麻w豆传媒

Key facts

Entry requirements

120 or DDM

Full entry requirements

UCAS code

K100

Institution code

D26

Duration

3 yrs full-time

3 years full-time

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,250

Additional costs

Entry requirements

UCAS code

K100

Institution code

D26

Duration

3 yrs full-time

3 years full-time

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,250

Additional costs

"Good constructive feedback from our tutors on a regular basis. The tutors listen to our ideas which is refreshing and motivating; we feel valued鈥 ‑ Second year Architecture BA student

With a strong sustainability focus, informed by expert research and industry developments, this course will equip you with skills and knowledge to design buildings of the future and play your part in addressing the global climate emergency.

You will develop technical, practical, and professional skills to create site-specific, climate-responsive designs addressing community needs. Modules such as Creating Architecture explore sustainable strategies like zero-carbon construction, biophilic design, and retrofitting, while promoting inclusivity and health.

The design studio is at the heart of your learning experience, fostering collaboration with students from various disciplines to tackle live design challenges, such as reimagining Leicester’s urban spaces. These projects are guided by cutting-edge industry thinking and technologies, all within a vibrant community dedicated to revolutionising the construction industry, addressing the global climate emergency, and shaping a sustainable future. You'll also benefit from access to 麻w豆传媒’s award-winning Vijay Patel Building, featuring multipurpose studios, cutting-edge CAD labs, and workshops equipped for metalworking, woodworking, digital printing, water-jet cutting, and prototyping.

Our Engagement with Built Environment and Communities initiative allows you to create work with real impact, engaging with Leicester City Council and local stakeholders. Workshops and practical testing sessions provide hands-on experience, helping you resolve environmental, structural, and material challenges with innovative solutions.

Key features

  • This course is accredited by the鈥疪oyal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Architects Registration Board (ARB), with students also exempt from RIBA and ARB Part I examinations.
  • Benefit from our 125-year legacy in architectural education, with a curriculum that integrates craftsmanship, ethical design, and climate-conscious practices.
  • Join graduates who lead in sustainable architecture, working for globally renowned firms like Heatherwick Studio, Make Architects, and Shigeru Ban Architects, reshaping the built environment in response to the climate crisis.

Our next Open Day is on
Saturday 08 February

Join us in 23 days and 20 hours.

Student ambassador waiting to welcome guests with a sign that reads here to help.

What you will study

Block 1: Studio 1: Exploring Architecture

This module introduces you to the study and practice of architecture through the exploration of the complexities of architectural design thinking and its impact on the surrounding physical and cultural environment. The primary aim of the module is, through a series of creative briefs, to begin to question and understand architectural design through close observation of things, space and place at a human scale, and to gain confidence in making architectural design decisions by learning to be playful and take risks during the design process. Studio-based workshops will introduce you to experimental architectural drawing and model-making skills, and their architectural conventions, to explore the similarities and differences of orthographic line drawings, collage (2D) and assemblage (3D) of objects and their spatial conditions.

You will also be introduced to the idea of architectural history, cultural studies and the importance of researching-writing-thinking. This focus raises questions as to the importance and role of architecture and architectural design, in understanding our past(s), present(s) and possible future(s). The module aims to raise awareness of a broad perspective of the industry and profession, alongside growing an awareness of the role of ‘technical strategies’ or ‘technique’ in architectural thinking, design and construction, and the impact these decisions have on our surrounding environment.

Block 2: Studio 2: Experiencing Architecture鈥

In this module you will explore and test the relationships between subject, object, space and place. By fabricating and using human scaled devices, armatures, instruments or bodysuits, sequence, time, scale, movement, place, sensory experience will be explored, tested and developed through project-based exercises. Further drawing and model-making skills such as animation, film, storyboarding, time-lapse photography, will be introduced to allow you to explore and capture time-based architectures, spatial sequences and sensory experiences. Further measurement and analysis of site and context will be undertaken so that you understand the richness, complexity and depth of place that you are designing a future architectural proposition for.

