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Postgraduate

M ARCH: Architecture

Colourful graphic drawing of building with people walking around
Image courtesy of UAL, Olivia Chester – Commons Ecologies
College
Central Saint Martins
Start date
September 2024
Course length
Two years (79 weeks)
Extended full-time

In a world where established customs, systems and structures are increasingly unstable, we need a different kind of architectural thinking.

Applying for more than 1 course

You can apply for more than 1 postgraduate course at UAL but we recommend that you apply for no more than 3. Find out more in the Apply Now section.

On M ARCH: Architecture, you will address the challenges of contemporary society through the built environment. This course is part of the Spatial Practices programme.

Why choose this course at Central Saint Martins

  • Part 2 qualification: The course provides you with the second degree in the professional pathway toward registration as an architect – commonly referred to as Part 2.
  • Professional practice: As part of your studies you are required to undertake 10 weeks of industry placement. This will give you the opportunity to engage with both existing forms of practice and to consider new ways of working.
  • Local and industry engagement: The course offers opportunities to work closely with communities, clients and social enterprise projects. This will allow you to consider new approaches to your role as an architect.
  • Collaboration: Working in teams and across disciplines is at the heart of the learning and teaching experience on M ARCH: Architecture.

Open days

There are currently no open days scheduled for this course, please check back at a later date.

Scholarships, bursaries and awards

Course overview

The accelerating impact of climate change and biodiversity loss dramatically question the established roles of the architect and architecture’s relationship with the economic, political and social systems within which it operates. These systems are often built upon continuous growth, demanding extractive and resource-depleting practices which enshrine social and environmental injustices further into the built environment. While the course provides you with the professional pathway toward registration as an architect, it also questions that professional role: how can we move from a position of complicity to one that actively helps to regenerate the environment?

Care and ethical awareness is a central concern of this course; it shapes the way we work and learn, emphasising positive social relations of support and collaboration. Care informs the way we articulate our roles as emerging spatial practitioners through empathy, allyship and dialogue. Care underpins the way in which we intervene in the world, using regenerative design methods to actively restore and renew the places and systems we impact upon.

M ARCH: Architecture breaks open dominant teaching practices in architectural education by creating dialogue between students and practitioner-educators. Our pedagogies centre on your lived experiences. The development of your subjectivity is foregrounded, which creates a more inclusive and safer space where issues such as race, gender, equity and intersectionality are discussed and can become central to design projects.

Through collaboration with local users and contexts, we aim to empower stakeholders (human and non-human) to become active agents in development. We collaborate with other disciplines in the College and external partners. The art school setting provides a rich and multi-disciplinary learning environment from supporting you to critically respond to these challenges through research, knowledge exchange and design interventions.

Course units

The increasing complexity of socio-economic, cultural and environmental issues requires architects to develop a broad skill set. This may be described as context-led – seeking solutions which address local issues arising from global agendas. Architects must move beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries to find innovative and sustainable design solutions. There is a growing need for contemporary design which focuses not only on "hard" infrastructure but also "soft". That is, not only buildings, transport and engineering but also systems of social networks, organisation and human/non-human interaction.

M ARCH: Architecture consists of six units, three of which are core design units as well as a dedicated construction unit and an elective unit which will allow you to sample the art and design school setting. These are combined with an industry-embedded placement giving you valuable industry experience. You will also be supported to plan, develop and complete a self-led major project, which will explore strong social, political and environmental engagement with the world. This may be facilitated through external partnerships and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Unit 1: Situated Modes of Engagement 

This unit will encourage you to experiment with multidisciplinary research and design approaches. You will develop situated research methodologies to expand and challenge the conventional role of the architect. The unit enables you to articulate your individual methods of working while situating your emerging practice in the extended field of Spatial Practices, focusing on the entanglement between decolonisation, anti-racism, climate/environmental justice and care. You will test and refine these approaches through critically-engaged design propositions.

Unit 2: Collaborative Practices for Common Good

This unit is sandwiched or nested within Unit 1, and addresses the theme of collaboration through co-operation with other postgraduate courses within the University. By working co-operatively with fellow students from parallel and contrasting courses, you will experience at first hand the value of cross-disciplinary thinking and problem-solving that is so central to the course.

Unit 3: Regenerative Construction 

This unit, you will explore technical aspects of making and construction in close detail, understand regenerative design principles and construction methods to achieve zero carbon standards. This unit embeds climate literacy and climate innovation within your learning journey. You will engage with the conditions and constraints of structural, constructional and material systems through a constructional prototyping project. Unit 3 will involve research and testing, collaborative teamwork and constructional implementation as well as life safety.

