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Architecture/Architecture (International) (RIBA Part 2) Master of

2024-25 (also available for 2025-26)

Start date

16 September 2024

Duration

The course is of three years duration with direct entry available to Year 2.

Places available (subject to change)

70

About the course

Reasons to study

  1. You'll learn in the state of the art £30m Barbara Hepworth Building with collaborative studios, photography studios and exhibition space.
  2. This course is prescribed by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
  3. Award winning graduates: Our graduates have gone on to win prestigous awards within the industry, such as the RIBA Dissertation medal.

Successful completion of this RIBA validated course provides exemption from Part 2 of the ARB prescribed Examination in Architecture.

As part of the process of becoming a professionally-qualified Architect in the UK, graduates are required to complete a period of supervised ‘practical training’, 12 months of which (commonly referred-to as the ‘Year Out’) is normally undertaken before commencing full-time academic study at Master’s level. This period of practical training constitutes Year 1 of the University of Huddersfield MArch course.

Therefore, students who have not previously completed a satisfactory period of practical training are urged to join the course in Year 1, but may also apply to join Year 2 after a portfolio interview. Students who have already completed a satisfactory period of practical training should apply to join the course in Year 2.

Years 2 and Year 3 of the course are design-centred and intended to enable you to thoughtfully and creatively explore the architectural and urban implications of environmental change and technological developments, as well as architecture's own inherent complexities and transformations. It is also important that students should develop a critical appreciation of the context - both physical and cultural - within which design work is undertaken. All this enables you to establish your own theoretical position, through which you will be expected to develop a high degree of sensitivity to the contexts and transformations within which design work is undertaken in geographical, cultural, social and technical terms.

All design projects explore applications of sustainability and encourage a wide and plural outlook appropriate for both developed and developing countries. In this global worldview, understanding of progressive theories of design and the application of advanced construction methods co-exist with concern for the implementation of appropriate sustainable technologies, awareness of regional development issues and respect for appropriate building practices as well as advanced construction technologies.

The rationale and definition of ‘International’ both builds upon the studies undertaken as part of the Architecture (International) BA(Hons) degree awarded by the University of Huddersfield and acknowledges the reality of rapidly changing architectural practice in a fast moving, global context. Our course aims to prepare you for new and emerging forms of practice through the development of your personal learning skills and a deep understanding of the need for flexibility, adaptability, innovation and enterprise in your career.

Course detail

Intermediate Course In Architecture Practice

The aim of this module is to enable you to obtain maximum benefit from a period of practical experience and/or personal and professional development following completion of your RIBA Part 1 studies. This is commonly known as the ‘Year Out’. The year in practice forms part of a module that supports you in your professional practical experience through regular contact with your professional studies advisor, who is able to help you to maintain the professional body requirements for you to complete your Professional Experience Development Record (PEDR). In addition you are asked to report on a Case Study that you are engaged with in practice, prepare a Personal Evaluation and update and improve your professional portfolio. The module is not graded, but successful completion leads to progression onto the 2-Year full-time element of the course.

Entry requirements

There are two entry points into the Master of Architecture / Master of Architecture (International) programme:

Entry to Year 1: You should possess an undergraduate degree in Architecture. You will have normally passed, or be exempt from, Part I of the RIBA examination in Architecture, but have not yet completed a period of practical experience. If you are progressing from University of Huddersfield’s BA(Hons) Architecture/Architecture (International) programme you should be ready to join the programme at this point. Should you be progressing from other institutions, you will be asked to attend a portfolio interview to determine your readiness to join this programme.

Entry to Year 2: You should possess an undergraduate degree in Architecture. You will have normally passed, or be exempt from, Part I of the RIBA examination in Architecture, and will normally have completed a period of practical experience. If you are progressing from University of Huddersfield’s BA(Hons) Architecture/Architecture (International) programme but have not undertaken year one or you are progressing from another institution, you will be asked to attend a portfolio interview to determine your readiness to join the programme at this level.

Direct entry to year 3 will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

You may be admitted to the M.Arch course with accreditation for prior learning (APL) and/or accreditation for prior experiential learning (APEL).

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, (a minimum of TOEFL 550 (Computer Based Toefl 213) score) or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.

What can I research?

Research plays an important role in informing all our teaching and learning activities. Through research our staff remain up-to-date with the latest developments in their field, which means you have the opportunity to benefit and develop knowledge and skills that are current and highly relevant.

Research Centres

Centre for Urban Design, Architecture, and Sustainability (CUDAS)

Centre for Cultural Ecologies in Art, Design and Architecture (CEADA)

Student Work

A gallery of work by our students and graduates, from our Master of Architecture course. Click on each image to find out more.

Your career


For graduates who already hold a Part 1 qualification, this course leads to Registration as an Architect after subsequent completion of the Postgraduate Certificate of Professional Practice and Management in Architecture (Part 3) and further supervised practical training.

* Percentage of our postgraduate students who go on to work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2017/18, UK domiciled graduates).

96.4% Graduates employed*

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

On the MArch course, each student is assigned a Personal Tutor with whom they may discuss personal issues alongside academic progress. Personal support sessions occur several times throughout the academic year. Additionally, weekly feedback studio sessions offer opportunities for informal support and discussion of student concerns in conjunction with academic instruction.

Important information

We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

Changes to a course you have applied for

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment.

Cancellation of a course you have applied for

Although we always try and run all of the course we offer, we may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants to ensure you have a good learning experience. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will contact you to discuss other suitable courses with us we can transfer your application to. If we notify you that the course you have applied to has been withdrawn or combined, and you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

We will always try to deliver your course and other services as described. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below:

Changes to option modules

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have a range of options to choose from and we will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes

We will only make major changes to the core curriculum of a course or to our services if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change in this context is a change that materially changes the services available to you; or the outcomes, or a significant part, of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), classes, type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum.

For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators; to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body; to improve the quality of educational provision; in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback; and/or to reflect academic or professional changes within subject areas. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but this may not always be the case. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation with affected students. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

Termination of course

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed and we will notify you as soon as possible about what your options are, which may include transferring to a suitable replacement course for which you are qualified, being provided with individual teaching to complete the award for which you were registered, or claiming an interim award and exiting the University. If you do not wish to take up any of the options that are made available to you, then you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the course without liability to the University for future tuition fees and you will be entitled to a refund of all course fees paid to date. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. These include regulations regarding the assessment of your course, academic integrity, your conduct (including attendance) and disciplinary procedure, fees and finance and compliance with visa requirements (where relevant). It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to. You should read these carefully before you enrol. Please note that this information is subject to change and you are advised to check our website regularly for any changes before you enrol at the University. A person who is not party to this agreement shall not have any rights under or in connection with it. Only you and the University shall have any right to enforce or rely on the agreement.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.