Urban Design MArch

London, Bloomsbury

Urban Design MArch is a design-oriented and project-based programme, with a strong research component. Students work within a studio environment to explore how our cities can be improved with innovative design, and informed by theoretical research on the special structure of urban form.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£18,400
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£39,800
Duration
1 calendar year
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 04 Apr 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class UK degree in an appropriate subject or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants with extensive experience in the field may also be considered. A design/creative portfolio is also expected. Applicants will be asked to submit a portfolio of their design work once their completed application has been received, and should not send or upload work until it has been requested.

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.

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

Urban design delves into the study of cities, examining their structure, form and essential nature, as well as the multifaceted creative challenges and opportunities presented by global urbanisation.

This distinctive design-led architectural master's course aims to bridge the gap between architecture and urbanism, emphasising physical design and radical experimentation alongside rigorous analysis and contemporary theories and methodologies. Students investigate design decisions both strategically and in the context of urban regeneration.

The Urban Design MArch unites designers and thinkers from around the globe for design-led research into the complexities of urban living. Through design experiments, students explore innovative ideas for cities, addressing urgent contemporary issues such as climate change and the impact of digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.

Students collaborate with internationally renowned experts in cutting-edge design, theory, and fabrication. They are encouraged to adopt an experimental approach that integrates design techniques, theoretical inquiries, and digital skills using advanced tools and technology. They also develop an awareness of computation as a cultural condition shaping our culture, and a powerful paradigm for generating design proposals.

Who this course is for

The programme is designed for both recent graduates and qualified professionals who wish to be part of an experimental design environment dealing with the future of our cities. The majority of candidates come from an architecture background, but a small percentage come from other disciplines including social sciences, planning, engineering and geography.

What this course will give you

Skills and understanding: Discover new design skills and techniques, and gain an understanding of the city as a place of human co-existence, so you can devise strategies and projects to guide its future development.

Collaboration: Work collaboratively to innovate and explore new ideas in design and theory.

Exciting and innovative studies: 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.  

State-of-the-art facilities: Have access to The Bartlett School of Architecture’s dedicated workshop, B-made, which provides students with access to state-of-the-art facilities and fabrication expertise.

Showcase your work: Have the opportunity to display your work in the annual Bartlett B-Pro Show – an incredible showcase of student projects. 

Top Ranked: For the second year in a row, The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment was ranked #1 in the world for ‘Architecture and Built Environment’ in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2024. We are also #1 in the UK for Architecture in The Guardian University Guide 2025.

Based in the heart of London: This programme is taught in the school's impressive Bloomsbury home - 22 Gordon Street. Students not only enjoy the school's studio spaces and culture, but also exceptional workshop and fabrication facilities. 

‘World leading’ research: The Bartlett School of Architecture is part of UCL’s Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, where 91% of research has been deemed ‘World Leading’ or ‘Internationally Excellent’ in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021). The Bartlett is also ranked #1 for Research Power in the built environment.

Career Support: Studying at UCL provides students with access to a range of career services including networking events, career workshops, and internship opportunities.  

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

The foundation of your career

93.3% of Bartlett School of Architecture graduates were in work or further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes Surveys 2017-21).

Top industry sectors for Bartlett School of Architecture graduates in work are construction, built environment and property (68% of graduates); performance and creative arts (7%); academic research and higher education (6%) and technology (6%).

Bartlett School of Architecture graduates are working in 52 countries around the world.

Example jobs:

  • Architect
  • CAD, drawing and architectural technician
  • Chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultant
  • Programmers and software development professional
  • Higher education teaching professional
  • Civil engineer
  • Design occupations
  • Graphic and multimedia designer
  • Interior designer

Example employers:

  • Foster and Partners
  • Zaha Hadid Architects
  • Adjaye Associates Ltd
  • Aecom
  • Wright & Wright
  • AHMM
  • ARUP
  • Wilkinson Eyre Architects

Employability

The Bartlett School of Architecture is recognised as one of the world's leading schools of architecture and graduates from our Master's programmes are highly sought after. 

Networking

The Bartlett School of Architecture hosts numerous events throughout the year that feature industry guests and networking opportunities. These include lecture series, seminars, conferences, symposiums, book launches, and show launch events. 

Additionally, there are a broad range of university-wide career events to help current students and recent graduates develop their employability skills, explore different sectors, increase commercial awareness, build professional networks and more.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, case-study presentations, site visits and field trips.

As a project-orientated programme, all theoretical research work and experimental design exploration culminates in physical design propositions for specific design projects. Assessment is through design portfolio, essays, oral presentations and a written design report.

Across terms 1, 2 and 3 full-time students can typically expect an average of 10 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, introductory workshops, crits and tutorials. During the summer period students will be completing their own final projects, keeping contact with their design tutors where necessary.

The contact hours usually include a one-week field trip organised by individual studios.

Outside of directed teaching 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

The programme consists of four core modules (105 credits) and an urban design final project (75 credits).

Term 1 

Term 1 provides students with an introduction to key urban design theoretical concepts through Introduction to Urban Design Theory (BARC0084) and Urban Design Thesis Initial Projects (BARC0082), during which you confirm the subject of your thesis project and report, and then work in specialist teaching groups, known as Research Clusters.

Term 2

During term 2, students will have the opportunity of developing the theory which underpins their work. You will write an illustrated critical evaluation of an aspect or aspects of your final design project (Design Thesis Report (BARC0133)).

Term 3

In term 3, students take the Urban Design Thesis Final Project (BARC0083). This module aims to demonstrate design skills that develop through experimentation and speculative research in an original approach to urban 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 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 MArch in Urban Design.

Fieldwork

This programme includes one annual, optional field trip. 

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
Tuition fees (2025/26) £18,400
Tuition fees (2025/26) £39,800

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

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

There is an annual, optional field trip for this programme, which costs students a maximum of £500 each. We estimate that students spend between £300-£600 on specialist materials throughout the programme.

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. 

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

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

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

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

Bartlett Promise Sub-Saharan Africa Masters Scholarship

Deadline: 28 March 2025
Value: Fees, stipend and other allowances (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Bartlett Promise UK Master's Scholarship

Deadline: 31 May 2025
Value: Tuition fees plus £15,864 maintenance/yr (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on 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.

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

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Urban Design at graduate level
  • why you want to study Urban Design at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • what your intellectual ambitions are
  • your understanding of working practices in the field
  • your awareness of issues relating to the subject
  • 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.

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: 2025-2026

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.