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Architectural Design (MA)

This one year full-time MA in Architectural Design is aimed at students who are looking for a rich, advanced and engaging post-graduate programme which focuses on the multiple facets and relationships between design and research. By pursuing the MA in Architectural Design, the students will get the necessary skills for becoming sophisticated design-research thinkers and practitioners.

It shares many of the design elements of our established MArch (Master of Architecture/ RIBA Part 2 programme, but provides greater flexibility in terms of study choices, allowing you to engage with the interests of our research staff.

The programme focuses on design-led research techniques and methods to inform your learning process and research explorations. You will develop your existing design skills by focussing on how design thinking might address current global challenges. This approach offers an intense and lively forum for the exploration and discussion of design issues. This is why we place particular emphasis on using design as a means to conduct research. Researching through design is a creative activity that closely integrates the process of designing with the act of researching, so that they can mutually inform each other. You will explore problems by making and testing design propositions, introducing and developing established knowledge as and when required. Through project work, you will draw on knowledge from many disciplines.

Students will have the options to develop their design thinking in a range of topics related to the School’s diverse topics of research and scholarship.

You will work in small groups called ‘Design Units’ under the guidance of a Unit Leader, who will be an experienced tutor in research and architectural design. You will also work independently to develop a design-research approach to your studies. This will require you to question and evaluate evidence and think creatively, experimentally and iteratively. Emphasis will be on individual discovery and personal reflection as a learning process. The description of Design Units is provided in the MA AD Handbook.

Intakes

Application Processing Time in Days: 30

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description	IELTS (1.0 -9.0)	TOEFL IBT (0-120)	TOEFL CBT (0-300)	PTE (10-90)
Expert	9	120	297-300	86-90
Very Good	8.5	115-119	280-293	83-86
Very Good	8	110-114	270-280	79-83
Good	7.5	102-109	253-267	73-79
Good	7	94-101	240-253	65-73
Competent	6.5	79-93	213-233	58-65
Competent	6	60-78	170-210	50-58
Modest	5.5	46-59	133-210	43-50
Modest	5	35-45	107-133	36-43
Limited	4	32-34	97-103	30-36
Extremely Limited	< 4	< 31	< 93	< 30

Job Opportunity Potential

Our courses prepare you for a professional career in a wide range of industries, business and the financial sector, or further study.

Engineers are in high demand, and thanks to our wide range of degree programmes, our graduates’ prospects are among the best in the UK.

On average,
over 95%
of our graduates are
in employment or further study
six months after graduating.
Our graduates go on to work in a range of areas, including industry, the public sector, the financial sector or academia. Some graduate destinations include:

Supplementing your studies
We offer students the option of taking a Year in Industry after their second year of study, which is spent in a professional workplace gaining hands-on experience. This experience can simultaneously improve students’ confidence and employment prospects.

Our MEng (Hons) programmes also have the option of a Year in Europe, which is a year spent at an institution in France, Germany or Spain, after the third year of study. This is a chance not only for students to broaden their personal horizons, but also to develop further academic skills.

Links with industry
Students who are not on the Year in Industry scheme still benefit from industrial input in modules across all engineering disciplines. School-wide project modules are supported by industrial collaboration with a number of companies, including Flintec, Ove Arup and Partners International, Atkins, GL Garrard Hassan, BAE Systems, EADS, and Babcock Marine.

In the waste management, recycling, and energy fields there is significant input from research contracts with companies such as Rolls Royce, EoN, Tata Steel, and Stork Technical Services. Inputs are also received from companies such as Tidal Energy Ltd (TEL), Marine Current Turbines (part of Siemens), Bosch, ANSYS and Mabey Bridge.

In environmental and water engineering, presentations are given by industrially sponsored lecturers from CH2MHILL and Lusas. Direct industrial input also comes from companies including Newport Galvanisers (a subsidiary of Wedge Galvanisers), GBCard and Partners, Jacobs Engineering, Capita Symonds, and Mott-MacDonald.

Extra-curricular opportunities
In today's competitive graduate job market, we recognise that students are always looking for ways to make them stand out to prospective employers. Each year, our students have the opportunity to get involved with some really exciting projects.

Aside from this, there are many extra-curricular opportunities, both social and serious, organised through the School, the University or the Students’ Union.

PSW Opportunity

2 Years PSW

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

Postgraduate taught courses
You will need successful completion of a relevant bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, with grades of approximately 55%-60% to qualify for our postgraduate courses.

Postgraduate research courses
If you are applying for research courses from India, you will be required to provide evidence that you have already carried out research, usually via the successful completion of a relevant master's degree.

You will need successful completion of a relevant bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, with a grade of approximately 55% - 60%. Some Schools will also require the successful completion of a relevant master's programme from a recognised institution.

Qualification accepted

Equivalent to IELTS 6.5
(with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill)

Equivalent to IELTS 7.0 overall (with a minimum of 6.0 in each subskill)

Equivalent to IELTS 7.5 overall (with a minimum of 7.5 in each subskill)

IELTS (Academic) test from a recognised IELTS test centre

At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill

At least 7.0 overall with at least 6.0 in each subskill

At least 7.5 overall with at least 7.5 in each subskill

PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic)

At least 62 overall with a minimum of 51 in all communicative skills

At least 70 overall with no less than 54 in all communicative skills

At least 78 overall with no less than 78 in all communicative skills

TOEFL iBT including Home Edition

At least 90 overall with minimum scores of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, and 20 for speaking

At least 100 overall with a minimum of 20 in each subskill

At least 109 overall with a minimum of 26 in speaking and 24 in all other subskills

Cardiff University

Cardiff , Wales ,United Kingdom