Application requirements and universities for studying architecture in the UK

Application requirements and universities for studying architecture in the UK

1. Application requirements for UK architecture majors

1. Apply for undergraduate

For high school graduates in China, if they want to study for an undergraduate degree in the UK, they need to take a six-month to one-year preparatory course before their undergraduate studies as a link and transition. The UK's architecture program is five years in Scotland and four years outside of Scotland.

2. Apply for a master's degree

For students with an undergraduate degree, they can choose to study for a master's degree in architecture in the UK. The duration of a taught master's degree in the UK is generally one year.

In the UK, to apply for a master's degree in architecture, you need to have the first-level certification of the Royal Institute of British Architects. For domestic undergraduate graduates, it is definitely impossible to obtain this certification directly. Therefore, in most cases, the application materials are directly mailed to the school (architectural works need to be submitted), and the school will conduct the intermediate liaison and assistance work. If you can pass the first-level Part 1 certification of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) or an equivalent level, you can directly obtain an admission letter for the master's degree in architecture issued by the university. Otherwise, you need to study the last year of the British undergraduate architecture in order to successfully obtain a bachelor's degree in architecture and obtain the first-level Part 1 certification of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

3. Portfolio preparation for architecture applicants

When applying for architecture majors in the UK, you need to pay attention to the school's requirements for portfolios. First, students must have a certain professional background and foundation, that is, the paintings or designs must be excellent; second, there must be room for improvement, and people cannot feel that they are too perfect and do not need to learn anything more; third, the process must be reflected in the work. They hope to see hand-drawn drafts in the students' works, which is more realistic and can better reflect the students' thinking process.

2. Course Setting

Main subject: Architecture.

Main courses: Fundamentals of architectural design, architectural design and principles, Chinese and foreign architectural history, building structure and architectural mechanics, and architectural structure.

The main practical teaching links include art internship, construction site internship, architectural surveying and mapping internship, architectural knowledge internship, and design institute production internship, which are generally arranged for 40 weeks.

3. Employment prospects of architecture majors in the UK

After all, the threshold for the construction industry in the UK is very high, no less than that of the medical and legal industries. In contrast, the strong development momentum of China's construction industry in recent years has attracted many professional architectural firms and engineering companies from all over the world. With the further opening of policies, more and more foreign institutions have the opportunity to enter the Chinese construction industry market. After returning to China after completing their studies, many international students will face unprecedented development opportunities. Therefore, many international students choose to return to China for employment as their first choice.

4. Recommended UK Architecture Schools

1. University of Bath

The purpose of the Department of Architecture at the University of Bath is to provide students with the opportunity to develop comprehensive design skills by integrating the fields of art and technology. Students will acquire the skills to explore, explore and communicate architectural solutions, learn the ability to control, manipulate and combine internal space and external shapes, master the principles of structural design, environmental design and sustainable development, and understand the cultural, historical and socio-economic factors that influence architectural design.

2. University of Cambridge

At Cambridge University, architects and scholars in the field of architecture will teach students. Architecture is a discipline that emphasizes the integration of culture and science and technology. The core part of the teaching course is the design practice in the studio (from a large-scale city to details), supplemented by lectures on the humanities.

3. University of Sheffield

The University of Sheffield is located in Sheffield, UK. It is one of the oldest "red brick universities" in the UK and a member of the "Russell Group". As the top old brand in the UK, the University of Sheffield is world-renowned for its excellent teaching quality and scientific research level.

4. University College London

The Bartlett School of Architecture is one of the most prestigious colleges of University College London and is recognized as one of the most influential architecture schools in the world.

5. University of Strathclyde

Students studying architecture at the school take a wide range of required and elective courses in the first two years. The school recommends that students participate in professional work practice in the fourth year to accumulate experience. Students also have the opportunity to study in Europe, Canada, the Far East, and South America in the third or fifth year.

6. University of the Arts London

Students who want to apply for architecture-related majors can apply for the Architecture major at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and the Interior and Spatial Design major at Camberwell College of Arts.

7. Cardiff University

The Welsh School of Architecture was founded in 1920 and is now recognised as one of the best schools of architecture in the UK. It has a world-class Sky Dome, where architecture students can simulate the sun, clouds and shadows on their models at any time of the day.

Further reading: Things to note when interviewing for studying in the UK

1. Preparation before the interview

1. A thorough self-introduction

During the interview, the principal or teacher will generally introduce the school to the students, but the interview is not a one-way process of the school asking questions to the students. More importantly, it is a two-way interaction. You also need to introduce yourself to the school at appropriate opportunities, such as your strengths, personality, hobbies, academic performance, etc., which will also give the school more opportunities to get to know you. You can also prepare your resume, some award certificates, etc. in advance.

