Course summary

An innovative Master’s programme on architecture and design for enthusiastic students with an undergraduate degree in a creative discipline who wish to explore future opportunities in architecture, interior architecture, design, film and creative industries. COURSE CONTENT This is a personalised Master’s programme for engaged students who would like to make the most of their time at Queen’s. The work produced throughout the year will be a collaborative effort between you, your year group, our award-winning academics and practicing architects, designers and artists. Because this yearlong course does not require you to meet prescription for qualification, it encourages you to work both within and beyond the realm of conventional design practices. We would like you to push the boundaries of your imagination and the limits of architectural/design media, while working with other architects, designers, artists and filmmakers. You will work on modules including design, humanities and technology, questioning norms in art, design and architecture throughout. You will complete a major thesis project, the topic and methodology of which will be self-directed. You will be able to use the thesis to experiment with new ideas, technologies and media, and as a gateway to your future career goals. The course encourages lateral thinking, problem solving, creativity and engagement with design in a self-critical process. It will address issues as diverse as our survival on the planet and alternative ways of thinking about what architecture and design can be and do. WHAT WILL EXCITE YOU? Through design methods such as cinematic analysis, modelmaking, filmmaking, sketching, and photography, you will design projects from bottom up and focus on both tangible and intangible qualities of urban and architectural spaces. You will spend the year designing, collaborating and producing with people from around the world on our university campus that has celebrated its 175th year. Queen’s clubs, societies, and facilities including the new Student Union, Queen’s Sport and Queen’s Film Theatre will also provide excellent opportunities to make friends outside of your discipline. THE ENVIRONMENT You will be based in Belfast, a growing city known for its industrial design heritage on one hand and its vibrant arts culture and creative industries on the other. As stated in the Complete University Guide 2022: Belfast is one of Europe's most hip, vibrant and affordable cities, lauded for its energy, and rich in culture and history. Queen's stunning campus is within Belfast's Queen's Quarter, with cafés, bars, restaurants, superb shopping and entertainment venues. You will enjoy a healthy staff to student ratio, good studios where you will have your own space, a world-class library and excellent workshops for physical and digital manufacturing. ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION: Now, more than ever, our societies demand innovative designers and creative problem solvers to propose solutions to the challenges we face in a complex contemporary world - health and well-being, climate change, forced migration, public safety and increasing urbanisation, among others. Our school is renowned for award-winning, innovative research and teaching that is academically rigorous, critically informed, design-led and interdisciplinary. In all of this endeavour we seek to develop designers voice in addressing these challenges.