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Architecture BA (Hons)

Length:

3 or 4 year options

UCAS Code:

K100 (3 Year)
K101 (4 Year)

Institution Code:

N39

Optional Diploma Years:

Creative Professional Development (1 year, Level 5 diploma), or Creative Computing (1 year, Level 5 diploma), available between years 2 & 3

Push the boundaries of how we think about people, culture and the environment to create innovative and responsible design.

BA (Hons) Architecture is your first step towards a successful career as a registered architect or in a related profession. The programme is organised in four streams: design studio, technology and environment, cultural context and professional studies, to equip you with the real-world skills and critical understanding to develop new forms of architectural practice.

Accredited by:

ARB

See additional information

Why Study with us

  • You’ll share studio and workshop spaces with our Interior Design
    course ensuring students benefit from a lively and vibrant studio culture that mirrors the workplace.
  • Become part of the next generation of architects and creatives; help shape the physical environment by creating meaningful and inspiring structures, which enhance the experience and improve the quality of life of their users.
  • Obtain a keen sense of space, explore architecture as a catalyst of spatial transformation and develop the sensibility to understand how people interact with their surroundings.
  • Discover how tangible and intangible aspects of architecture are visually and verbally studied, modelled, communicated, appreciated and critically appraised.
  • Develop the ability to think critically and find creative solutions in various fields including and beyond architecture. Learn through the interdisciplinary collaborations and the cultural and creative challenges provided by a specialist creative arts university.
  • Create concepts of exciting spaces and buildings of different scales; contribute to the creation of structures that integrate structural, environmental and material considerations and promote well-being, social interaction and sustainability.
  • Address global challenges and environmental emergency, exploring how they affect regional issues such as coastal architecture, modern vernacular design, new sustainable materials, and conservation and rehabilitation projects.

Architects’ Journal Student Prize 2024

Two students selected for the AJ Student Prize by the Department of Architecture and Interior Design

Course Content

Year 1

  • Explore the fundamentals of design and construction utilising a variety of drawing, photographic and modelling techniques
  • Examine the cultural contexts of historical and contemporary architecture using the local environment as a rich source of research
  • Integrate structural, environmental and material considerations into your design strategies
  • Establish a solid grounding in research techniques as a basis for your practice.

Year 2

  • Develop and refine your propositions through increasingly complex design briefs
  • Study user needs in relation to the aesthetic and technical requirements of a built environment
  • Explore structural and environmental design considerations
  • Investigate a range of research, critical and conceptual tools for project development and planning
  • Examine the social context of architecture, drawing on theories from other disciplines such as philosophy, cultural geography and fine arts.

Year 3

  • Undertake complex analyses of specific urban environments to formulate proposals for regeneration and development
  • Apply your creative vision and applied knowledge to a large scale architectural proposal and Research Report
  • Consolidate your work into a collaborative visual display and comprehensive portfolio as a basis for representing and promoting your practice.

Additional Information

Becoming a qualified architect typically involves five years of university study and at least two years of practical experience, followed by a final examination. Many graduates choose to continue their education with our Master of Architecture (MArch) program, which is acknowledged as a Part 2 qualification by the Architects Registration Board (ARB).

The ARB is revising its requirements for registration, intending to remove from its requirements the award of an undergraduate qualification in architecture by 31st December 2027.

Our BA (Hons) Architecture degree is approved by the ARB as a Part 1 qualification, which is currently a prerequisite for registration as an architect in the UK.

Students entering our BA (Hons) Architecture course in September 2024 who extend their studies by an additional year will graduate in June 2028, after the proposed end date for the ARB’s Part 1. Consequently, their degree will not be ARB-prescribed. This change will not impact any students’ ability to complete qualification as a UK registered architect, as the ARB will continue to accredit qualifications at the master’s level only.

Careers Information

By the end of your degree, you’ll have gained a set of transposable skills to meet or exceed the assessed benchmark requirements for ARB Part 2 qualification (Masters).

Our close links to the profession will give you the chance to meet and learn from our regional partners, including Feilden+Mawson, Purcell, LSI Architects, Hamson Barron Smith and Hudson Architects. Architecture graduates have been selected for RIBA East Awards, the TRADA University Challenge and the Design and Craftsmanship Awards.

Typical career paths include

  • Architect
  • Architectural assistant
  • Designer
  • Project manager
  • Site manager
  • Surveyor
  • Architectural technician
  • Consultant
  • CAD renderer
  • Product designer 
  • Town planner
  • Architectural historian
  • Conservationist 
  • Environmental consultant
  • Architectural curator
  • Model maker
  • Landscape designer
  • Architecture journalist

You’ll also get specialist creative careers advice from our Business and Employability Team to help support you as you plan your career.

Theo Galvin

Tabbed Section

Typical UK offers

Candidates should have achieved GCSE passes at Grade 5 or above in English, Maths and a Science subject.

A / AS Levels – GCE
3 A-level qualifications at grades BBB. Where candidates are not taking 3 A-levels, Norwich University of the Arts will consider combinations of A-level/AS-level and other Level 3 qualifications.

BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction, Merit in an art, design or media related subject

BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction*, Distinction* in an art, design or media related subject

T Levels
A T Level in any subject with overall grade Merit or above

UAL Extended Diploma
Merit

UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Merit

UAL Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Merit

Access to Higher Education Diploma (Art and Design)
Pass

International Baccalaureate Diploma
A minimum of 27 points

Norwich welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds. Your application will be primarily assessed through your portfolio (if required), responses to questions asked and personal statement, so even if you have no formal qualifications or do not meet our typical offers it can still be worth applying.

If you are studying at the time of your application and your application is successful it is likely that you will receive a conditional offer.

If the qualification that you are studying is not shown, do not worry as we are able to accept other pre-entry qualifications as well as combinations of different qualifications. Please do contact our Student Recruitment Team if you have any queries.

International applications

We accept qualifications from all over the world. To find our entry requirements from a specific country, please check our dedicated international pages.

Most international students are required to hold an English language qualification. Applicants are required to have a minimum UKVI approved IELTS exam score of 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each section. Equivalent English language qualifications are acceptable such as, IB English language syllabus A or B/English Literature (Grade 4).

We also accept some alternative English qualifications. Learn more about our English entry requirements.

You can email us on international@norwichuni.ac.uk if you’d like to discuss your application individually.

BA (Hons) Architecture portfolio guidance

Portfolios should show examples of your work — both finished and work in progress — that demonstrate your interests and skills. Your portfolio should be made up of work that reflects your creativity, personal interests and influences, as well as demonstrating your technical skills and ability. It doesn’t have to be perfect as we can assess your potential from your work in progress.

Your portfolio should be relevant to this course, but you can include a wide range of work that shows your creativity, technical competence and understanding of space.

You may wish to include some of the following:

  • 2-Dimensional creative work such as drawings, sketches, collages, paintings, photographs or illustrations that demonstrate technical ability and creativity. Try to include a wide range of different media and show work which demonstrates a variety of skills such as observational, landscape, life, perspective, architectural and technical drawing; use of colour, form, scale, accuracy, composition and creative imagination in a mix of digital and hand rendered images
  • 3-Dimensional creative work (usually documented through good quality photographs). You may include models, product prototypes, artefacts, sculptures or installations that you have designed and constructed. Try to demonstrate your understanding of scale, form and structure through the work you include
  • Work created using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, CAD, Sketch Up or other architectural design software
  • Don’t be afraid to show us work that you don’t think was successful. Be prepared to tell us why, and talk about what you learned in the process.

Further portfolio advice and tips

Get more advice on presentation formats, layouts and when to submit your portfolio in the application process.

2024/25 University fees for new entrants

Norwich University of the Arts will assess students’ tuition fee status using the guidance provided by the UK Council for International Student Affairs

Students from the UK or Ireland and EU students with ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status will be charged ‘Home’ fees if they meet the relevant residency requirements.  They will usually be eligible for a tuition fee loan from the UK government, meaning that they won’t have to pay Norwich University of the Arts’ tuition fees upfront.

Students who do not meet the necessary residency requirements will usually be charged ‘Overseas’ fees and will not be eligible for the UK government tuition fee loan. Since 2021/22, this includes new entrants from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland who do not have ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status, because the UK has now formally left the EU.

Fee status Course Annual fee
Home Undergraduate degree (full-time three and four year degree) £9,250
Overseas Undergraduate degree (full-time three and four year degree) £18,000

Inflation in subsequent years

The rules for inflation on fees in subsequent years depend on the type of fee status and level.

  • For Home undergraduate students starting in 2024, inflation may be applied to your fees in later years, if the UK government were to increase the fee cap beyond the current limit of £9,250 per year. If such an increase were to apply, we would confirm this in advance to you of each academic year, and we would limit the increase to the maximum allowed by the Office for Students.
  • For Overseas undergraduate students starting in 2024, inflation will be applied to your fees in later years. We will confirm this in advance to you of each academic year, and we will limit the increase to no more than the Office for Students’ recommended inflationary measure, which is RPI-X. RPI-X is calculated by the Office for Budget Responsibility. In setting fees for the following year, we will use the Office for Budget Responsibility’s RPI-X forecast for quarter 3 of the relevant year.

For Home and overseas postgraduate degree students starting in 2024, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.

Financial support for UK students in 2024

Tuition fee loans and loans for living costs are usually available to UK and some EU students, as well as non-repayable Norwich University of the Arts bursaries based on family income. Find out more about applying for funding.

International students

We offer a range of scholarships for international students to support your studies with us.