You will continue to develop your critical thinking through the integration of architectural humanities with design work. The module also aims to introduce ethics to design decisions and the practice of architecture, and in particular, two aspects of this: to recognise how identity politics, inclusivity and accessibility inform spatial design and spatial agency, and to develop an awareness of the impact that material choices have on the wider built and natural environment and the role that the circular economy has for an ethical architecture.

Block 3: Studio 3: Creating Architecture鈥

This module will be your first architectural proposal responding to both existing sites and specific users. You will reflect on your previous design work in Studio 1 and 2 to formulate a point of departure for your architectural design enquiry. From this you will create design strategies to test propositions in response to the specific site and users given in the design brief. You will learn to evolve a brief to define a more detailed understanding of your chosen user’s needs. Alongside this you will develop your initial site investigations from Studio 2 to make a quantitative (hard) and qualitative (soft) survey of the site to propose considered and relevant spatial propositions for the site context.

The module will support you to apply climate literacy to all aspects of your design thinking and relate material, structural and environmental principles and strategies to the design proposal alongside developing professional behaviours relevant to ethical architectural practice. An understanding of spatial justice and the role of agency will be further developed by focusing on the specific needs of the user(s).

Block 4: Studio 4: Writing Architecture鈥

This module introduces you modern and current architectural history, theory and practice with a particular focus on architectural tectonics, theories of experience and time-based architectures. You will learn to interpret writings and buildings, to develop your reading and writing skills, and to make use of the fundamental conventions of academic writing.鈥痀ou will explore significant architectural movements, architects and artists in the context of the global climate emergency and other cultural and contextual imperatives and reflect the impact this learning could have on your own architectural project in Studio 3.鈥 You will analyse and deconstruct specific case studies and texts through the reading, drawing, modelling and sketching of them.

Blocks 1 and 2: Exploring Ethical and Climate Literacy

This module extends the creative design skills and knowledge learnt in the first year by embedding ethical and climate literacy within the design thinking and decision making. The module provides the opportunity to join one of several different studios, exploring approaches to architectural design in response to issues introduced by the studio brief. The content of studios will vary, offering a diversity of either architectural sites, or clients or methodologies of spatial exploration. The module focuses on the importance of developing a strong and relevant design enquiry in response to the contingencies of  site/place and community/users, integrating strategic climate responsive decisions, whilst also raising awareness of the context of professional practice in relation to these issues.

The module supports you to extend your understanding of environmental design and structural-material assembly techniques. You will be asked to demonstrate both an ability to outline strategies in responding to technical and environmental issues of the site (eg. white/green/blue infrastructure) and user requirements (eg. access, inclusivity, occupation) through the lens of a climate literacy toolkit, and resolve your spatial proposal at the meso scale (1:50) to reveal how tectonic choices and structural techniques enhance and expand the architectural idea and respond to local climatic conditions.

Blocks 1 and 2: Contextualizing Architectural Humanities

The module offers an insight into how contemporary architectural thinking and practice have emerged from earlier architectural history and theory. You are introduced to international influential architects and movements, from the 12th to 20th century. You will be supported to compare the expansion of arts and architecture in Western culture with what was taking place in other parts of the world, for example, The Golden Age of Islam, or the Song Dynasty. The module will also discuss how different cultures and architectures have embraced or ignored the balance between the built and natural environment.

Block 3 and 4: Practicing Ethical Design

In this module you will continue to work in one of several thematically diverse studios. The aim of the module is for you to develop an architectural investigation towards the design of a small to medium sized, moderately complex building. The proposal should respond appropriately to multiple contingencies and questions, such as the accessibility, needs and aspirations of building users and other stakeholders; climate literacy; an ethical response to place, people and environment; health and life safety; and the relation to the local context. This module will introduce theories and concepts regarding cities and their relationship to the surrounding countryside with the objective being for the building proposal to be a relevant and contemporary response to its urban or suburban condition, and the local planning legislation.

You will be encouraged to develop ethical professional behaviours through participation with tutors, peers and others in a creative studio community, to produce collectively made work and by taking an increasingly active role in framing your individual design work, in terms of approach, scope, brief, scale and media.

