Architecture (ARB/RIBA) Part 1 BSc (Hons)

This course is in clearing

Overview

Course options

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Degree

UCAS code: K100 120 UCAS points
  • BSc (Hons) Architecture (ARB/RIBA) Part 1, home applicant, full time

    • Home Applicant
    • Full time, 3 years
    • Pound 9250 per year

Degree with foundation year

UCAS code: KC65 64 UCAS points
  • BSc (Hons) Architecture (ARB/RIBA) Part 1, home applicant, full time

    • Home Applicant
    • Full time, 4 years
    • Pound 9250 per year

Architecture at UEL

What makes this course different

Highly Rated By Our Students

98% of students surveyed on this course responded positively to questions on “The Teaching on my Course” in the 2024 National Student Survey.

(National Student Survey 2024, Results published 10 July 2024)

Proud to be featured in the Architects' Journal

'The SpaceX of architecture schools' - UEL Student Show 2023 exhibited a cohort of future architects.

Read the Architects' Journal article

Award-winning

We're an award-winning, internationally recognised architecture department. Two of our lecturers are part of a team that won the 2015 Turner Prize. Our students have also won a string of awards in recent years.

Accreditation

RIBA/ARB

Our architecture course has the unconditional recognition of the Royal Institute of British Architects and Architects Registration Board, giving exemption from RIBA/ARB Part 1.

PLEASE NOTE: The ARB is currently revising its requirements for registration, and is removing from its requirements the award of an undergraduate qualification. We have more details on our professional body information page.

Professional body information

Course modules

Throughout this architecture degree, you will develop a sound knowledge base and are encouraged to see, read, and articulate connections between developments in architecture and contemporary practice.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Download course specification

Your future career

By completing this architecture degree course successfully, you'll be exempt from Part 1 of the Architects Registration Board (ARB) examination. Exemption from all three parts allows you to register as an architect with the ARB which gives you access to architecture jobs.

Many of our architecture students go on to study further, eventually becoming fully qualified architects. The majority stay at the University of East London to study our MArch (ARB/RIBA Part 2) course or our Landscape Architecture MA. All of the work completed whilst earning qualifications will help you to develop your architecture portfolio which can be used in your career. 

Industry links

We have links with Tate and Lyle, RIBA, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, David Chipperfield Architecture and Grimshaw.

Graduate employers

Previous architecture graduates have gone into roles in major architectural firms such as Kengo Kuma, Sergison Bates, Stanton Williams, Haworth Tompkins and AHMM, as well as many others.

Job roles

BSc (Hons) Architecture offers a strong foundation for various job prospects and further studies in design. Architecture degree graduates often venture into creative sectors like animation, graphic design, computer game design, film, fashion, and interior design.

Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.

Further study

Upon completing this architecture degree course, you'll gain exemption from Part 1 of the Architects Registration Board (ARB) exam, setting you on the path to becoming a registered architect. Many of our architecture graduates often pursue specialisations like MArch (ARB/RIBA Part 2) or MA Professional Landscape Architecture.

Showcased design Architecture Degree Show
Studying architecture helped me to develop the necessary skills to become an architect. The hands-on approach provided key knowledge in the field of architecture that's unique compared to anywhere else."
Kent Gin

Architecture, BSc (Hons), winner of 2014 RIBA/SOM Foundation Travel Fellowship

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated career support, and further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking.

Our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry. This ensures they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future architecture career and provide you with the essential design skills needed.

You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting-edge technologies and facilities to help you land your first architecture job.

Career Zone

This digital platform provides you with careers and employability resources, including:

  • Jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work
  • Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts 
  • 1-2-1 career coaching services 
  • Careers workshops and employer events 
  • Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you've mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

Our Mental Wealth programme

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top:

  • Work-based projects
  • Networking and visits to leading organisations
  • Support in starting a new business
  • London on our doorstep

How you'll learn

The heart of the architecture degree course is the design studio. Here you'll learn the strategies of architectural design through hands-on design project work. You'll also learn from lectures, and from reading and writing designed to stimulate your creative mind.



At the core of our teaching philosophy is the relationship that develops between students and our academic team, so we teach you in mainly small groups to ensure you have plenty of contact with your tutors and lecturers.



As well as excellent studios, our modern, purpose-built Docklands campus in the heart of east London's vibrant regeneration area features extensive wood, metal, and digital fabrication workshops, photographic darkrooms, printing, and computer suites.



You'll visit study sites and buildings, cities, and landscapes in the UK and abroad. Each year there's an overseas study trip, and you can choose from a variety of different design units which often involve overseas travel.



At the end of the academic year, you'll exhibit your work at our summer showcase. There are also opportunities to enter competitions and win scholarships, individually or as part of a team.

Guided independent study

When not attending timetabled lectures or workshops, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This will typically involve skills development through online study, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects and preparing coursework assignments and presentations. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, and specialist facilities, such as game labs, the library, the full Microsoft Office software, including MS Teams, and Moodle: our Virtual Learning Environment.

Academic support

Our academic support team provides help in a range of areas - including learning and disability support.

Dedicated personal tutor

You'll spend time with a personal tutor at least once a week to guide your academic development and ensure you have all the personal support you need. If you need a bit of extra help with certain skills such as academic writing, English, maths, or statistics, our Academic Tutors offer workshops, drop-in sessions, and one-to-one appointments to help our students achieve their potential.

Workload

Full time students have three full days of teaching (10.00-17.00) during term time, which is 25 weeks per year. 

You will also have to work outside class time to develop your design work and complete reports, essays and other assignments. Allow for 40 hours per week total workload. 

There is a week-long field trip one week per year.

Your timetable

Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9.00am and 6.00pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible.

Class sizes

At the core of our teaching philosophy is the relationship that develops between students and our academic team, so we teach you in mainly small groups to ensure you have plenty of contact with your tutors and lecturers.

How you'll be assessed

Assessment tasks are mainly spread across the year to make the workload manageable. Assessment methods include group work, exams and individual work including essays, presentations, case studies, professional development and practical activities depending on the nature of the course. All grades count towards your module mark. More details will be included in the student handbook and module guides. You will always receive detailed feedback outlining your strengths and how you can improve. We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 15 working days, although you will receive immediate feedback following many of our face-to-face assessments.

These different assessment methods can help you build and create your architecture portfolio that will help you in your future career.

Campus and facilities

Docklands Campus, London, E16 2RD

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The banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).

Select year

Statistics for BSc (Hons) Architecture (ARB/RIBA) Part 1 Degree, Full Time

Statistics for BSc (Hons) Architecture (ARB/RIBA) Part 1 Degree, Full Time

What our students and staff say

Architecture show 2023
Here you get to feel that you get to be part of a family, and you don’t find that anywhere else. I would strongly recommend people to come here and visit and see the amazing work that we have been doing and to come and join us. The University of East London is the future. It’s a great place to study and it’s a nice place to be."

Rafael Ives Ribeiro Fischer

Architecture Student

Clare Penny
UEL’s greatest strength is its diversity. Our students and staff come from across the globe, from all walks of life, and bring this diversity together to achieve great things."

Clare Penny

Course Leader – Landscape Architecture