BSc(Hons) Architecture (with Foundation Year)
Page last updated 12 May 2025
This course is open for applications
Introduction
Our BSc(Hons) Architecture (with Foundation Year offers you a RIBA Part 1 qualification which is your first step to pursuing an impactful career as a registered architect. Learn through hands-on studio work, live projects, and fieldwork, focusing on sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation.
Accreditations and partnerships:
Why study architecture?
Our dynamic, four-year BSc(Hons) Architecture (with Foundation Year) course is designed for those who are passionate about shaping the built environment while protecting the planet. You'll explore the relationship between design ambition and material reality, understanding both the craft and science of building.
Delving into construction principles, materials, and innovative building technologies, you'll learn to conceptualise impactful designs and bring your visions to life. Engage with concepts like climate resilience, regenerative design, and urban inclusivity, and develop the skills to create architectural projects that meet the needs of diverse communities, on a local and global scale.
Why UWE Bristol?
BSc(Hons) Architecture (with Foundation Year) is validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for Part 1 qualification. This means that our course will set you on the path to becoming a registered architect and will prepare you for professional practice.
At UWE Bristol, our Architecture curriculum prioritises sustainability, inclusivity and innovation, equipping you to tackle environmental, societal, and cultural challenges. You'll learn to apply theory to hands-on studio work, technical workshops and live projects, giving you real-world practical skills and experience to tackle the complexities of contemporary construction.
Where can it take me?
By the end of the course, you'll achieve a RIBA Part 1 qualification, laying the foundation for Architects Registration Board (ARB) recognition at master's level. If you choose to progress to master's level, this will enable you to advance towards ARB Academic and Practice Competencies, RIBA Part 2, and beyond.
As a graduate, you'll be equipped with the critical, creative, and technical skills essential for contemporary architectural practice, preparing you for an impactful career. You could go on to work in a range of architecture settings, from private practices, consultancies and design firms to government agencies, local authorities and non-profit organisations.
The image above shows the fantastic work from one of our students (Laurence Cole, 2023 Architecture graduate).
Personalised virtual tour
There's no need to visit us in person to explore our facilities and campuses. Take a personalised virtual tour and discover it all for yourself from wherever you are.
Take a virtual tourWatch: Welcome to the School of Architecture and Environment at UWE Bristol
Structure
Content
The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.
Year zero (foundation year)
You'll study:
- Foundation Engineering
- Foundation Mathematics for the Built Environment
- Foundation Design Studio
- Foundation Design Communication
- Context of Design and Development.
You normally need to pass all modules in your foundation year before going into Year one.
Year one
You'll study:
- Professional Principles and Digital Practice
- Making Sustainable Architecture
- Studio 1.1 - Form and Context
- Studio 1.2 - People and Environment
- Contexts of Architecture 1 - Cities and Society.
Year two
You'll study:
- Studio 2.1 - Living
- Architecture Studio 2.2
- Environmental Design Strategies and Innovations
- Collaboration and Coordination
- Contexts of Architecture 2 - Histories and Theories.
International academic placement year (if applicable)
If you take the international academic placement year, you'll spend a year away from the University studying overseas at one of our partner universities. You'll also complete the international academic placement year module before returning for your final year.
Final year
You'll study:
- Architecture Studio 3
- Connected Construction and Digital Design
- Critical Contexts
- Employability, Ethics, and Enterprise.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we'll inform you.
Learning and Teaching
Our teaching approach emphasises hands-on learning and real-world application. You'll spend around 15 hours a week engaging in face-to-face activities, including lectures and seminars, supplemented by independent learning. Through this mix of scheduled teaching and self-guided study, you'll explore themes like sustainability, urban design, and building technology.
Studio-based teaching is complemented by live design projects and community-based collaborations, enabling you to apply theory to practice and gain practical experience in addressing architectural challenges. You'll also complete fieldwork, offering you exposure to diverse built environments to enrich your understanding of architecture.
See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Study time
To become a qualified architect you need three academic qualifications and two years of relevant practice. You'll need an ARB/RIBA Part 1 qualification (three year long undergraduate level) and to follow that with an ARB/RIBA part 2 qualification (two year long postgraduate level). You'll also need to complete two years of experience in practice (one of which can be between parts 1 and 2) and you'll then need to do an ARB/RIBA Part 3 qualification.
You can complete our MArch (RIBA Part 2) course full-time or part-time.
Assessment
Assessments are designed to mirror professional practice, helping you build critical skills and confidence. Your design projects will challenge you to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world contexts, while your oral presentations and design reviews will develop your communication skills. You'll also create portfolios to showcase your design progression and technical skills.
Your written assessments, including essays and case studies, will deepen your understanding of architectural theory and sustainability. You'll also get hands on with practical live projects and collaborative assignments, allowing you to engage with community and industry stakeholders, as you will in your career.
Features
Professional accreditation
This course is accredited by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
The accreditation confirms that this course gives you the right knowledge, understanding and skills to become an architect.
The Architects Registration Board (ARB) is the statutory regulator for architects in the UK and sets the education and registration requirements for anyone wishing to practice and use the title 'architect' in the UK. They do this by accrediting qualifications required for registration as an architect.
Following a statutory consultation in 2023, ARB has published changed educational requirements necessary for registration as an architect which will come into force from December 2027. Currently, and up until December 2027, UK graduates wishing to register as an architect will need to have an ARB accredited Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 qualification, alongside relevant work experience. From 31 December 2027 ARB will only accredit Master's level qualifications (Level 7 in England, Level 11 in Scotland) and the professional diploma which follows. This means that from 2028 an undergraduate Level 6 qualification in architecture will not be required for registration as an architect in the UK.
