Course summary
An exciting, creative Master’s degree with accreditation from the ARB and RIBA, for students with a first degree in architecture who wish to progress their studies to final qualification as a practising architect. COURSE CONTENT Your focus will be to investigate the relationships between critical practice, design and research in the making of architectural proposals. The work produced throughout this two year Master’s is a collaborative effort between you, award winning practicing architects and our academic staff. Our studio is divided up into a number of thematic studio groups, each led by a pair of tutors. Each of the groups also feature an expert external ‘consultant’ who will contribute to teaching throughout the year. This course encourages lateral thinking, problem solving, creativity and engagement with issues in a self-critical design led process. It is broad in its engagement as is architecture addressing societal issues as diverse as our survival on the planet and local engagement with culture and craft - from the making of an entire city to the design of a door handle. Through exposing you to many ways of seeing the world as a designer, ultimately the master’s programme challenges you to define your own voice as an architect enabling you to be critically self-aware of your future practice. WHAT WILL EXCITE YOU? You’ll be engaging with real projects, real clients, local communities, international collaborators and conversing with renowned architects in the development of your own projects alongside embarking on worldwide field trips . Our students have gone to places such as Munich, Genoa, Barcelona, Istanbul and Oslo to look at how other cultures shape their built environment. THE ENVIRONMENT You will be based in Belfast, a textbook and laboratory for architecture. It is a city the size of a town, full of compelling history and steeped in traditions of craft and making. You’ll enjoy a healthy staff to student ratio, good studios, where you’ll each have your own space with excellent workshops and technicians to support you in developing your work. ACADEMIC LITERACY MODULE An optional, complementary module for non-native speakers of English. Designed to support English language and academic skills development with a focus on specific academic skills related to the students' area of study. PLEASE NOTE: Applications for this course received after 30th June 2024 may not be accepted. In addition, a deposit will be required to secure a place.
Modules
For more information, please see http://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-taught/architecture-march
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- Architects Registration Board
How to apply
International applicants
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in Speaking and Listening and a minimum of 5.5 in Reading and Writing, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last two years). International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes. For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs
Entry requirements
Applicants whose primary degree was awarded in the UK: 1. Normally a 2.1 Honours degree in Architecture from an approved RIBA/ARB Part 1 course in a recognised institution. Applicants with a degree in Architecture below 2.1 Honours standard will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 2. Normally an assessment of 60% or above in the final year major design project of their approved RIBA/ARB Part 1 course. 3. A demonstration of a critical awareness of the applicant's position relative to the profession and discipline of architecture. Such demonstration is typically (but not exclusively) achieved through experience in architectural practice in accordance with RIBA/ARB regulations for practical training. 4. Applicants will be asked to submit an architectural design portfolio to support their application and may also be invited for interview. Application Portfolio Requirement As part of the application process you are required to upload a single pdf portfolio of your best architectural design (personal, non-group) work to date. The pdf should be no more than 5MB and no more than 15 pages long. The purpose of the portfolio submission is to: 1. Identify indicators of commitment, excellence and achievement within the applicant’s academic or professional portfolio of experience. 2. Evaluate the applicant’s critical awareness of the discipline and profession of architecture. Applicants whose Primary Degree was awarded outside the UK: 1. A recognised qualification equivalent to a 2.1 Honours degree in Architecture. Applicants with a degree in Architecture below 2.1 Honours standard (or equivalent) will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 2. Normally an assessment equivalent to 60% or above in their (first degree) final year major design project. 3. A demonstration of a critical awareness of the applicant’s position relative to the profession and discipline of architecture. Such demonstration is typically in the form of a personal statement. 4. International applicants will be asked to submit an architectural design portfolio to support their application and may also be invited for interview. 5. International applicants should note that if they wish to undertake Part 3 (to lead to ARB registration as an architect and as an RIBA chartered architect) they must be successful in an application to ARB for their first architecture degree to be assessed by ARB as satisfying Part 1. Note: Applicants who have completed 1 year of MArch at another institution in the UK or ROI (recognised by the university), are eligible to apply for credit (maximum 120 credit points) for direct entry onto year 2 of the MArch. Applicants who wish to apply in this manner will be required to contact the Course Director with their expression of interest. These limits may be subject to School specific limitations and appropriate compatibility of the prior learning with the module/s for which exemption is sought and/or award applied for, which may have specific subject requirements. Further information can be found here: Procedures for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) | Academic & Student Affairs | Queen's University Belfast (qub.ac.uk).
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Sponsorship information
For more information on funding and scholarships for Postgraduate study, please see http://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/PostgraduateStudy/FundingandScholarships/
Provider information
Queen's University Belfast
University Road
Belfast
BT7 1NN