Cardiff University Architecture
Please note that this course is currently under review. Therefore the information shown is subject to change and indicative only. The review is expected to be completed by February 2017. This page will be updated after that date and will then represent the basis on which the University intends to deliver the course
The BSc/MArch is a unique degree scheme, as following completion of the 3 year BSc the first year of the MArch is spent predominantly in architectural practice.
Students at work in the studio
The Welsh School of Architecture (WSA) has a reputation for being one of the best in the UK. Our aim is to make the world a better place through contextually sensitive, sustainable and beautiful architecture.
Through our courses, we support our students to become well-rounded and capable individuals, by addressing the full range of skills required to be an architect. These include creative design, building construction and performance, environmental design, issues of sustainability, matters of professional responsibility and the duties of an architect, and an understanding of the historical and cultural contexts of architecture and urban design.
The BSc/MArch is a unique degree course as, after successful completion of the three-year BSc (or equivalent qualification from another university), students will spend most of the first year of the MArch in architectural practice. This is followed by a single, final year based in the school.
Part 1 and Part 2 of the UK professional qualification for architects are fulfilled by the BSc and MArch degrees, respectively. Both degrees are approved by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Architects Registration Board (ARB).
Most of your time on these courses is spent in the design studio, working on architectural design projects that grow in scale and complexity as you progress through them. Many of the skills mentioned above are developed through and integrated into design. We offer a range of working spaces, workshops and computer aided design facilities to support this.
You will be taught both by permanent academic staff and tutors from local and leading UK practices, providing an exciting mix of design approaches and experiences. As the leading school of architecture in Wales, we have good links with the Welsh Government, construction industry bodies and professional practice locally, and we also have strong international links.
Distinctive features
The distinctive features of the course include:
- The Welsh School of Architecture is consistently placed among the top-ranked architecture schools in the UK on the basis of its teaching and research as noted in league tables and the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014.
- Our Architecture BSc is a three-year degree course in its own right, but can lead on to the two-year MArch course and eventual qualification as an architect, following completion of the Part 3 programme (Diploma/MA in Architecture: Professional Studies).
- Two-thirds of the BSc course is currently based on project work in the studio.
- We currently run study visits to architectural sites in the UK and overseas as a regular feature of the BSc course, and MArch units are regularly based in Europe.
- During the first year of the MArch course students are based in an architectural practice, undertaking a combination of practical and academic work.
We have large studio spaces, a media lab, and a fantastic library, plus for designing models we have a workshop and digital fabrication lab. I intend to become a qualified architect and feel strongly about the role that architecture can play in addressing poverty.
Tom Woodward 1st Year UndergraduateKey facts
| UCAS Code | K100 |
|---|---|
| 5 years | |
| Mode | Full time with sandwich year |
| Accreditations | |
| Typical places available | The School typically has approx 70 places available. |
| Typical applications received | The School typically receives approx 600 applications. |
| Typical A level offer | AAA. We prefer a good academic base with a balance of skills in visual arts, sciences and writing.
General Studies, Critical Thinking and PE are not considered. |
| Typical Welsh Baccalaureate offer | WBQ core at Grade A plus AA from 2 A-levels indicating a balance of skills. |
| Typical International Baccalaureate offer | 36 points from a good academic combination of subjects. |
| Other qualifications | |
| Admissions tutor(s) |
The BSc is a three-year full-time modular course. Core modules vary in size from 10 to 70 credits. You need to earn 120 credits a year.
The MArch is a two-year second degree. The first year is spent mainly in architectural practice. It includes short courses in the School and a modular structure of associated coursework. The second year is taught in the School and is, again, modular, involving a major Design Thesis and a Dissertation.