Engineering and Architecture MEngArch
Engineering and Architecture MEngArch brings together professional expertise in architectural design, civil engineering and building services engineering in one course. Developed in close collaboration with industry and academic experts, this five-year integrated degree prepares you to become a holistic design leader, able to respond to complex challenges in the built environment.
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Key information
Entry requirements
- Grades
- AAA
- Subjects
- No specific subjects, please note the GCSE Mathematics and Physics requirements below, if not offered at A level and a Comprehensive Portfolio of Creative Work required upon invitation, at application stage.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade C or 4 and Mathematics and Physics (or Double Award) at grade A or 7 if not offered at A level.
Contextual offer
- Grades
- ABB
- Subjects
- No specific subjects, please note the GCSE Mathematics and Physics requirements below, if not offered at A level and a Comprehensive Portfolio of Creative Work required upon invitation, at application stage.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade C or 4 and Mathematics and Physics (or Double Award) at grade A or 7 if not offered at A level.
At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- Points
- 38
- Subjects
- A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher-level score below 5. Physics and Mathematics (either Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches or Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation) must be offered at either higher or standard level. A Comprehensive Portfolio of Creative Work required upon invitation, at application stage.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 34
- Subjects
- A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher-level score below 5. Physics and Mathematics (either Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches or Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation) must be offered at either higher or standard level. A Comprehensive Portfolio of Creative Work required upon invitation, at application stage.
The English language level for this programme is: Level 1
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 and International Education.
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) - UCL's International Foundation Year - are for international students who have completed high school with a qualification UCL does not accept for undergraduate entry.
For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.
About this course
Engineering and Architecture MEngArch combines architectural design and creativity with technical skills and engineering knowledge. The course gives you practical know-how while nurturing your imagination, helping you design innovative, sustainable, ecological, ethical and socially responsible solutions for the built environment.
You spend most of your time in evolved design studios, known as innovation labs or units. These are led by three academic experts: in architecture, in structural engineering and environmental design. This collaborative approach helps you develop integrated design skills across architecture and engineering. In this innovation incubator you work through the full design process from drawing and modelling, to making, conceptualising, coding, testing, analysing and prototyping. Using specialist facilities and digital tools such as machine learning and GIS, you analyse structures, building physics, environmental performance, studying and designing with the behaviour of materials, structures, environments and people.
Whether you choose a career in architecture, engineering, another built environment profession, or elsewhere, this course is designed to align with the learning requirements and accreditation criteria of all four professional bodies: the Architecture Registration Board (ARB), the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). Accreditation for the new five-year course is being sought and is not yet confirmed.
If you successfully complete the first four years of the Engineering and Architecture MEngArch but choose not to continue to the final year, you will be eligible for a recognised interim qualification, the Engineering and Architectural Design MEng. The professional accreditation status of this interim qualification has not yet been confirmed and will depend on the outcome of the accreditation process with the relevant professional bodies.
This course is for you if are interested in architecture and engineering, and want to design better buildings, spaces and places. It brings together free creativity alongside cutting edge analysis, nurturing evidence-based approaches to design innovation. It synthesises subjects such as maths, physics, history, theory and art to encourage curiosity about how buildings work, look and breathe.
Course structure
The MEngArch course is a five-year integrated master’s, delivered across three departments: the UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering; Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering; and the host department, the Bartlett School of Architecture.
In Year 1, by taking five carefully tailored modules, you develop core mathematics, building physics and engineering knowledge alongside history, theory, practice and design principles in architecture and engineering. At least half of your time is spent in design studios, working individually and in small groups, guided in units with at least one architectural, one structural and one environmental design tutor contributing each week. This shared approach to teaching develops integrated design abilities to address future challenges of the built environment. The rest of your time is spent studying in lectures, seminars, workshops, guided walks and field trips, and self-studying the skills, knowledge and principles required by the accredited disciplines.
In the fourth and penultimate year, you develop your personal interests in architecture and engineering by selecting an optional module, writing a dissertation and producing an integrated design portfolio of cutting-edge, narrow and deep innovative design work.
In the final year, you further develop your niche with an elective module, alongside your co-disciplinary entrepreneurial skills in the professional practice module and innovative integrated design skills in your portfolio, focusing on creative design and construction.
Modules
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).
