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Architectural Practice MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

This is the programme information for 2025 entry

If you require details of the previous year's programme, Architectural Practice MPhil/PhD (2024), click here

UK students International students

Study mode

UK tuition fees (2025/26)

£6,215

£3,105

Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)

£29,800

£14,900

Duration

3 calendar years

5 calendar years

Programme starts

October 2025

February 2026

May 2026

Applications accepted

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but should be submitted at least three months prior to your preferred start date.

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, in a relevant subject, is essential. Exceptionally: where applicants have other suitable research or professional experience, they may be admitted without a Master's degree; or where applicants have a lower second-class UK Honours Bachelor's degree (2:2) (or equivalent) they must possess a relevant Master's degree to be admitted. We expect any successful application to include a sufficiently strong and convincing proposal, and those holding a Master's degree are typically well prepared to provide one. Relevant work experience is highly desirable.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This doctoral programme promotes architectural research by integrating design work with written analysis of real-world projects that candidates are actively involved in through their professional practice. It can be studied full-time or part-time, depending upon individual circumstances, and the supervisory team will include a subsidiary supervisor who is a noted practitioner within the field.

Throughout the programme students develop a thesis, consisting of design projects and a text, sharing a research theme. The research investigations for the applied projects may be drawn, filmed, built, or made using whatever media is appropriate. However, the key requirement in this MPhil/PhD programme is that the research work needs to be carried out on projects that have been completely built or are in the process of being built.

Who this course is for

Students are expected to be independent thinkers, in order to make an original contribution to knowledge and expand the disciplinary discourse in their field of inquiry. They should be reflective within the shifting boundaries of their discipline and the rapidly changing nature of the architectural profession, and aware of how these are affected by societal and institutional challenges. The research proposal is crucial to our decision on your application since it demonstrates your ability to identify and articulate an independent line of research inquiry.

Read about what it takes to become a UCL graduate research student

What this course will give you

The Bartlett School of Architecture is a multi-disciplinary department with researchers active in architectural design, history, theory, practice, computation and space syntax, who bring together approaches from the arts, humanities, social sciences and engineering to the study of architecture.

91% of research at The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment has been deemed ‘World Leading’ and ‘Internationally Excellent’, and the faculty is number one for Research Power in the built environment (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

Find out more about the benefits of studying at The Bartlett.

Find out how your research could have an impact

The foundation of your career

As one of the world's top-ranked architecture schools, the intention is that upon completion of their PhDs, candidates can become even more ambitious and successful in their future professional careers, as well as have access to potential future roles within academia.

Employability

The programme differs from other doctoral programmes at The Bartlett School of Architecture in that candidates will already be employed either in their own practice or else working for another firm.

As a leading architecture school globally, the aim is for PhD candidates to further enhance their ambition and success in their future professional careers upon completion of their degrees.

Networking

The school offers students numerous opportunities for networking with the professional community. Engagement with practising planners on taught programmes is reinforced through contact with visiting speakers in our extensive seminar series. Careers events are attended both by past alumni who have become successful architects and by employers seeking expertise within our student body.

Teaching and learning

Supervised by both a Principal and Subsidiary supervisor, candidates pursue their own independent design research investigations based upon themes and issues that they have identified through their professional practice.

Architectural Practice thesis submissions combine a design project(s) and a text of around 60,000 words.

A typical full-time PhD student is expected to spend the equivalent of a full-time job (approximately 36.5 hours per week) working on their PhD, although this can vary widely, with some periods of more intensive research.

Primarily, you are expected to conduct independent research, with guidance and supervision. The programme places emphasis on a close one-to-one working relationship between you and your supervisor. Your supervisor may suggest that you enrol in, or audit, an additional taught module. Taught models do not form part of your MPhil/PhD programme and so are not formally assessed.

Research areas and structure

Research areas

Design is the core activity of The Bartlett School of Architecture. Design research is the means by which we discover not only the world that exists, but the world that is possible in the future. It results in the completion of highly contextual and inventive buildings, many of which are distinguished with significant awards.

Structure

Architectural Practice thesis submissions combine a design project(s) and a text of around 60,000 words. Supervised by a principal and secondary supervisor, you will pursue your own independent design research investigations based upon themes and issues that you have identified through your professional practice. You will also have the option of auditing taught modules.

In your first year, you will be registered as an MPhil student and will then be expected to attempt upgrade within between nine and 18 months of registration. As a full-time candidate you will be expected to complete the PhD in three years, or as a part-time candidate you will be expected to completed your degree in five years.

Research environment

Supervised by both a Principal and Subsidiary Supervisor, candidates pursue their own independent design research investigations based upon themes and issues that they have identified through their professional practice.

Architectural Practice thesis submissions combine a design project(s) and a text of around 60,000 words.

Your Principal Supervisor will establish a timetable of regular meetings with you at which all matters relating to you work can be discussed; such meetings should take place at least once per month.

: You will be expected to undertake independent research, with supervision and guidance, and normally are also expected to attend structured courses to learn about research methods in the field.
: You will be expected to undertake independent research, with supervision and guidance, and normally are also expected to attend structured courses to learn about research methods in the field.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time	Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26)	£6,215	£3,105
Tuition fees (2025/26)	£29,800	£14,900

Route code RRDBARSAPR01

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

As a research student, your additional costs may include expenses such as books, conference attendance and field research, in the UK or overseas.

The Built Environment Faculty Office provides financial support to students through the Bartlett Student Conference Fund, Bartlett Doctoral Initiative Fund, and Bartlett External Training Fund. However, please note that these funds are limited and available through competition.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

UCL offers a range of financial awards aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies.

In our faculty, The Bartlett Promise Scholarship aims to enable students from backgrounds underrepresented in the built environment to pursue PhD studies. Please see the UK PhD scholarship pages for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.

Any additional funding available from The Bartlett School of Architecture and the Built Environment Faculty Office are advertised on their respective websites.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

: Bartlett Promise PhD Scholarship

Deadline: 16 May 2025

Value: Full fees, plus £21,237 maintenance (Normal duration of programme)

Criteria Based on financial need

Eligibility: UK

UCL Research Opportunity Scholarship (ROS)

Deadline: 10 January 2025

Value: UK rate fees, a maintenance stipend, conference costs and professional development package (3 years)

Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need

Eligibility: UK

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

This programme requires two references. Further information regarding references can be found on this Selecting your references page.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Research Degree: Architectural Practice, Full-time

Research Degree: Architectural Practice, Part-time

Year of entry: 2024-2025