Architecture BSc
London, Bloomsbury
Architecture BSc (2025)
Architecture BSc offers students a wide and diverse range of experiences so that they can develop an independent, creative, experimental and rigorous approach to design. Students are guided towards discovering their own architectural vision as well as working collaboratively within a vibrant and exciting culture.
Study mode
Duration
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
Programme starts
September 2024Application deadline
31 Jan 2024UCAS course code
Entry requirements
- Grades
- AAB
- Subjects
- No specific subjects. Comprehensive portfolio of creative work required upon invitation, at application stage. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 5.
Contextual offer information
- Grades
- BBB more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- No specific subjects. Comprehensive portfolio of creative work required upon invitation, at application stage. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 5.
- Points
- 36
- Subjects
- A total of 17 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5. No specific subjects are required but a comprehensive portfolio of creative work required upon invitation, at application stage.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 32 more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- A total of 15 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5. Comprehensive portfolio of creative work required upon invitation, at application stage
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units. Comprehensive portfolio of creative work required upon invitation, at application stage
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF) or BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (RQF - teaching from 2016) with Distinction, Distinction, Distinction. Comprehensive portfolio of creative work required upon invitation, at application stage
D3,D3,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. No specific subjects are required but Comprehensive portfolio of creative work required upon invitation, at application stage.
A,A,B at Advanced Highers (or A,A at Advanced Higher and B,B,B at Higher). No specific subjects are required but comprehensive portfolio of creative work required upon invitation, at application stage.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
UAL Level 3/Level 4 Extended Diploma in Art & Design with the final overall mark of Distinction. Comprehensive portfolio of creative work required upon invitation, at application stage.
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades AAB. No specific subjects are required but comprehensive portfolio of creative work required upon invitation, at application stage
International applications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
Access and widening participation
UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.
Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.
For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.
English language requirements
The English language level for this programme is: Level 1
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Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Course overview
Year 1 is centred on design studio projects which develop the central skills of observation, design process, critical thinking and representation, emphasising individual and collective expression of ideas through drawing, portfolio, modelling and 1:1 making. Year 1 initiates and introduces students to ideas of citizenship and the role of the architect within society.
This is complemented by lecture-led explorations of the history and theory of architecture, the making of cities and the built environment, the climate and technology, as well as a field trip in the second term.
In Years 2 and 3, design projects are developed in a studio environment by joining a Bartlett Design Unit. Design Units are communities of approximately fifteen students led by design tutors. Each design unit has a specific architectural agenda allowing you to develop personal architectural interests and to work with architecture in relation to subjects as diverse as craft, film, history, philosophy and science.
Alongside the design work in Year 2 and Year 3 students take core modules in technology, history and theory, and professional studies engaging their awareness to issues of climate, environment and spatial justice. Students also undertake field work and and an optional field trip in the second term.
What this course will give you
As an architecture student at The Bartlett, your time will be spent in both the studio and the workshop, with approximately 70% of the programme taught and assessed through your design portfolio. Design teaching is delivered by leading practitioners, specialists and academics in small groups or on a one-to-one tutorial basis with frequent review sessions
As well as the vocational preparation required to become an architect, this course also introduces you to the wider societal forces that affect architectural production, stressing the indivisibility of the architectural, cultural, professional and technological realms. Alongside design teaching, our students take core modules in technology, history and theory, and professional studies engaging their awareness to issues of climate, environment and spatial justice.
You'll choose one of our famous Design Units in Years 2 and 3, in which you'll develop your own unique project.
Teaching and learning
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BSc (Hons) in Architecture.
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 is 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.
Your learning
The programme is based in the studio and the majority is taught through individual design projects. Most of the design teaching is on a one-to-one or small group weekly tutorial basis with frequent review sessions with tutors, many of whom are also practicing architects. History and theory, professional studies and technology core modules support the design work and are taught in lectures, seminars and workshops.
Students have the opportunity to undertake an optional field trip, to inform and inspire their design projects through cultural visits and site-related work. The estimated cost of the trip is £600, depending on the destination. The maximum cost to the student is £350, with a £250 subsidy provided by the school.
Students on the BSc Architecture (ARB/RIBA) Part 1 programme will spend a varying amount of time in classes across the length of the degree. This equates to an average of 13 contact hours per week in year 1. This decreases to approximately 6 contact hours per week in the second year. In the final year of the programme, contact hours are around 5 hours per week, with students spending their remaining time working on their dissertations and finalist design work. UCL’s contact hours policy can be found here: Contact hours guidance | Teaching & Learning - UCL – University College London
Assessment
70% of the programme is taught through a series of design projects and assessed through the design portfolio. The history and theory, professional studies and technology modules are assessed through a combination of coursework, essays and examination.
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 team.
The foundation of your career
Our graduates have a good record of employment and destinations vary from internationally renowned offices to small-scale specialist practices. Increasingly, however, some architecture graduates are also using their highly transferable skills in other design-related disciplines, such as film-making, website design and furniture design.
Employability
Upon completion of the programme, students typically continue to proceed with their training to become Registered Architects by taking a year out in an architect's office in the UK or overseas and then applying for a two-year MArch or similar Postgraduate Degree in Architecture.
Accreditation
Successful completion of the Architecture BSc leads to exemption from Part 1 of the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) examinations.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2024/25) | £9,250 |
| Tuition fees (2024/25) | £31,100 |
The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2024/25 academic year. The UK fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2024/25 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.
Additional costs
The average cost for materials and study-related items, including end of year portfolios, is £750 in the first year and £1500 in the subsequent years of study.
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.
A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
Funding your studies
Funding may be available from The Bartlett School of Architecture or The Bartlett Faculty Office.
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
Scholarships
Funding opportunities relevant to the department may appear in this section when they are available. Please check carefully or confirm with the programme contact to ensure they apply to this degree programme and 2024/25 entry.
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Bartlett Promise Undergraduate Scholarship
Deadline: 5 July 2024Value: Tuition fees plus £15,364 maintenance/yr (Duration of programme)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: UK
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Next steps
How to apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
Once we have established that you meet (or are likely to meet) our entry requirements, we will contact you to request a digital portfolio of your design or creative work, giving you instructions on how to prepare this. Please do not send this unless requested to do so. This need not be included in your initial application. You may then be invited to interview. If so, this will be conducted online using Zoom.
Got questions? Get in touch
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