Please note that the list of compulsory modules given here is indicative. Up to 10 optional modules per year are displayed for this course: this may not be the full range of optional modules available for selection. 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. For more detail regarding module availability, please contact the department.
Compulsory modules
- History and Theory of Engineering and Architecture (BARC0005)
- Materials, Mechanics and Making (BARC0006)
- Building Physics and Sustainability (BARC0226)
- Design Practice 1 (BARC0243)
- Mathematical Modelling and Analysis 1 (ENGF0003)
Compulsory modules
- Mechanics of Buildings (BARC0149)
- Design Practice 3 (BARC0161)
- Professional Practice and Management (BARC0162)
- Making Regenerative Buildings (BARC0227)
- Sense, Sensing and Controls (BARC0168)
Compulsory modules
- Design Practice 4 (BARC0163)
- Engineering and Architecture Dissertation (BARC0170)
- Contextual Theory for Fire Safe Design (CEGE0133)
Optional modules
- Spatial Cultures (BARC0018)
- Introduction to Programming for Architecture and Design (BARC0035)
- Materialist Ecological Architecture Part 1 (BARC0046)
- Design for Manufacture: Contextual Theory (BARC0061)
- 3D Scanning for Urban Environments (BARC0187)
- Light, Lighting and Wellbeing in Buildings (BENV0030)
- Building Acoustics (BENV0033)
- Low Energy Housing Retrofit (BENV0039)
- Indoor Air Quality in Buildings (BENV0040)
- Multi Objective Design Optimisation (BENV0042)
Learning is predominantly design studio-based, supported by extensive use of fabrication workshops, engineering laboratories and London as a living lab. You also take part in lectures, seminars, tutorials, individual and group work, site visits, field trips, workshops, laboratories, design reviews, and e-learning.
You have the opportunity to undertake optional field trips in each year of study. In Year 1, you typically visit a UK sustainability centre. In Year 2, there is also a trip within the UK or to a nearby European destination. Year 3 and Year 4 field trips take place with your design unit and focus on site-specific global locations related to the unit brief. Alternatives are offered if you are unable to attend for any reason.
Assessment is through coursework submissions, including engineering and architectural design portfolios, built prototypes and written submissions. This is supplemented by formal examination, design reviews, studio and laboratory assessments, and e-assessments.
Students on the five-year MEngArch course spend at least half their time on individual design work, with approximately 14 hours per week in design studios, fabrication workshops and/or laboratories. A further 10–14 hours per week is spent in non-design classes, including lectures, seminars and tutorials, across the degree.
In Year 1, there are approximately 28 hours per week of structured classes, with around 12 hours of independent study. In Year 2, total structured class time is reduced to 24 hours per week. In Years 3, 4 and 5, structured teaching is approximately 20 hours per week, with up to 20 hours allocated to self-directed and independent study.
The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.
Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.
For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.
Fees and funding
| Study mode | UK fee (2026/27) | Overseas fee (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|
| Full time | £9,790 | £35,400 |
UK undergraduate fees for 2026/27 are subject to parliamentary approval and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases. Fees for 2027/28 entry will be published in August 2026.
International undergraduate students benefit from a cohort guarantee unless indicated below, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.
International fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2026/27 entrants.
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 estimated average cost for materials and study-related items, including laptop, portfolio of work and stationery, is £900 each year.
All students work differently, so costs incurred depend on the approach they take to the brief given, though students are encouraged to not go above the average but can be higher or lower. The school encourages students to re-use and recycle materials in their models and presentations – not only is it sustainable but also cost effective and potentially innovative. The school also offers subsidies for group projects, fieldtrips and summer exhibition costs.
The school will contribute a maximum of £250 towards the cost of the optional field trips. Students who choose to attend will need to pay an additional amount of up to £500 maximum.
For in-person teaching, 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 £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2026. 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. 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).
In our host faculty, The Bartlett Promise Scholarship aims to enable students from backgrounds underrepresented in the built environment to pursue undergraduate studies. Please see the UK Undergraduate Scholarship page for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.
Why study this course at UCL?
You study in a multi-disciplinary environment where architectural vision and engineering innovation meet. The course draws on the Bartlett School of Architecture’s forward-thinking approach to design, the UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering’s sustainability research expertise, and UCL Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering’s excellence in civil and structural engineering. UCL ranked #1 in the world for Built Environment studies (QS World University Ranking by Subject 2026).