Unit 4: Professional Spatial Practice (Industry Placement)

In this unit, you will define your own direction for your major project. The unit is centred around an industry placement giving you the opportunity to step out of the college context and extend your community of practice to external stakeholders. With your advisor, you will work with a selected organisation that will provide you with insights into contemporary forms of spatial practice. You will assess the nature of their practice and understand ethical implications of fieldwork and within contemporary architectural practice. The contextual study component of the unit will help you establish research agenda and brief for your own self-directed major design project.

Unit 5: Design for Planetary Care 

This unit asks you to develop a self-led major project which concludes with a design proposition centred around ideas of planetary care. Building on previous units, it asks students to synthesise the contextual studies thesis, the industry placement experience into a clear brief and proposition. Unit 5’s technology component will build on the work in Unit 3 and will centre climate innovation within the major project via dedicated material and technology focused workshops. The contextual studies strand concludes with a declaration of intent via a public, student-led event, allowing students to contextualise their work within a larger discourse. 

Unit 6: Situated Architectural Practice 

Unit 6 is a culmination to the major project and of the course. It sees the refinement and dissemination of the design project and its key innovations to a large audience at the end-of-year College show. The unit will conclude with a speculation on future career ambitions and pathways by asking students to propose new forms of architectural practice in relation to their design propositions and outlining pathways into practice rooted in the extensive professional and peer networks created across the two years of the course. Barriers to implementation of the work will be addressed in the professional practice component addressing planning, building control, health and life safety, cost, contract and construction documentation. Unit 6 prepares students to enter professional live beyond Central Saint Martins.

The working week 

Central Saint Martins and the Spatial Practices programme offer a vibrant learning and working environment. The teaching and learning methods on M ARCH are designed to make best use of the context of the art school setting. You will move fluently between one-to-one tutorials, to group work in smaller learning groups or with the entire year cohort. We regularly hold peer reviews, work on site with local stakeholders or work hands-on, making use of the many workshop at Central Saint Martins. A culture of curiosity and experimentation informs the way learning takes place throughout the week. You should expect to spend 30 hours per week on your learning.

Important note concerning academic progression through your course: 

If you are required to retake a unit you will need to cease further study on the course until you have passed the unit concerned. Once you have successfully passed this unit, you will be able to proceed onto the next unit. Retaking a unit might require you to take time out of study, which could affect other things such as student loans or the visa status for international students. 

Mode of study

The course is offered in extended full-time mode which runs for 80 weeks over two academic years. You will be expected to commit 30 hours per week to study, which includes teaching time and independent study.  

The course has been designed in this way to enable you to pursue studies, while also undertaking part-time employment, internships or care responsibilities.

Credit and award requirements

The course is credit-rated at 240 credits.

On successfully completing the course, you will gain a Master of Architecture (M ARCH degree).   

Under the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, an M ARCH is Level 7. All units must be passed in order to achieve the M ARCH but the classification of the award is derived from the marks for the fourth, fifth and sixth units.  

If you are unable to continue on the course, a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) will normally be offered following the successful completion of 60 credits, or a Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) following the successful completion of 120 credits.

Learning and teaching methods

The learning and teaching methods devised for this unit include:

  • Unit and project briefings  
  • Set and self-initiated project briefs  
  • Inductions, lectures and seminars  
  • Collaborative workshops and interdisciplinary study teams  
  • Peer learning  
  • Self and peer assessment  
  • Guest speakers  
  • Group discussions, reviews and critiques  
  • Working with clients on live projects  
  • Mentoring  
  • Independent study 
  • Student-led public events and public dissemination of work  
  • Learning through organising, curating and public speaking

Graduate Showcase

Explore work by our recent students on the UAL Showcase

  • Heapland
    Heapland, Michael Parish, 2023 M ARCH: Architecture, Central Saint Martins, UAL
  • Who Cares
    Who Cares, Leyla Salih, 2023 M ARCH: Architecture, Central Saint Martins, UAL
  • Urban Diasporic Disruptions
    Urban Diasporic Disruptions, Dilush Selva, 2023 M ARCH: Architecture, Central Saint Martins, UAL
  • Collective Futures
    Collective Futures, Irmak Kuzu, 2023 M ARCH: Architecture, Central Saint Martins, UAL
  • Sabina Shaybazyan
    Sabina Shaybazyan, Sabina Shaybazyan, 2023 M ARCH: Architecture, Central Saint Martins, UAL
  • An Infrastructure of Resistance for the Marshes
    An Infrastructure of Resistance for the Marshes, Dominica Piatek, 2023 M ARCH: Architecture, Central Saint Martins, UAL
  • Ordinary
    Ordinary, Samuel Fraquelli, 2023 M ARCH: Architecture, Central Saint Martins, UAL
  • Space for Black-Queer Lives
    Space for Black-Queer Lives, Cameron Carrington, 2023 M ARCH: Architecture, Central Saint Martins, UAL
  • Landmarks: Re-Navigating Dartmoor
    Landmarks: Re-Navigating Dartmoor, Lucy Daw, 2023 M ARCH: Architecture, Central Saint Martins, UAL

