MArch in Architecture and Urbanism

University Of Hertfordshire

MArch in Architecture and Urbanism

  • Country United Kingdom
  • Course Duration 24 month
  • Course Type Full Time
  • Courses Campus On Campus
  • Language Specification IELTS
  • Program Level Post-Graduate
  • Education Required Undergraduate
  • Admission intake SEP
  • Minimum GPA 3.2
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Application Charges

Application Fee Tution Fee
Free GBP 15,295

Application Date

Application Start Date Application Closing Date
2023-02-01
2023-08-16

Program Description

Professional Accreditations

Master of Architecture & Urbanism meets the requirements of ARB (Architect’s Registration Board) and undergoes a regular formal review process to ensure the quality and relevance of the program.Completing an accredited degree means you enter the workforce with a stamp of quality on your CV. In a competitive market, an accredited degree is an assurance of quality to employers and an advantage for your career path. For us, it means we continually strive to improve the quality of the degree in order to retain accreditation. You’ll receive the most up-to-date and innovative educational experience with ongoing support throughout your studies.

About the course

Master of Architecture & Urbanism is grounded and future-focused, shaping students who care for people, place, materiality, and truth. If you’re motivated by social and ecological issues, this is the course for you. This programme enables students to explore potential as agents for change and challenges you to find an appropriate architecture that belongs.M.Arch is driven by architectural and urban future developments, from the Garden City Movement to Smart Cities to Resilient Communities. The programme not only takes ideas from an alternative future vision to the uncontrolled and unhealthy growth of cities in a harmonious environment but also its radically innovative social and economic model of sustainable growth, land ownership and local community creation. Our location provides a local lens where we examine global issues such as urbanisation, the state of regional towns and megacities, ecological architectures, the future of the housing industry, and the architectures of resource transition.This programme is designed to meet the needs of advanced graduates and young professionals aiming to become registered architects or urban designers.Students engage with design problems and challenges, considering scenarios past, present and future, learning to develop architectural processes and propositions that consider ecologies and environments for the benefit of human and non-human users. We’re focused on creating inquisitive, agile, and skilled graduates, confident in playing key roles in transforming the architectural field.

Why choose this course?

  • Accreditation: This programme has been prescribed qualification by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) Part II, for the purpose of Architects registration in the UK.
  • Workplace Mentorship: Mentoring in the workplace is an established partnership between the students at the University of Hertfordshire and selected RIBA Charted Architectural Practices. For students, this is an opportunity to spend an extended time away from the studio and enter the workplace to gain experience and insight into the profession, site visits, build your CV and access practical advice.
  • Strong Industry Connections: Benefit from our excellent links with a range of architectural practice including Zaha Hadid, Foster+Partners, DAAB Design, BDP,  Simon Knights Architects, Louis de Soissons, HolmesMiller, Labit, Seth White Architects, Pinchin Architects for talks, networking and work placement opportunities.
  • Dedicated academic and professional teaching staff who’ve won national and international teaching and design awards and have extensive experience around the world.
  • Access our fantastic facilities including Architecture Studio, Digital and 3D Workshop, and Computer Labs for 3D printing, rapid prototyping, laser cutters CNC machines, Apple Suite and ongoing support throughout the programme.
  • Student work is showcased and celebrated. 
  • Benefit from excellent student to teacher ratio with our small class sizes.

What will I study?

This programme focuses on developing urban design strategies and architectural typologies that respond to and address the changing social, environmental, economic, and the technological landscape across the UK housing industry. The M.Arch will enable students to gain a critical understanding of the environment where local communities operate physically, culturally and socially and develop a multi-layered urban and architectural strategies. By the end of the course, students will be familiar with the current debates surrounding resilient communities, sustainable growth, future, smart and digital cities, urban sprawl, Green Belts, infrastructure mobility and social diversity. The studio will engage students with critical thinking, collaborative work and constructive discussion, and students will be expected to demonstrate appropriate problem recognition, investigative, analytical, interpretative design and presentation skills.The M.Arch programme will also immerse students in the latest trends and advances of computational design, digital fabrication and research in Architecture which will support those students interested in pursuing the Research, Development and Innovation (R&D+i) avenue both in academic or in-practice setting.Study VisitsStudy visits are organised by the studios and may include project site visits, excursions to exhibitions, lectures, debates, cultural events, or meetings with professionals. At least one visit is organised each year within the School which is open to all courses and stages. In recent years, groups have travelled around the UK, to London and Liverpool, to European destinations including Barcelona and Paris, as well as further afield to New York.

Learn from Leading Industry and Academic Experts

The M.Arch programme has been designed to open up global opportunities for your career and your life! Students get a grounded, but future-focus curriculum; but in addition, they get to learn from industry experts. Industry experts are right inside the design studio – all of our design tutors have real-life work experience in their fields.This programme is designed to meet the needs of advanced graduates and young professionals aiming to become registered architects or urban designers.

Other Requirements

To access this Programme, applicants are normally expected to hold a minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree in Architecture or related discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification in Architecture or related discipline of an equivalent standard. Related disciplines include degrees in spatial design practices, history and theory, social and cultural studies, geography, human centre-design and building, construction and engineering.

Extra Notes


* NOTE : The Tuition Fee is subject to change Semester wise, as such for exact Tuition Fee kindly see the Website of the respective University.
* NOTE : Pathways : Students who want to pursue a Graduate Degree through a particular University but are unable to meet the university requirements for the GPA, GRE/GMAT or English Language scores, have to take up an additional academic and language support i.e. pathways in order to ensure the admit and study at the desired University.