You work in specialist facilities across UCL East and Bloomsbury. This includes Here East, a state-of-the-art 4,000 m² space for fabrication, experimentation, testing and study, with labs equipped with digital and analogue fabrication facilities, and UCL’s new multi-disciplinary Marshgate Building on the other side of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. These environments support hands-on exploration for you to build confidence in co-disciplinary making, analysis and experimentation, guided by academic experts and designers.
Your work is exhibited in our Bartlett Summer Show. This exhibition draws over 14,000 visitors from the built environment, the university community and the public, giving you the chance to showcase your work and connect with people shaping the field. Our digital exhibition expands the reach to a global audience.
London is shaped by engineering innovation and architectural experimentation, giving you a dynamic context to study how design and engineering shape the built environment. You can access libraries, archives, galleries and professional bodies across the city, supported by our partnerships with engineering and architectural practices. London is ranked the best city for students in the UK and Europe and third worldwide (QS Best Student Cities 2026).
What our academics say
Engineering & Architecture MEngArch is the new 5-year degree superseding the 4-year Engineering & Architectural Design MEng. You gain the skills and knowledge to become an architect, civil engineer and building service engineer in one, the power of 3-in-1.
Discover Uni
To see official information about this course and others visit Discover Uni.
What this course will give you
Our graduates are sought after across architecture, civil and building services engineering, as well as integrated practices that extend between and beyond the traditional professions. With three disciplines in one, they are true polymaths, offering great value to many organisations.
On the MEngArch, you learn to lead integrated design projects and develop innovative designs for the built environment. You build skills in digital modelling, simulation and prototyping, and resolve technical challenges using maths and computing, while communicating ethical and environmentally responsible proposals.
You strengthen professional skills through events run by UCL Careers, the Bartlett and UCL Engineering. An industry advisory board, with leaders from all three disciplines, meets termly with staff and students. These experiences support your development as a confident designer and engineer, ready to address built environment challenges.
You graduate prepared for careers in architecture, civil, structural and building services engineering, interdisciplinary design, and sustainability roles across the built environment.
From more than 200 graduates of this course’s predecessor, Engineering and Architectural Design MEng, approximately one third go into architecture, one third enter engineering-related professions, and one third work in integrated practices or other professions. Many graduates forge new professional paths, developing collaborative and co-disciplinary abilities to work in infrastructure projects, client bodies, big-tech and governance.
Employers include leading engineering and design organisations such as Arup, Buro Happold and WSP; major construction firms including Laing O’Rourke; architecture and design practices such as WilkinsonEyre, Zaha Hadid, Make, Haptic and AL_A; and global consultancies including CBRE and KPMG (Graduate Outcomes Survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of graduates in the 2021–23 cohorts). Others have used their degree as a foundation for further study.
What our alumni say
Engineering & Architectural Design MEng reaches into subjects far beyond my first impressions of architecture. There's space for everyone's interests to be nurtured – you just need to find your own balance within it.
Professional accreditation
The five-year Engineering and Architecture MEngArch replaces UCL’s established four-year MEng Engineering & Architectural Design, which has been running for nearly a decade and is fully accredited by Architects Registration Board (ARB – Part1), the Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineering (CIBSE), Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) and validation by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA – Part 1).
The five-year course is a revised and expanded version of UCL’s existing four-year course and is not yet accredited in its five-year form. UCL is currently seeking accreditation from the Architecture Registration Board (ARB Master’s Level Qualification), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA Part 1 & 2), the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). We will keep you informed of the accreditation status as the process progresses and before the course begins.
Please note that The Architects Registration Board (ARB) is changing the path to registration as an architect in the UK. Students are advised to monitor the ARB’s announcements for specific details and dates. If you have any questions about this, then please contact bartlett.ug-ead@ucl.ac.uk
Open days
Find out more about our in-person Open Days, online events and courses and subjects that interest you.
Register nowRegister your interest
Register your interest in undergraduate study and become part of the UCL community.
Register nowHow 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.
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.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
Apply for this course
You are applying for the Engineering and Architecture MEngArch course. For application guidance please visit Application guidelines.Course starts: September 2027
UCAS applications open for 2027 entry on 12 May 2026.
Got questions? Get in touch
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Bartlett School of Architecture
Click to email. bartlett.ug-ead@ucl.ac.ukUCL is regulated by the Office for Students.