Learning and teaching at Norwich is a blend of on-campus practical sessions in our studios, workshops and labs, live-streamed digital sessions, and pre-recorded digital materials you can use on-demand. We emphasise learning and discovery through studio and workshop practice, critical reflection and experimentation with ideas, processes and materials. Our approach reflects the mix of in-person and digital interaction that has become the way that creative industries work—helping to prepare students for their future careers. You will have many opportunities to broaden your skills and experience by attending talks and workshops, gaining new networks and by taking part in community projects, programmes and competitions. The course is taught through a mixture of learning and teaching methods including (but are not limited to):
  • Group briefings
  • Academic tutorials
  • Group tutorials
  • Lectures
  • Workshops
  • Critiques (crits)
  • Seminars
Find out more about Learning and Teaching at Norwich
Assessment is 100% coursework. Assessment is the process of evaluating or assessing your learning. Sometimes it will involve consideration of work in progress, while at others it concentrates on work which you have completed and submitted as assessment requirements for each unit of study. It consists of both formative and summative assessment. Formative assessment is the process whereby your work and progress are assessed at regular intervals with accompanying feedback from staff to help to improve your performance. Staff feedback provides students with guidance on their performance during each unit. Summative assessment occurs at the end of each module. A summative mark is awarded based on the evaluation of your work and given a mark. Summative assessment formally records your achievement of the unit’s learning outcomes. The University assesses you through the coursework that you produce as you complete each unit. Each unit will require that you present a portfolio of work which may include:
  • Finished pieces of work
  • Presentations
  • Written work
  • Your research
  • A reflective journal
Find out more about Assessment at Norwich

Work-based Learning Opportunities

Between Years 2 and 3 of this course, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake one of the following additional qualifications:

Creative Professional Development (1 year, Level 5 Diploma)

Our Creative Professional Development Diploma gives you the chance to spend a year exploring your post-uni job options through a structured programme of input sessions and work-based learning. This year offers two much-sought-after industry placements – the first lasting six weeks, the second 12 weeks, and a group project or ‘hackathon’ exploring freelancing and business start-up.

Creative Computing (1 year, Level 5 Diploma)

Our Creative Computing Diploma introduces you to coding and computational skills that will advance and complement your creative practice. No prior experience of coding is needed, just a curiosity about creative computing and a desire to push your own practice into new realms. You’ll also develop a wider knowledge of the creative tech industries, available roles and opportunities.

Integrated Foundation Year – BA (Hons) Architecture

An Integrated Foundation Year offers students a chance to build on their experience within their undergraduate course of choice.

An Integrated Foundation Year will help to build confidence and develop subject specific practical, creative and conceptual skills – making full use of University studios and workshops.

Typical UK offers and entry requirements for Integrated Foundation Year entry

GCE A/AS Levels
2 A-level qualifications at grades CC or higher. 

BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Merit, Merit, Pass in an art, design or media related subject

BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction, Merit in an art, design or media related subject

T Levels
Pass (D or E on the core)

UAL Extended Diploma
An overall Pass

UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
An overall Pass

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design 
Pass

Access to Higher Education Diploma (Art and Design)
Pass

International Baccalaureate Diploma
A minimum of 24 points

Norwich University of the Arts welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds. Your application will be primarily assessed through your portfolio, responses to questions asked and personal statement, so even if you have no formal qualifications or do not meet our typical offers it can still be worth applying.

If you are studying at the time of your application and your application is successful it is likely that you will receive a conditional offer.

Lecturers

William Burgess Associate Lecturer in Architecture and Interior Design
Eleni Soussoni Associate Lecturer in Architecture and Interior Design
Elin Lund Associate Lecturer in Architecture and Interior Design
Gaetano Drago Associate Lecturer in Architecture and Interior Design
Romanos Tsomos Associate Lecturer in Architecture and Interior Design
Anthony Hudson Visiting Professor
Gustavo Balbela de Azambuja Graduate Academic Assistant
Ke Bo Izac Tsai Associate Lecturer in Architecture and Interior Design
Neal Lewis Associate Lecturer in Interior Design
John Small Associate Lecturer in Interior Design

News

Our latest Instagram post from

@norwichuniarts

Norwich University of the Arts is proud to announce that it has been named the inaugural Arts University of the Year by the Daily Mail University Guide…
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Poster for HOME exhibition, hosted in Athens, Greece

Norwich University of the Arts Alumni curate international exhibition In association with the New York Times

HOME is a multimedia exhibition comprised of nine international artists, curated by Norwich University of the Arts Alumni Androulla Michael, and artist and curator Minnie Weisz at the Athens Democracy Forum.
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Body Matters AHRA International Conference

Thursday 21 November – Saturday 23 November 2024 The 21st Architectural Humanities Research Association International Conference is taking place at Norwich this November, with the theme ‘Body Matters’.
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A photo of an art installation from the project: Urbanity from the Ocean, called TRANSFORMATIVE COOPERATION. The image shows various red bricks and bamboo on a floor creating what looks like a path shape. There are white sheets hanging above the pieces on the floor that have been stained blue at the bottom. Finally, there are white pieces of fabric that look like screwed up pieces of paper hanging in the middle of the installation.

In conversation with

Theo Galvin is an Architecture MArch student who works towards a provocative experimental style of architectural design, related to socio-political issues, specifically around the topic of waste disposal, perception and reuse. Theo talks to us about his opportunity with The AA Taiwan School Fellowship Programme 2023: Urbanity from the Ocean.
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Need help? Chat to our friendly recruitment team

To book a place on an Open Day, or to find out more about how to apply for a course at Norwich University of the Arts, please give us a call.

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