Home

Architectural Computation MRes

London, Bloomsbury

Architectural Computation MRes offers a self-directed route, which concentrates on research skills, for those intending to take a doctoral degree or those looking to take their existing architecture and computing experience to a higher level. The programme can be taken alone or as the first year of Virtual Environments, Imaging and Visualisation (VEIV) EngD.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
£14,100
£7,050
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
£26,200
£13,100
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2023
Applications accepted
All applicants: 17 Oct 2022 – 30 Jun 2023
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

The normal minimum qualifications are an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Candidates are expected to have some basic computing experience.

Applicants with a lower standard of degree may be considered if the degree is in a subject appropriate to the programme and the applicant has considerable experience as a professional at a senior level. Please note that a special qualifying examination may be set. Details of this route can be obtained from the Built Environment Faculty Office. Please see contact details below.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

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. International Preparation Courses

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

If you are intending to apply for a time-limited visa to complete your UCL studies (e.g., Student visa, Skilled worker visa, PBS dependant visa etc.) you may be required to obtain ATAS clearance. This will be confirmed to you if you obtain an offer of a place.

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


On completion of the programme, students will be able to use computational techniques in architecture, understand and predict the consequences of their design actions through computational processes, integrate their predictions into the design process, and carry out self-sufficient research into new methods and processes.

Who this course is for

The programme is primarily intended for graduates and professionals with either intermediate or advanced programming skills who would like to specialise in research into parametric design, emergent architecture or interactive systems.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you


The Bartlett School of Architecture helps students to prepare for successful careers in a range of fields. We aim to be an exciting and innovative place to study architecture, located in the heart of London with global perspectives. Our students have the opportunity to develop their creativity, curiosity and dynamism, and learn the skills they need to build a better future for people and the planet. Our school is consistently ranked highly in UK and global league tables, and our staff are at the forefront of international research and teaching with award-winning buildings all over the globe.

The Bartlett is the UK's largest multidisciplinary Faculty of the Built Environment. Our work is all about human spaces. That means physical structures like homes, buildings and cities, but also the invisible structures that govern these things: political and legal systems; financial frameworks and social norms; even our understanding of the past, present and future. Combining design, history, theory, digital representations and models across all of these areas, we understand the structures shaping society today – and we work to make them fairer and more prosperous. The Bartlett is ranked #3 globally in the Built Environment and Architecture subject area (QS World University Ranking 2022), and our research is recognised as internationally leading (UK REF 2021).

Architectural Computation offers a unique perspective on the application of technology to the built environment. The programme team, drawn from the Space Syntax Laboratory - the originator of the discipline - comprises both architects and experts in artificial intelligence.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Our MRes concentrates on your research skills, offering a self-directed route if you are intending to undertake a doctoral degree or are looking to take your existing architecture and computing experience to a higher level. Alumni have joined (or founded) cutting-edge emerging digital design practices such as United Visual Artists and Moving Brands, or they have moved into academic research.

Employability

After completing the programme, many graduates go on to join leading architectural and engineering practices, either directly with design teams or with specialist modelling groups.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, workshops and seminars as well as individual and collaborative projects. Time is dedicated to studio sessions with experienced tutors who have a track record of research into architecture and computation. Assessment is through unseen examination, a 3,000-word term paper and project reports.

Modules

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MRes in Architectural Computation.

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Compulsory modules




Optional modules



Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MRes in Architectural Computation.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2023/24) £14,100 £7,050
Tuition fees (2023/24) £26,200 £13,100

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

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

All students are required to pay a fee deposit of £2,000 for this programme.

Depending on the destination, students pay a maximum of £500 towards an optional field trip, £250 of which is requested during induction week to secure a place on the field trip. The department offers an additional subsidy of £250 to all students. 

The BMade Workshop spaces are available for all students to use at 22 Gordon Street and Here East. In order to access the workshop space you are asked for a fully refundable deposit of £10 in cash for the compulsory use of an overall and bench space. There are also deposits and material costs depending on the type of equipment you wish to use.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

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

Any additional funding available from the and the Built Environment Faculty Office are advertised on the 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 Scholarship - Master's

Deadline: 31 May 2023
Value: Tuition fees plus £15,364 maintenance/yr (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Bartlett Promise Sub-Saharan Africa Masters Scholarship

Deadline: 31 March 2023
Value: Fees, stipend and other allowances (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Brown Family Bursary

Deadline: 8 June 2023
Value: £15,000 (1 year)
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.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Architectural Computation at graduate level
  • why you want to study Architectural Computation at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

We recommend that you apply for a maximum of two programmes. Multiple applications are less likely to result in an offer of admission.

Tier 4 Student Visa holders are advised to meet the English language proficiency of their offer no later than the end of June, in order to allow sufficient time to obtain a CAS number and visa.

To accept your offer, you must pay the non-refundable fee deposit within 4 weeks and decline any other offers for programmes at the Bartlett School of Architecture. If you do not respond within 3 weeks, your offer will be withdrawn.

Please include an outline of your planned research with your application. This may be included within your personal statement, or as a separate document.

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.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2023-2024

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Bartlett School of Architecture
Bartlett School of Architecture

p.morel@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.