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BSc Architecture

  • UCAS code
    K100
  • Typical offer
    ABB
  • Year of entry
    2022/23 See 2021/22 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  3 Years

Take your first step towards becoming an architect with our BSc Architecture course. You will be taught by both leading academics and innovative, practising architects.

You will benefit from seven-day-a-week access to dedicated studio spaces in a newly-refurbished building, as well as use of facilities equipped with digital technologies.

The course comprises half design studios and design briefs, and half lecture-based taught courses. Design projects aim to enable you to prepare a digital and physical portfolio, while lectures are designed to develop your understanding of core academic subjects and practical skills as part of your taught curriculum. Meanwhile, optional field trips to responsibly accessible cities such as London, Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Paris will give you the chance to look at architecture in a new light.

We sit within the renowned School of the Built Environment, which has strong research and industry links, and is 3rd in the UK for research impact in architecture, the built environment and planning (Times Higher Education Institutions Ranked By Subject, 2014, based on its analysis of REF 2014). We have particular expertise in a range of subjects related to our research area of 'urban living', including urban regeneration, housing, mapping cities and places, and digital and analogue representation of buildings and cities.

The learning outcomes of the course have been designed with the needs of employers in mind, and with a view to enhancing the employability of our graduates. You will have the opportunity to boost your employability throughout your studies, with the chance to work on local projects and to carry out ‘live’ design tasks at the conceptual stage for real clients. By working with students from other disciplines, such as surveying and construction management, you will also have the opportunity to gain experience essential to the professional environment and benefit from wider expertise.

The Architects Registration Board (ARB) has prescribed our BSc (Hons) Architecture degree under the Architects Act 1997 until 30 September 2022. One of the requirements for gaining a professional architecture qualification is to study on a prescribed course. Our degree is also validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). This is formal recognition from RIBA that our degree achieves the standards needed to prepare students for the professional practice of architecture.

From 2020, we are also offering a two-year postgraduate Master of Architecture programme, enabling you to take the next step towards becoming a fully qualified architect.

Find out more about our School of Architecture.

Scholarships

As part of the cohort joining the BSc Architecture course in 2022, you may have the opportunity to secure an annual £1,000 scholarship for each of the three years of the undergraduate degree (subject to conditions).

View the 2022 conditions.

Work experience

The University of Reading has well-established links with industry within the built environment sector. Optional work experience, offered during the programme, will give you the opportunity to work alongside businesses from across the sector and will provide you with valuable experience which you can demonstrate to employers on graduation.

RIBA validation logoarb logo accreditation

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250

New international students: £23,700

UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes

UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Placement year fees

If you spend a full year on placement, you will only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee for that year. For more information, please see our fees and funding pages or contact placements@reading.ac.uk.

Gaining a degree in architecture will open up a wide range of global career opportunities. As a BSc (Hons) Architecture graduate you could work as an architectural assistant and, after further training, an architect. You will also be well-placed to move into other careers within the sector, such as project management, planning, estate management, surveying, and urban design. Other opportunities include careers in the gaming industry, graphic design, and interior design.