Blocks 3 and 4: Applying Climate Literate Design

This module aims to teach you that good design thinking incorporates technical and environmental decisions alongside design decisions to form a holistic design project evolution. You will learn that technical and environmental strategies inform, and are informed by, the design decisions being made in response to site, users and architectural methods and theories.

You will learn to investigate and analyse: built and natural environment design principles, the design of the building structure, construction & material specification and building services design to show an understanding of climate literacy. This includes, but is not exclusive to, low energy buildings, zero carbon, low impact design, biophilic design, waste reduction, circular economy, reuse, retrofit, adaptation, SUDs. You will be supported to propose technical and environmental solutions to specific criteria defined and this should be evidenced by the use of digital annotated diagrams, plans, sections, axonometric and physical models.

Blocks 1 and 2: Design Enquiry and Strategy

The module provides the opportunity to join one of several thematically diverse studios advancing a conceptual and critical approach to architectural design in response to multiple issues introduced by your studio’s specific brief. The work should develop a critical spatial exploration responding to ethical, cultural, theoretical, technical, social and aesthetic considerations. The module supports you to learn the importance of how a critical and conceptual attitude can benefit an architectural project through a detailed, cohesive, ethical design brief that responds to place, people and event. This module will also teach you the strategies and principles of legislation surrounding Fire safety, Health and Life Safety, CDM and post occupancy.

Blocks 1 and 2: Critical and Cultural Thinking

This module builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in previous years to support you to plan and conduct research to be presented in a dissertation. You will define and develop a specific interest, positioning yourself within a range of concerns in the field of architecture, defined in given research themes. The teaching encourages discussion on broader socio-economic, political and cultural issues that impact architecture and the environment.

You will make a short presentation setting out the field of research and why it matters, the research question and plan for feedback from tutors and peers. This is followed up with a draft dissertation with feedback, culminating in the final dissertation.

Blocks 3 and 4: Design Proposition and Synthesis

In this module you will integrate aspects of technical, environmental and professional practice decisions with the design process, synthesis and resolution. Working in one of several thematically diverse studios, you will develop your investigations towards the design of a building proposal. The design proposal should respond appropriately and cohesively to multiple questions, including:  specific issues raised by individual students and their studio, including ideas from previous projects; the needs and aspirations of building users and other stakeholders; the relation to local context; climate literacy, ethical concerns; technological and environmental principles and strategies; theoretical and conceptual reflections; professional and practice based considerations.

The module will support you to understand the role of the architect in consulting, observing, analysing, understanding, proposing and predicting how people will occupy the building and surrounding environs over multiple periods of time. The building proposal needs to explore, experiment, compose and represent spatial designs that address specific human activities but also devise structural and material flexibility that allows spatial adaptation for future scenarios.

The module concludes at the Degree Show, where you will apply professional behaviours and skills by collectively designing, producing, branding and curating all third year work in the Studio.

Blocks 3 and 4: Design Resolution and Professionalism

In this module you will develop and apply strategies in the built environment for climate change reduction, professional processes and tectonic positions to propose a unified zero carbon project. You will resolve environmental, structural, constructional, and material aspects of your architectural proposals, at both the strategic and detailed scale. You will research, analysis and propose technological strategies with your design project, addressing environmental performance, material selection, construction methods, structure, and sustainable design.

You will also apply professional practice, legislation and management knowledge to a design project including examination of the construction professions and their role in the construction industry in the UK; provision of an overview of the law and contractual procedures in the UK; analysis of the appropriate legislation related to the building process in the UK; awareness of the professional bodies and ethics; examination of the principles and systems of multi-disciplinary teamwork, communications and coordination which are necessary to practice in the current professional environment; development of management and business skills. In addition, you will also be introduced to architectural development and procurement through studies on the construction, real estate and architectural industries, and professional architectural economics.

You are supported to consider your own career development and position, upon graduation, within an architectural practice or other industries.

