Architecture shapes the world around us. It reflects our societies and communities, and influences the way we think and feel. Architecture dominates our skyline, transforms our cities, changes the way we live and work and becomes part of our narrative. Learn how to design buildings and make spaces for people in a creative and environmentally responsible way.
The Architecture degree at Cardiff Metropolitan University is informed by the tradition and heritage of a school of art and design, and by the contemporary creative use of cutting-edge technology, exploring the relationship of human experiences with architecture.
The course aims to establish a creative dialogue between different areas of architectural knowledge: design, representation, technology, contextual studies and professional practice. You will develop your understanding of these thematic areas and their integration through engagement in projects of increasing difficulty.
This will allow you to formulate architectural proposals that are spatially and technically resolved, with a robust theoretical basis. You will also learn how to effectively communicate your proposals within a professional context, through a range of media.
Finally, the course places special emphasis on the architect’s responsibility in tackling contemporary problems of environmental concern, at the global and local scales (such as the climate emergency). You will be actively encouraged to develop critical perspectives on how knowledge and creativity can be used together to arrive at design solutions that have the potential to render buildings, neighbourhoods or cities more sustainable in the short and long term.
There will be opportunities to engage in real-world activities, including work with local communities and employers, as well as chances to experience other cultures – and their architecture – through overseas study trips.
Course Content
Year 1
Subject - Introduction to Architectural Thinking and Design - 40 credits
You'll be introduced to essential architectural concepts and skills and to an appreciation of what architectural design is and what it involves.
Subject - Integrated Design: Small Interventions - 20 credits
You'll build upon the skills and knowledge acquired in the first module and further your design ability through engagement in a project that integrates architectural design, representation and technology, and contextual studies.
Research Basics - 20 credits*
This module aims to develop students' core academic research skills including locating sources, evaluating credibility, and analysing information. It will provide the foundations from which students will cultivate their confidence to engage in theoretical discourse and idea-driven dialogues which will be required throughout their undergraduate studies.
Interdisciplinary Understanding - 40 credits
This module aims to introduce you to the principles of Interdisciplinary working: collaborative working, critical thinking and reflection. Projects within the module will challenge you to work with another discipline to explore a societal and cultural theme or challenge.
Year 2
Subject - Integrated Design: Urban Interventions - 40 credits
This module aims to advance your design skills by presenting you with an integrated project of greater complexity than those proposed in year 1 and by introducing you to the urban dimension in architecture.
21st Century Challenges - 40 credits
The 21st Century Challenges module builds upon the introduction to Interdisciplinary problem-solving developed at level 4 to continue to refine, and begin to apply, your skillsets through real-world projects and live briefs. Projects will tackle 21st Century Challenges to develop your leadership, collaboration, future literacy/critical thinking skillsets.
Real-World Contexts - 20 credits
The Real-World Contexts module challenges you to apply the situated awareness and future-thinking skills to deploy your own practice in the creation or promotion of value for a variety of external stakeholders and communities.
Research Proposal - 20 credits*
The Research Proposal offers you an opportunity to strengthen your research skills, consolidate your research experience and orientate your level 6 contribution around an enquiry of your choosing that is inspired by your learning across all modules at level 4 and 5. This research proposal will be used to continue your personal and professional development at level 6 where you will identify a route for your own enquiry.
Year 3
Subject - Integrated Design: Comprehensive Project - 40 credits
You'll consolidate the knowledge and skills that you've gained at previous levels of study, and further your ability to conduct an integrated architectural design, by getting involved in a project of increased complexity.
Positioning in Practice - 20 credits
The module aims to support your readiness in developing your unique professional career. It will embed attributes reflective of the requirements of real-world practice aligned to your specialist discipline.
You will have the opportunity to reflect upon how your experiences over the last 3 years have allowed you to position yourself as a professional in preparation for graduate level work, continued study, research, and entrepreneurial ventures.
Contribution - 40 credits*
Your practice is underpinned by your knowledge. Demonstrate your research and analysis skills in your final research submission, where you explore ideas in both written and practical forms.
Learning & Teaching
Learning, teaching and assessment strategies seek to promote effective learning styles to create an environment of student participation and engagement, to encourage independent and life-long learning capability and to realise the full potential of each student.
The Architecture programme seeks to develop a teaching and learning culture that cultivates the inquisitive and creative mind, whilst recognising the need to respond to the demands of professional architectural practice.
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, reviews and workshops.
Lectures
Lectures deliver a coherent programme of study and general inspiration. They are supported by visual and textual material. Where appropriate, lectures are structured to involve students in discussion.
Tutorials
Tutorials are meetings of a group of students (or an individual student) with their lecturer(s) and are used to expand upon material covered in lectures through an enquiry-driven, problem-solving approach, and to overcome any deficiencies in a student’s background knowledge.
Seminars
Seminars take three forms: those guided by staff where texts or artefacts are provided for students to present an analysis to their group; those where students select texts/artefacts for discussion within the group; and those where students present their own work or research findings.