2. Related topics

The key to an interview is whether there are topics that can be discussed, but most of the questions in school interviews are very random. What should you do? You might as well start with the school. You can log in to the school's website to learn about the school's history, news, school introduction, courses, etc. On the one hand, this information can easily become a common topic for you to communicate with the school, and on the other hand, you can also find questions that interest you and ask the school. This can not only leave the school with the impression that you have done enough homework and are very interested in the school, but you can also get information about the school from the teacher or principal's answer, which will help you judge whether this school is suitable for you.

3. Your study abroad plan

When introducing yourself to the school, you can also introduce your study abroad plan. Whether it is the GCSE or A-Levels interview stage, the study abroad plan is very important.

If the interview is about GCSE, you can briefly introduce the courses you studied in China and what courses you hope to study in the UK.

If the interview is for A-Levels, in addition to talking about your course selection, you can also briefly introduce your ideas about future university majors and careers.

2. Issues that need attention during the interview

1. Never cheat

Whether it is a telephone interview or a video interview, once the school discovers cheating, the result will definitely be that the student will be rejected.

2. Have a good attitude and relax

Many students will inevitably be nervous during the interview. Students should adjust their mentality and attend the interview in a relatively relaxed state of mind. If you feel nervous during the interview and it affects your expression, you can pause and take a few deep breaths to adjust yourself, and try not to let nervousness control your interview.

3. Don’t pretend to know something you don’t

British schools attach great importance to students' integrity. Students may encounter questions in the interview that they do not understand or cannot answer. If this happens, you can ask the interviewer or ask him to repeat the question. If you really encounter a question that you do not know the answer to, you can directly explain your situation. Do not pretend to know the answer and answer irrelevant questions.

Extended reading: Introduction to taboos in choosing a school for studying abroad in the UK

1. Don’t follow the crowd, the right one is the best

As I said before, there is no best school, only the school that suits you. Following the trend may not only cause an overflow of relevant talent resources, but more importantly, it will waste students' enthusiasm for learning.

2. Don’t just look at the rankings, look at the strengths of the majors

Generally speaking, the overall ranking depends on the amount of research done by the university, and most students apply for taught courses, not research courses. Moreover, many universities have their own strong majors.

3. Don’t ignore the admissions brochure

Among the courses in British universities, some courses have exactly the same names, but the actual students enrolled are completely different.

You need to ask carefully about this when you apply. You must also find detailed information about each course before you can finally decide whether to apply.

Therefore, it is recommended that you make good use of resources such as admission brochures to understand the courses and schools you want to study.

4. Don’t ignore language requirements

As competition among Chinese students becomes increasingly fierce, many higher-ranked universities have begun to set language thresholds for applications to some popular majors.

If students blindly send in their study abroad application materials without understanding the situation, it will undoubtedly be a waste of money and time.

Choosing a suitable school when applying to study in the UK will determine the quality of your study life and learning in the next few years. Everyone must consider it carefully, taking into account their own conditions and the situation of the school. I hope everyone can receive a satisfactory offer.

Further reading: Five things to note when studying in the UK

1. Don’t speak Chinese casually during class

When you are in a foreign country, it is the happiest thing if you happen to have Chinese classmates in your class. Many students will unconsciously speak Chinese when chatting and discussing in class. This is actually very easy to cause disgust from students from other countries. In an English-speaking environment, if you keep speaking Chinese, they will feel very awkward and think that you are not friendly and open, and also very impolite. So in situations where there are British people, you should try to speak English.

2. Don’t just bring your phone with you when you go out, bring cash too

Mobile payments in the UK are not as common as in China, and many merchants still only accept cash. When swiping a credit card, many stores will also have a minimum spending limit, because the processing fee for swiping a credit card abroad is very high. In addition, public transportation and other places only accept cash for ticket purchases. So you can prepare a coin purse for yourself and carry it with you at all times. It is convenient for spending.

3. Remember to smile

In foreign countries, even strangers will nod and smile if their eyes accidentally meet. So if someone smiles at you, don't be surprised or afraid, because they are expressing their friendliness to you. Just smile back.

4. Don’t take photos of children

In developed countries like the UK, people pay great attention to protecting the rights of children. If you take photos of children without the permission of their guardians, you will be easily suspected of being a pedophile and the other party has the right to call the police. Therefore, no matter how cute the child is, you should not take photos casually to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

5. Avoid driving in the main urban area

First of all, British cars are driven on the left, which is exactly the opposite of our country. If you drive in the main urban area right after arriving, it is very easy to cause an accident. It is recommended that you practice in the suburbs where there are few cars. Secondly, there are very few parking spaces in the main urban areas of British cities, especially London. The parking fee is relatively expensive. Therefore, if you are active in the city, it is recommended that you mainly use public transportation.

Summary of application requirements and universities for studying architecture in the UK

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