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, studio and tutorials. Studio culture is a key part of the course and our studio spaces have been developed so that students across all three years of the course work alongside each other. In the design studio you will:鈥

  • Work and collaborate with peers and tutors in drawing, digital drawing and fabrication, model making, discussion and debate鈥
  • Meet regularly with design tutors for small group learning, individual advice and guidance, assessment and feedback鈥
  • Engage in instructional/guidance lectures and workshops to develop key manual and digital techniques鈥
  • Have design work reviewed by guest architects and critics鈥

There are a variety of assessments including individual and group project work, individual and group presentations, report writing, essay writing, reflective practice and portfolio development. You will receive continuous feedback on your work as you progress through the course, culminating in a major design project and dissertation.鈥

Contact hours

In your first year you will normally attend around 20 hours of timetabled taught sessions each week, and we expect you to undertake at least 21 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research.

Architecture in the spotlight

Student work

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Our facilities

Vijay Patel Building

Our award-winning Vijay Patel Building is a hub of creativity and innovation, offering cutting-edge facilities designed specifically for Arts, Design and Humanities students. With state-of-the-art workshops, labs, and studios, you'll bring your ideas to life in spaces that mirror professional industry settings. Open, transparent environments foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, empowering you to experiment, design, and thrive in an inspiring atmosphere. Take a look at our stunning showcase of the building at

Accreditations, awards or memberships

RIBA logo

Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)

The Leicester School of Architecture is fully validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

ARB logo

Architects Registration Board

The Leicester School of Architecture is fully validated by the Architects Registration Board (ARB).

CAA logo

Commonwealth Association of Architects

The course is on the Commonwealth Association of Architects’ approved courses list.

What makes us special

Students working on a laptop

Block learning

With block teaching, you’ll learn in a focused format, where you study one subject at a time instead of several at once. As a result, you will receive faster feedback through more regular assessment, have a more simplified timetable, and have a better study-life balance. That means more time to engage with your 麻w豆传媒 community and other rewarding aspects of university life.

麻w豆传媒-global

麻w豆传媒 Global

麻w豆传媒 Global is the award-winning international experience programme for 麻w豆传媒 students, aiming to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons.

Where we could take you

CAMPUS

Graduate careers

Many of our graduates follow the conventional route to qualification and registration as an Architect. Others use their degree to launch careers in related fields such as architectural conservation, urban design, research, planning and project management, or go into other fields such as journalism, heritage and history, film, web design, lifestyle design, game design, event design and digital animation, strategic management and political advocacy.

Recent employers include Heatherwick Studio, Make Architects and Shigeru Ban Architects.

Tom Cox secured a Part II Architectural Assistant position with Bristol-based practice Wotton Donoghue after spent five ‘great years’ studying Architecture BA (Hons) and Architecture MArch at 麻w豆传媒.

Course specifications

Course title

Architecture

Award

BA (Hons)

UCAS code

K100

Institution code

D26

Study level

Undergraduate

Study mode

Full-time

Start date

September

Duration

3 years full-time

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,250

*subject to the government, as is expected, passing legislation to formalise the increase.

Additional costs

Entry requirements

GCSEs

  • Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including English and Maths

Plus one of the following:

A levels

  • A typical offer is 120 UCAS points. You need to study at least two subjects at A Level or equivalent (e.g. BTEC)

T Levels

  • Merit

BTEC

  • BTEC National Diploma - Distinction/Distinction/Merit
  • BTEC Extended Diploma - Distinction/Distinction/Merit

Alternative qualifications include:

  • Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE overall 120 UCAS tariff with at least 30 L3 credits at Merit.
  • English and Maths GCSE required as separate qualification. Equivalency not accepted within the Access qualification. We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course.
  • International Baccalaureate: 28+ points.

Interview required: No

Portfolio required: Yes

Please see our鈥portfolio advice page鈥痜or full details.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Additional costs

Here at 麻w豆传媒 we provide excellent learning resources, including the Kimberlin Library and specialist workshops and studios. However, you should be aware that sometimes you may incur鈥additional costs鈥痜or this programme.