Seminars are designed to encourage articulate and analytical presentation and, through group discussions, to develop an understanding of the subject and its context.
Reviews
Reviews are cornerstones of the learning process and are held at each assessment stage (interim or final) of a design assignment or project. Students present their work to the year group and to their tutors for feedback and debate.
Workshops
Workshops help students to develop a wide range of practical and theoretical skills.
E-Learning
The Moodle virtual learning environment (VLE) is extensively used on the course to enhance the student learning experience.
Assessment
Throughout the duration of your studies, you will be evaluated on three main criteria, which underpin all of the disciplines being taught at CSAD:
SKILLS: The practical, technical and conceptual skills you acquire during your course.
CONTEXT: Your understanding and knowledge of broader intellectual context within which your discipline and work is located. This includes historical, environmental and ethical issues and will often be explored in your 'Theory and Context' modules.
IDEAS: Your understanding of intellectual and creative ideas from within and beyond your discipline; plus your ability to acquire new concepts and form new ideas. Ideas will be explored in your written work, as well as being evident in your practical progress.
Each of these criteria is given equal weighting during the assessment process. That is to say that they are seen as equally important and critical to your development; an emphasis which is designed, for example, to enable a more well-rounded skill set from a student who may be skilled technically, but weak in generating ideas, or a student with much creative flair who may struggle to hone a broad concept into a strong, individual design.
We provide a number of ways for you to track your progress en route to submitting your work for marking. Understanding that the emphases will revolve around the core areas of skills, context and ideas, you will also become familiar with the structured assessment form used by your tutors and learn to relate to your work back to the intended learning outcomes of each brief.
The main types of formative assessment are; academic (feedback from your tutors); peer (from your course-mates or project partners); and self-assessment (which is your own critique, in light of other forms of feedback). You won't just be receiving feedback at the end of a brief, however – your tutors will often assess your progress as your work develops, providing formative feedback at crucial moments where it is hoped to encourage you to take risks, maintain your motivation or shape-up your ideas ahead of deadline.
Employability & Careers
Graduates from the programme are well-placed to pursue further study and training towards qualifying as architects, or to be employed as architectural assistants or in the wider creative industries.
During the Architecture degree course at Cardiff Met, there will be the opportunities to undertake live briefs and obtain work experience. This will include building contacts and undertaking placements as well as exposure to architectural and building professionals through industry talks and mentoring. You will be offered support in forming your own business should you choose to do so.
Some graduates become teachers by taking a PGCE. Some graduates elect to take their studies further by studying at CSAD for a master's level qualification and there are opportunities to take this further still, into research with a PhD or a Professional Doctorate in Art or Design.
Entry Requirements & How to Apply
Typical Offers
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Tariff points: 120-128
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Contextual offer: See our
contextual offers page.
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GCSE: Preferably five GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above to include English Language / Welsh First Language, Mathematics / Mathematics – Numeracy.
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English Language Requirement: Academic IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all elements, or equivalent.
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A level: Minimum three A levels. No specific subjects required. Welsh Baccalaureate – Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate considered as a third subject.
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BTEC National / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: DDM
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T Level: No specific subjects required.
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Access to Higher Education Diploma: No specific subjects required.
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International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 26 points. No specific subjects required.
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Irish Leaving Certificate: No specific subjects required. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4.
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Scottish Advanced Highers: No specific subjects required.
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Other requirements: Successful
interview and portfolio review. Applicants will be required to submit a digital portfolio.
Combinations of the above qualifications are accepted if they meet our minimum requirements. If your qualifications aren’t listed, please contact
Admissions or refer to the
UCAS Course Search.
Further information on Overseas qualifications can be found
here.
If you are a mature applicant, have relevant experience or
RPL that you would like us to consider, please contact Admissions.
How to Apply
Further information on how to apply can be found
here.
Tuition Fees, Student Finance & Additional Costs
For up to date information on tuition fees and the financial support that may be available whilst at university, please refer to www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/fees.
Undergraduate costs of study in CSAD
Materials
CSAD provides a variety of basic materials. These enable students to develop their competence in a range of skills and demonstrate their technical ability. Materials needed in unusual quantities, or those that are specialised, expensive or unusual are at the student’s expense. Advice will be given about how ‘unusual’ is defined, which materials are deemed to be ‘expensive’, and examples given of what is viewed to be ‘unusual’. CSAD students often elect to spend on materials they prefer to work with, including sketchbooks and pens, as well as specialist equipment of their own choosing.
In the main, no charges are made for the use of equipment, with the exception of some specialist high end equipment such as the Mimaki and 3D printers. Access to
Cardiff FabLab is subject to student membership; it offers reduced fees for student use.
For further information about additional course costs, including fees, equipment requirements and other charges for each undergraduate programme, please visit
www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/additionalcosts.
Field trips and visits
Field trips that are part of core learning will be paid for by the School. Additional visits are occasionally arranged which are optional and where the students may be asked to share the costs. The costs of study abroad, including exchanges, placements and projects are the responsibility of the individual student.
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