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Bio-Integrated Design MSc

London, Bloomsbury and London, Hackney Wick (Here East)

Our habitat today is being fundamentally shaped by revolutions in biotechnology, computation and climate change. Bio-Integrated Design takes these life-changing phenomena as the foundation to explore radical, sophisticated, yet also critical, design solutions that will shape our future society.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
£16,100
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
£32,100
Duration
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2023
Applications accepted
All applicants: 17 Oct 2022 – 31 May 2023

Applications closed

Find similar courses still open

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class UK Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate subject or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants will also be asked to submit two short pieces of writing. Details on this will be provided once the completed application has been received by the department.

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.

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


Students will learn to complement scientific protocols with iterative design methods, using new modes of simulation and production. They will also learn how advances in the fields of life science and material science can be applied to create innovative environments.

Who this course is for

This programme is ideal for students from a scientific background, with an undergraduate degree in biology, biotechnology and synthetic biology; civil, biochemical and envrionmental engineering and material science. Students from other technical backgrounds who can demonstrate skills and experience from iGEM or biohacking are welcomed.

This programme is also open to students from architecture or other design backgrounds who can demonstrate a strong scientific ability, academically or professionally. 

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

What this course will give you

Bio-integrated Design MSc is a science-orientated programme, in which students undertake cutting-edge research, analysis and experimentation with new modes of architectural simulation and production. This programme is hosted by The Bartlett School of Architecture and co-directed by the Department of Biochemical Engineering, providing you with access to unique facilities for both design and scientific research.

The interdisciplinary nature of the degree merges a wide range of expertise, employing laboratory testing in biotechnology and synthetic biology; novel design as a research tool to encompass high-end computation and fabrication; multifunctional and bio-receptive materials; ecology and space

This programme is part of B-Pro or Bartlett Prospective, which groups together five of the architecture school's graduate programmes with a unique philosophy and shared approach to the future of design, architecture and the urban environment. Students studying Bio-integrated Design will participate in The Bartlett's annual B-Pro Show, an exhibition of student work in Bloomsbury attended by the industry and public alike each autumn. 

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).

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

The foundation of your career

The programme has been structured to empower students to develop specialist skills and a distinct design vision that merges expertise in biotechnology, design and engineering. You will be prepared for a broad scope of jobs in various industries, including the integration of teams in architecture and engineering offices. You will also be equipped to pursue research either in academia or industry. 

Employability

The Bartlett School of Architecture is one of the world's top-ranked architecture schools and our graduates enjoy excellent employment opportunities. 

Teaching and learning

This programme is taught through workshops, seminars and crits. The programme promotes learning via research and enquiry, in particular through iterative design, material studies and laboratory work. 

Assessment will be mainly via coursework, but also through on-going evaluation of transferable skills including presentations, crits, as well as work ethic in the lab and general teamwork. Your key assessed elements include design portfolios, physical prototyping, illustrated essays and reports, and final oral presentation. 

For year 1 students:
In terms 1 and 2 full-time students can typically expect between 15 to 20 contact hours per teaching week through lectures, workshops, Laboratory work and tutorials.
In term 3 students will be completing their own large project and keeping regular contact with their tutors.

For year 2 students:
In terms 1 and 2 full-time students can typically expect between 15 to 20 contact hours working towards their final project.

Outside of lectures full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

Modules

Students undertake modules to the value of 300 credits.

This programme consists of an intensely taught first year with six taught modules (180 credits) followed by two modules in year two, one of which is a comprehensive, integrated research project (90 credits). All modules are compulsory.

Upon successful completion of 300 credits, you will be awarded a MSc in Bio-Integrated Design.

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.

Year 1 Year 2

Compulsory modules








Compulsory 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 300 credits. Upon successful completion of 300 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Bio-Integrated Design.

Fieldwork

There is an annual, optional field trip for this programme, subsidised by the school. 

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
Tuition fees (2023/24) £16,100
Tuition fees (2023/24) £32,100

Full-time students undertake 180 credits in Year 1 and 120 credits in Year 2. As such, the fee in Year 1 will be £16,100 (UK) or £32,100 (Overseas) but the fee in Year 2 will be approximately two-thirds of the Year 1 fee (subject to UCL's annual fee increase). For Modular (Flexible) students, the full-time fee indicated will be pro-rated based on module selection.

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.

There is an optional field trip for this programme annually, which costs students a maximum of £500 each. Additionally, we estimate that students spend up to £1000 on books, specialist materials, prototypes and printing throughout the programme.

Architecture students can expect to incur additional costs as part of their programme; however, the school aims to minimise these where possible.

All students work differently so costs incurred depend on the approach they take to the brief given. The school encourages students to use recycled materials in their models and presentations, not only is it sustainable, but also cost effective and potentially innovative. The school also offers subsidies for exhibition costs. 

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

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

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Bio-Integrated Design at graduate level
  • why you want to study Bio-Integrated Design at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic 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 6 weeks and decline any other offers for programmes at the Bartlett School of Architecture. If you do not respond within 6 weeks, your offer will be withdrawn.

Please note that the School of Architecture does not allow deferred entry to any of its postgraduate programmes. If you have an offer of admission but cannot take it up, you will not be able to defer it and will have to apply again for entry the following year. 

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.

Got questions? Get in touch

Bartlett School of Architecture
Bartlett School of Architecture

shneel.malik@ucl.ac.uk

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