Matthew Brown: Performance Planning

Course publications

Architecture stories

  • Design: Bee Yogasivam, BA Architecture

    Open Book

    For this year’s University Mental Health Day, graduate Bee Yogasivam shares her work gathering the collective experience of mental health and creative practice that she developed while studying BA Architecture.

  • Creative work: Robert Blair School Year 4 and 5. Photo: Jamie Johnson

    Central Saint Martins x Robert Blair School

    We recently welcomed children from Robert Blair School in a project called Shapeshifters at the Lethaby Gallery. This year BA Architecture students will present their designs for outdoor classrooms at the school as part of a live curriculum project.

  • Miles Robinson, BA Jewellery Design. Photo: Paul Cochrane

    MullenLowe NOVA Awards 2023 shortlist

    Congratulations to our students shortlisted for this year's MullenLowe NOVA Awards for Fresh Creative Talent, recognising hopeful and insightful interventions into our world.

  • BA Fine Art Photo: Belinda Lawley

Facilities

Staff

Unit 1 Tutors

Tom Dyckhoff | Kleanthis Kyriakou | Catalina Mejia Moreno | Krish Nathaniel | Antoinette Oni | Freya Spencer-Wood

Unit 2 Tutors

Unit 3 Tutors

Will Bradley | Paloma Gormley | Summer Islam | Daria Moatazed-Keivani

Unit 4 Tutors

Tom Dyckhoff | Kleanthis Kyriakou | Sven Munder

Unit 5 and 6 Tutors

Mariam Aslam | Adriana Cobo Corey | Tom Dyckhoff | Cathy Hawley | Madeleine Kessler | Catalina Mejia Moreno | Ulrike Steven | Alexandros Xenophontos

Professors

Liza Fior | Jeremy Till

Fees and funding

Home fee

£10,020 per year

This fee is correct for 2024/25 entry and is subject to change for 2025/26 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

If you have already completed a qualification which counted as Part 1 of Architects Registration Board (ARB) registration, you may be eligible to count this course as Part 2 for ARB registration purposes and so be eligible for undergraduate fees and student support. Fill in our finance student enquiry form to request more information.

International fee

£24,450 per year

This fee is correct for 2024/25 entry and is subject to change for 2025/26 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

Scholarship search

Entry requirements

The standard entry requirements for this course are as follows:

  • An upper second class honours degree from an Architects Registration Board (ARB) prescribed course in architecture 
  • Or an equivalent EU / international qualification 
  • Or a professional qualification recognised as equivalent to an honours degree

And normally at least one year of relevant internship or, professional experience.

English language requirements

IELTS score of 6.5 or above, with at least 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking (please check our main English language requirements webpage).

Selection criteria

This course believes that the people who design the built environment should be as diverse a group as those who use it. As such, we welcome submissions from applicants from diverse backgrounds.

We select applicants according to potential and current ability in the following areas:

  • Demonstrable interest, commitment and motivation in exploring personal (research) agendas/interests. 
  • Ability to creatively respond to a design problem. which addresses the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss and their associated dimensions.
  • Knowledge of the Architectural profession’s ethical obligation to society, technology and the environment.
  • Showing that your personal and professional aspirations are compatible with the aims and objectives of the course;
  • Ability to effectively communicate your design ideas, processes and proposals via a range of media, including CAD, model making and presentation skills.

Apply now

Application deadline

Deadline

Round 1:

13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)

Round 2:

3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)

Digital portfolio and video task deadline

Round 1:

16 January 2024

Round 2:

16 April 2024

Decision outcome

Round 1:

End of March 2024

Round 2:

End of June 2024

Round 1
Round 2
Deadline
13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)
3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)
Digital portfolio and video task deadline
16 January 2024
16 April 2024
Decision outcome
End of March 2024
End of June 2024

All applications received by 3 April will be treated equally. If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Read more about deadlines

Apply now

Application deadline

Deadline

Round 1:

13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)

Round 2:

3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)

Digital portfolio and video task deadline

Round 1:

16 January 2024

Round 2:

16 April 2024

Decision outcome

Round 1:

End of March 2024

Round 2:

End of June 2024

Round 1
Round 2
Deadline
13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)
3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)
Digital portfolio and video task deadline
16 January 2024
16 April 2024
Decision outcome
End of March 2024
End of June 2024

All applications received by 3 April will be treated equally. If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Read more about deadlines

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How to apply

Follow this step-by-step guide to apply for this course

Step 1: Initial application

You will need to submit an initial application including your personal statement and CV.

