卡迪夫大學

Overview

This is a two-year programme that takes graduates to an advanced level of architectural design. It satisfies Part 2 of the UK professional qualification for architects, and is approved by the RIBA and the Architects Registration Board (ARB). At the Welsh School of Architecture, we provide a fully accredited route to becoming a professional architect in the UK. This MArch programme is the second stage (Part 2) of this route and is intended for those who wish to continue their education towards becoming a qualified architect. The course is approved by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Architects Registration Board (ARB). If you do not already have a Part 1 qualification, please take a look at our BSc Architectural Studies. Our MArch is a two year programme which is studied on a full-time basis. It is unique in that in the first year of study, you will predominantly be based in an architectural practice, undertaking a combination of practice-based and academic work. In your second year you will be based in the Welsh School of Architecture, Bute Building.

Learning and assessment

Throughout the course, we explore the full range of skills required to be an architect and enable you to develop your personal and professional experience. To prepare you for the demands of the architectural profession, we build on and extend your existing knowledge to include the design of more complex buildings and the demands of urban design. We also study the professional and legal aspects of an architect’s work. We also encourage you to pursue knowledge in a specialist area through a written dissertation project. The methods of teaching we employ will vary from module to module, as appropriate depending on the subject matter and the method of assessment. We teach using a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, study visits, project work, and group tutorials. In lectures and workshops we aim to make appropriate use of audio-visual support to aid learning and development of subject-specific skills. You will be given access to relevant teaching materials through the University’s virtual learning environment, Learning Central. Taught and project-based modules are assessed in a variety of different ways depending on the module content and learning outcomes (found in the module descriptions). We use class tests, course work (both written assignments and oral presentations or critical assessments/crits), and project work, or a combination of these to assess your progress on the module. You will also be assessed on a dissertation project, which you will complete in year two. The dissertation is a written report on a piece of research which you have carried out in an agreed subject area under supervision.

Career prospects

The majority of our graduates proceed to a career in architectural practice, and are found in many of the top practices in the UK and across the world. However, career paths for our graduates also include urban design, teaching and research as well as architectural practice. Other employers of our graduates include architects’ practices, building energy consultants, town planning departments, construction companies and some universities. Some graduates proceed to higher research degrees such as MPhils or PhDs. After completing our MArch in Architecture and gaining further experience in practice, you may wish to undertake a Part 3 qualification [link to PGDip/MA in Professional Studies if possible], successful completion of which will enable you to register with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and therefore use the title ‘architect’ in the UK.