This course is currently prescribed by ARB at Part 1 level for purposes of registration as an Architect in the UK. Students entering this course in September 2025 will graduate after December 2027 and will therefore graduate after the proposed end date for ARB prescription at Part 1 and their degree will not be a prescribed ARB award. This will not impact any student's ability to complete qualification as a UK registered architect, as ARB will continue to accredit academic awards at master's level only.
This degree is currently, and will continue to be, subject to validation by the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) at Part 1. The RIBA will continue to validate architecture qualifications at Parts 1, 2 and 3 these are terms developed by the RIBA and its three-part validation pathway forms the typical route to RIBA Chartered Membership.
Placements
To give you a broader perspective on architecture there are opportunities to study overseas with one of our partner universities for one year on our well-established international academic placement year.
Throughout the course, you'll develop your portfolio with a series of design projects. Some will be live briefs, working with the community and Architecture Centre in Bristol.
Students who get work experience tend to graduate with better degrees. Experience also hones your skills, industry knowledge and professional network, making you highly employable on graduation. We therefore strongly encourage you to gain work experience through relevant work or internships during vacations.
Fieldwork
We arrange day trips so you can visit study locations and meet people that can inform your work. We also arrange residential field trips locally, nationally and internationally.
Study facilities
Our industry-standard facilities include design studios, workshops, and digital labs equipped with the latest digital tools like CAD, BIM, and GIS software. We offer skills workshops to ensure you stay up to date with the latest design software.
Our inclusive learning environment supports diverse learning needs and fosters a sense of community. You'll have access to lecture recordings, assignment submissions, and collaborative workspaces through digital platforms like Blackboard.
Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.
Take a personalised virtual tour of the Architecture facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.
Showcase your work
In your final year, showcase your work to prospective employers and the public at the annual degree show.
Life
Accommodation
An excellent range of options for all of the Bristol campuses and the city centre.
Bristol
A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.
Sports, societies and activities
There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.
Health and Wellbeing
We provide support in the way you need it.
Campus and facilities
Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.
Careers
Careers / Further study
By the time you graduate from our BSc(Hons) Architecture (with Foundation Year) course, you'll be well-prepared for a broad range of careers in architecture. You'll be equipped with the skills to pursue professional accreditation, progressing towards RIBA Part 2 and ARB recognition through further study at master's level.
Our course emphasises sustainability, ethical practice, and interdisciplinary collaboration, making you desirable to employers who are addressing global challenges like climate change and urban resilience. You'll develop design skills that respond to broader environmental, social, and economic contexts, enabling you to think critically and creatively.
Hands-on learning through studio work, live projects, and community collaborations ensures you graduate with relevant practical experience and professional readiness. You'll engage with real-world issues, working directly with agencies and industry stakeholders to develop critical professional skills.
Whether you choose to specialise in architecture or a related field, you'll have the foundation to pursue lifelong learning and impactful careers. Our course prepares you to address the needs of society, clients, users, and the environment, drawing on the interdisciplinary strengths of our School of Architecture and Environment.
Our graduates are known for their ability to create context-sensitive and impactful solutions. You'll be prepared to design inclusive, healthy, and sustainable places for future societies, making meaningful contributions to the built environment.
As an architect, you could work in private practices, design firms, or government agencies, creating innovative and sustainable buildings. Your planning skills will open doors to roles in local authorities, private consultancies, and non-profit organisations, where you'll shape urban development and advocate for responsible design practices.
Get inspired
Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and help you to find graduate jobs, summer placements and global opportunities.
We can also help you to find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.
Visit our employability pages to learn more about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.
Fees
Full time course
Indicative Additional Costs
Supplementary fee information
Additional costs
This refers to items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee. These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing.
Entry
Typical offers
You will need to meet the following Level 2 requirements:
- GCSE: Grade C/4 in English Literature or Language and Mathematics, or equivalent. We do not accept Level 2 Key Skills, Functional Skills or Certificate in Adult Numeracy and Literacy as alternatives to GCSEs.
In addition to the above Level 2 qualifications, you'll need to achieve the published tariff points from your Level 3 studies prior to entry. Below is an indicative list of the main qualification types. However, we will consider any Level 3 qualifications towards meeting our entry requirements.
- Tariff points: 88
- Contextual tariff: See our contextual offers page.
- English Language Requirement:
International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Please visit our English Language requirements page.
- A-level subjects: No specific subjects required.
- EDEXCEL (BTEC) Diploma: No specific subjects required.
- Access: No specific subjects required.
- Baccalaureate IB: No specific subjects required. We accept the IB Career-related Programme in conjunction with other Level 3 qualifications.
- Irish Highers: No specific subjects required.
Entry requirements
If you exceed the entry requirements you may be eligible for BSc(Hons) Architecture.
International applicants
If you are an international student your recommended route of study for this degree is through our International College, which upon successful completion to the required level and with good attendance, guarantees entry to Year one of the degree.
Read more about entry requirements.
How to apply
Read more about undergraduate applications.
For further information
- Email:
UK applicants
Admissions@uwe.ac.ukInternational/EU applicants
International@uwe.ac.uk - Telephone:
UK applicants
+44 (0)117 32 83333International/EU applicants
+44 (0)117 32 86644