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement should be maximum 500 words and include:

  • your reasons for choosing the course
  • your current creative practice and how this course will help you achieve your future plans
  • any relevant education and experience, especially if you do not have any formal academic qualifications.

Visit our personal statement page for more advice.

CV advice

Please provide a CV detailing your education, qualifications and any relevant work or voluntary experience. If you have any web projects or other media that you would like to share, please include links in your CV. If English is not your first language, please also include your most recent English language test score.

Step 2: Video task and digital portfolio

We will review your initial application. If you have met the standard entry requirements, we will ask you to submit a video task and digital portfolio.

You’ll need to submit these via PebblePad, our online portfolio tool. Please submit your video task on the first page followed by your portfolio.

Video task advice

We would like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you. When recording your task, please face the camera and speak in English.

What to include in your video task

  • Tell us what interests you about critical spatial practice and specifically why you want to study this course.
  • Tell us about 1 professional and/or extra-curricular activity that you have completed in relation to spatial practice.

Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept.

Digital portfolio advice

Your portfolio should consist of recent work that reflects your creative strengths.

It should:

  • be maximum 25 pages, including your video task
  • include work that illustrates your previous experience and practical skills
  • feature work in progress and supporting research as well as final outcomes to demonstrate your creative processes.

For more support, see our Portfolio advice and PebblePad advice.

Step 3: Interview

You may be invited to an interview following our review of your application. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes.

For top tips, see our Interview advice.

You also need to know

Communicating with you

Once you have submitted your initial application, we will email you with your login details for our Applicant portal.

Requests for supplementary documents like qualifications and English language tests will be made through the applicant portal. You can also use it to ask questions regarding your application. Visit our After you apply page for more information.

Applying to more than 1 course

You can apply for more than 1 postgraduate course at UAL but we recommend that you apply for no more than 3 courses. You need to tailor your application, supporting documents and portfolio to each course, so applying for many different courses could risk the overall quality of your application. If you receive offers for multiple courses, you'll only be able to accept 1 offer. UAL doesn't accept repeat applications to the same course in the same academic year.

Visas and immigration history check

All non-UK nationals must complete an immigration history check. Your application may be considered by our course teams before this check takes place. This means that we may request your portfolio and/or video task before we identify any issues arising from your immigration history check. Sometimes your history may mean that we are not able to continue considering your application. Visit our Immigration and visas advice page for more information.

External student transfer policy

UAL accepts transfers from other institutions on a case-by-case basis. Read our Student transfer policy for more information.

Alternative offers

If your application is really strong, but we believe your strengths and skillset are better suited to a different course, we may make you an alternative offer. This means you will be offered a place on a different course or at a different UAL College.

Deferring your place

We do not accept any deferral requests for our postgraduate courses. This means that you must apply in the year that you plan to start your course and you will not be able to defer your place to start at a later date.

Application deadlines

For postgraduate courses at UAL there are 2 equal consideration deadlines to ensure fairness for all our applicants. If you apply ahead of either of these deadlines, your application will be considered on an equal basis with all other applications in that round. If there are places available after the second deadline, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Careers

M ARCH: Architecture prepares graduates for employment in architectural practice, urban design, planning, development, and public consultation. In addition, the course provides a solid grounding for continued academic development toward research and PhD study.

Drawing upon extensive industry links within the Spatial Practices Programme, the Course seeks to offer students a unique learning opportunity to engage with live projects and real clients, developing innovative approaches to public engagement and a radical reconsideration of architectural practice.

"In 10 years we probably will not call ourselves an architecture practice, it will be something else entirely" (Architect, Small London-based practice) 
From "The Future for Architects", Building Futures, RIBA, 2010.

Change is inevitable and  being prepared for change is a challenge. M ARCH: Architecture encourages students to take a radical approach to architectural practice; seeking ways in which the architect of the future can work across the industry and beyond.  The course is predicated on the reality that the practice of architecture is changing. There are increasing pressures on the profession from shifts in the way that projects are developed, as well as the changes to the global economy. How will we practice in the future?

"The invasion of the architect's role shouldn't be seen as a threat but as a natural change that can be exploited - we must find our new opportunities and education should shift to accommodate that." (Architect, Large global practice) From "The Future for Architects", Building Futures, RIBA, 2010.