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Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities MRes

London, Bloomsbury

Approach architecture and urban design through the prism of people and space with Space Syntax at The Bartlett School of Architecture. This research-focused Master's offers students the opportunity to develop their own research in the service of building a better built environment for society.

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

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor’s degree in a relevant design, engineering or scientific field or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, or a relevant postgraduate qualification or significant industrial experience.

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


Alongside initial training in space syntax research, students will be able to specialise in one of several streams: buildings and organisations; urban, suburban, planned and unplanned settlements; spatial modelling and evidence-based architectural and urban design. If desired, students will be able to develop a research project relevant to the research interests of their company or practice.

Who this course is for

The programme is designed to appeal to a wide range of applicants, but particularly to those intending to undertake extensive applied or academic research (e.g. a PhD), or to mid-career professionals who are either seeking new directions or wishing to take a year out from a related industry.

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

What this course will give you

Students on this programme will benefit from teaching from The Bartlett's Space Syntax Laboratory, one of the world's leading architectural/urban research groups and from Space Syntax Limited, an architectural and urban design consultancy that applies space syntax theories and methods in practice on internationally renowned projects.

This programme helps transform students careers by enhancing their fundamental knowledge, skills and capabilities of dealing with the built environment, making them highly employable for the institutions and companies that need world-class thinkers, designers, and researchers.

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

This programme enhances students' abilities in the fields of evidence-based architectural and urban design, strategic planning and design, urban regeneration, architectural and urban morphology, spatial and network analysis, future and smart cities, and transport planning. Graduates can be involved in both professional and academic activities. For those who go into practice, the programme is cutting-edge in evidence-informed and research-based design; graduates who choose an academic path will have the advanced knowledge and skills required for high-level academic posts. In reality, many graduates will be selected for jobs that bridge the two areas.

Employability

Some graduates of the programme will enter the specialism for the first time. Others will return to their workplace with fresh focus or may specialise in the burgeoning spheres of expertise that this research field has recently developed.

First destinations of recent graduates of this programme include roles with leading architecture and design practices, as well as various academic or research positions at prestigious international universities or research centres.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of seminars, lectures, tutorials, field work, independent project work and workshops. Assessment is through coursework, written and take-home examinations, projects, dissertation and presentation.

Modules

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 Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities.

Fieldwork

There is an optional annual field trip as part of this programme.

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.

The annual field trip is subsidised by the school and costs students a maximum of £500. 

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

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

Any additional funding available from The Bartlett School of Architecture 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:

  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities
  • why you want to study Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities at graduate level
  • how competent you are in developing and undertaking research on major issues in the field of built environment
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree and how this programme meets these needs

Together with essential academic requirements, a brief research proposal and the personal statement are your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

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 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

k.karimi@ucl.ac.uk

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