the Experiencing Architecture 2 programme.
• Cultural Studies 2: you'll be introduced to some of the key issues, historical movements and events that have shaped and structured the modern built and cultural environment.
• Technology Studies 2: you'll have the chance to expand your knowledge of structural and construction systems and discover more about environmental engineering design skills
• Elective Class: in second-year, you'll choose an elective class from the University Class Catalogue
• Year 3
• Design Studies 3A, 3B: you'll undertake two projects in a dense urban context, the latter project being an undergraduate thesis.
• Cultural Studies 3: you'll undertake an evaluation of cultural theory and architectural history focusing on issues related to the modern movement in architecture
You'll complete a digital academic portfolio in line with the requirements of Part 1, ARB/RIBA professional accreditation
• Year 4
• You'll complete the Design Studies programme with classes 4A and 4B.
The Cultural Studies 4 class will assist you in producing your final-year dissertation, working on an area of your own interest. The Special Study Project 4 allows Architectural Studies students to further the aims and outcomes of one of the key areas of the syllabus. This project is intended to link between taught coursework and potential Masters’ projects.

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Assessment:

• Subject class assignments are based on coursework and for design studies there are both periodic (formative) reviews (student presentations) and final (summative) reviews of students’ project work, including:
• drawings
• models
• photos
• annotated sketches
• notes
• other outputs, individual and group projects
• Cultural Studies is examined through both written and graphical assignments.
• Technology Studies is examined through an assignment and a written examination.
• ARB/RIBA Part 1: Portfolio
• The first three years of academic study of the BSc in Architectural Studies, carries with it the professional status of Part 1, ARB/RIBA accreditation/validation.
All students are expected to present a complete digital academic portfolio at the end of the academic session.

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Teaching:

• In addition to classes, lectures and seminars, our teaching offers students a wide variety of educational experiences and unique development opportunities.
These include:
• Design Studio: design tutorials take place weekly.
You'll be taught by our academics and by professional architects and engineers from local practices
• Study trips: recent trips have been made to familiar architectural hotspots, including Barcelona, Rome, Paris and Venice.
We have also visited some less familiar sites, such as Gdansk (Poland), Toledo (Spain) and Monte Caruso (Italy)
• Site visits: you'll have the chance to visit architectural sites in both urban and rural areas of Scotland.
During these trips you'll examine, record, investigate and research the sites in response to a project brief
• Professional attributes: we help our students develop skills in self-critique, confidence building and independent learning.
We invite prominent experts to test students in an external examination interview process
• Transferable skills: these include verbal and visual presentation, group work, research methods, creativity and adaptability
• Clients and consultants: you'll gain skills in communication and networking by engaging with clients and consultants during project work.
The clients and consultants include architects, artists, conservation specialists, engineers, urban designers and planners, funders, suppliers and representatives from community groups and local authorities

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Careers:

• Career opportunities for Architectural Studies graduates range from working in large multidisciplinary practices to smaller specialist firms.
• Many of our graduates are employed by highly respected practices throughout the world, while others have set up their own businesses.
Graduates have also undertaken research roles in the energy and low carbon industries.
• Our department also has a growing reputation for developing entrepreneurial graduates, who go on to make their mark in the sector independently.
Practices such as:
• Page and Park
• Nord
• Collective
• Dress for the Weather
• Tog Studio
• Lateral North

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Other:

• The Strathclyde architecture school is really good.
The staff are brilliant, really helpful, very inspiring. They get you through and they make it enjoyable.
• Lewis Grant, student
• Glasgow is a very active city.
• Kristina Enberg
• Our students have been successful in winning many national and international competitions, including:
• ARCHIPRIX
• UrbanPromo
• Building Design ‘Top 6’ UK
• RIBA President's Medals
• APS
• the Royal Town Planning Institute
• A+DS
• SEDA
• They've also been selected to take part in prestigious International Architecture Biennale.
• Find out more about recent awards won by students.
• Students are supported in making entries in an extensive annual competition programme:
• the Glasgow Institute of Architects (GIA) recognises the talent of the future profession through awards and commendations across all years of study
• the Scottish Government's Policy on Architecture makes a firm commitment to student awards, jointly provided through the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) and Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS)
• as with the top national award from the Royal Institute of British Architects, The President's Medals, inclusion in publications and public exhibitions promotes work to a wide audience
• the City of Glasgow Eimear Kelt Silver Medal is awarded annually by a panel of professional judges on behalf of Glasgow City Council, to the best project by a student at the Department of Architecture

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Scotland

£1,820 Fees for students who meet the relevant residence requirements in Scotland are subject to confirmation by the Scottish Funding Council.

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England, Wales & Northern Ireland

£9,250 Assuming no change in fees policy over the period, the total amount payable by undergraduate students will be capped. For students commencing study in 2024/25, this is capped at £27,750 (with the exception of the MPharm and integrated Masters programmes), MPharm students pay £9,250 for each of the four years. Students studying on integrated Masters degree programmes pay an additional £9,250 for the Masters year with the exception of those undertaking a full-year industrial placement where a separate placement fee will apply.

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International

£23,200

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Overview:

• Founded in 1796 as Anderson's Institution
• Received its Royal Charter in 1964, becoming the University of Strathclyde
• Consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the UK for engineering and technology
• Home to the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC), a world-leading research center in metal forming
• Notable alumni include Sir James Black (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine), Sir David Murray (former CEO of Rangers Football Club), and Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell (astrophysicist)

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Student Life:

• Over 23,000 students from over 100 countries
• 150+ student clubs and societies, including sports teams, cultural groups, and academic societies
• Student support services include counseling, health, and disability support
• Campus facilities include a sports center, library, and student union

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Academics:

• Offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in engineering, science, business, law, and social sciences
• Faculty includes world-renowned experts in their fields
• Teaching methodologies emphasize hands-on learning and industry engagement
• Academic support services include tutoring, writing centers, and language support
• Unique academic programs include the Strathclyde MBA, which is ranked among the top 100 MBAs in the world

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Top Reasons to Study Here:

• Excellent reputation for teaching and research, particularly in engineering and technology
• Strong industry connections and opportunities for internships and placements
• Specialized facilities such as the AFRC and the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
• Vibrant student life with a diverse and inclusive community
• Located in the heart of Glasgow, a vibrant and cosmopolitan city

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Services:

• Counseling and mental health support
• Health center with a range of medical services
• Accommodation services with a variety of on-campus and off-campus options
• Library resources with over 1 million books and journals
• Technology support including IT services and free Wi-Fi
• Career development services with support for job searching, CV writing, and interview preparation