Overview

The Masters course at LSBU promotes a studio-based culture which encourages debate and enquiry about contemporary societies, the postmodern city, and relationships between urban and landscape conditions. You'll consider these through a range of innovative and personal responses to architectural design projects; environmental and constructional technologies; critical research expressed in extended, structured writing, and the skills needed to operate as a progressive professional practitioner.

This course will see you build on analytical design skills and professional competences established at undergraduate level, with a focus on innovation in design, construction, and resource efficient technology. Working in vertical design studios, you will develop an understanding of, and methods relevant to contemporary professional practice, together with an ability to produce complex and diverse design proposals.

When you graduate you’ll be ready to start your second stage of professional practical experience in an architect’s office before progressing to the RIBA part 3 professional practice course and examination.

Assessment

Lecture based modules are generally assessed by written and/or drawn submissions.

Employability

The course is well connected to key practices in London; many LSBU graduates also choose to work abroad. You may also use your qualifications outside architecture to enter careers such as journalism, project management, writing, teaching, research, or software and gaming design.

In addition to offering the university award of MArch: Master of Architecture (and RIBA part 2), the course is also a preparation for the second period of practical training. The first period of practical training is usually, but not exclusively, undertaken following completion of the first degree in architecture (RIBA part 1).

To be eligible for admission to the RIBA part 3 Professional Practice Examination, you must have successfully undertaken a recognised RIBA part 1 and part 2 qualification – and have completed a minimum of 24 months eligible practical training.

The Professional Practice and Design Economics module explains the need for a business-oriented and professional attitude to work, and emphasises the need for forward planning of projects.

Graduates from the Postgraduate Diploma in Architecture are employed at Foster and Partners, Niall McLaughlin Architects, Stanton Williams, Wilkinson Eyre, and Zaha Hadid Architects among many other globally recognised practices.

Placements

Although architecture graduates make their own arrangements for placements, the school is very often able to direct students to practices who are actively seeking staff. We benefit from the RIBA mentoring scheme, making us very well connected to local and regional practices.

Accreditation

The course is unconditionally validated by RIBA and offers the professional award of RIBA part 2 on successful completion. The regular validation cycle ensures that your work is carefully sampled by peer reviewers to ensure course content and outputs retain close relevance to professional practice. The course and qualification is also prescribed by the Architects Registration Board.