10251 - ba (hons) architecture programme …...10251 - ba (hons) architecture programme...

10251 - BA (Hons) Architecture Programme Specification - 201920

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BA (Hons) Architecture Awarding Body University of the Arts London

College Central Saint Martins

Programme Spatial Practices (L033)

Course AOS Code 10251

FHEQ Level Level 6 Degree

Course Credits 360

Mode Full Time

Duration of Course 3 years

Teaching Weeks 90 weeks

Valid From September 1st 2019

QAA Subject

Benchmark Architecture

UAL Subject

Classification Architecture and spatial and interior design

JACS Code K100 - Architecture

UCAS Code K101

PSRB Royal Institute of British Architects, Architects Registration

Board

Work placement

offered No

Course Entry

Requirements

The standard entry requirements for this course are as

follows:

APPROVED


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136 UCAS tariff points which can be made up of one or a

combination of the following accepted full level 3

qualifications:

3 A Levels at grades AAB

Pass at Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (Level

3 or 4)

Distinction, Distinction, Distinction (DDD) at BTEC

Extended Diploma

Pass at UAL Extended Diploma

Access to Higher Education Diploma (preferred

subjects include Art, Art and Design, or Design and

Technology)

Or equivalent EU/International qualifications, such

as International Baccalaureate Diploma (35 points)

And five GCSE passes at grade 4 or above (grade A*-C)

including English Language, Mathematics and a double

award at science, or two separate sciences such as

Physics or Chemistry, and one other subject (Art & Design

or Design Technology are recommended).

Entry to this course will also be determined by

assessment of your portfolio. A very high proportion of

successful applicants complete a Foundation Diploma in

Art and Design.

APEL - Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

Exceptionally applicants who do not meet these course

entry requirements may still be considered. The course

team will consider each application that demonstrates


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additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might,

for example, be demonstrated by:

Related academic or work experience

The quality of the personal statement

A strong academic or other professional reference

OR a combination of these factors.

Each application will be considered on its own merit but

cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English Language Requirements

IELTS level 6.0 or above, with at least 5.5 in reading,

writing, listening and speaking (please check our main

English Language requirements webpage).

Selection Criteria We select degree applicants according to your potential

and current ability to:

Work imaginatively and creatively in architecture and

design:

Engage with experimentation and invention

Show imagination and ambition in proposals for

your work.

Demonstrate a range of skills and technical abilities:

Demonstrate an engagement with 3D and

architecture/spatial design

Demonstrate a basic ability to draw and model

objects and spaces

Demonstrate a basic ability to discuss ideas

https://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/language-centre/english-language-requirements


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verbally and through written work.

Provide evidence of intellectual enquiry within your work:

Demonstrate relevant research

Reflect critically on your learning.

Demonstrate cultural awareness and/or contextual

framework of your work:

Identify historical and contemporary architecture

and architects

Identify social and/or cultural influences on your

work.

Articulate and communicate intentions clearly:

Discuss your work in group situations

Present your work appropriately and effectively.

Demonstrate commitment and motivation in relation to the

subject and the course:

Develop your own ideas and address project briefs

Show willingness to collaborate

Reflect your knowledge of this course.

What we are looking for

We don't just look for a passion for architecture. We're

also seeking people who are open to new ideas, informed

risk taking and challenge, and who are willing to get

involved in the different disciplines and practices of

architectural design during their degree.


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Awards and Percentage of Scheduled Learning

Year 1

Percentage of Scheduled Learning 25

Awards Credits

Certificate of Higher Education (Exit Only)

120

Year 2


Awards Credits

Diploma of Higher Education (Exit Only)

240

Year 3


Awards Credits

Bachelor of Arts

360


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Course Aims and Outcomes

The Aims and Outcomes of this Course are as follows:

Aim/Outcome Description

Aim

Enable students to undertake the first stage of education and

training towards professional registration in architecture and

pathways to other further study, satisfying RIBA Part 1 criteria.

Aim Provide a supportive and critical learning environment in which

students become independent, self-aware learners.

Aim

Equip students with a broad range of knowledge and skills needed

to work within the fields of architecture and the wider creative and

construction industries.

Aim Encourage students to produce design and creative work in a

collaborative and multi-disciplinary environment.

Aim

Encourage students to engage creatively and directly with the

realities of the city around them, its social, economic and political

constraints.

Aim

Produce responsible, self-reliant graduates able to demonstrate

critical analysis and self-reflection in their contributions to society at

large.

Outcome

The ability to generate contextually-responsive design proposals

using understanding of a body of knowledge, some at the current

boundaries of professional practice and the academic discipline of

architecture. (AC Knowledge; AC Enquiry; AC Process; AC

Realisation) (RIBA/ARB Graduate Attribute for Part 1 GA1.1)

Outcome

The ability to apply a range of verbal, visual and physical

communication methods and media to present ideas and resolved

design proposals clearly and effectively to a range of specialist and

non-specialist audiences. (AC Knowledge; AC Realisation; AC

Communication) (RIBA/ARB Graduate Attribute for Part 1 GA1.2)

Outcome An understanding of the alternative materials, processes and


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techniques that apply to architectural design and building

construction. (AC Knowledge; AC Realisation; AC Process)

(RIBA/ARB Graduate Attribute for Part 1 GA1.3)

Outcome

The ability to research, analyse and critically evaluate evidence,

arguments and assumptions in order to make and present sound

judgements within a structured discourse relating to architectural

culture, theory and design. (AC Enquiry; AC Knowledge; AC

Process; AC Communication) (RIBA/ARB Graduate Attribute for

Part 1 GA1.4)

Outcome

Knowledge and critical understanding of architectural practice and

the role of the architect and the construction industry; and the

professional qualities and responsibilities needed for decision

making in complex and unpredictable circumstances. (AC

Knowledge; AC Realisation; AC Process) (RIBA/ARB Graduate

Attribute for Part 1 GA1.5)

Outcome

The ability to work independently and collaboratively, identify

individual learning needs, and understand the personal

responsibility required for further professional education. (AC

Process; AC Realisation) (RIBA/ARB Graduate Attribute for Part 1

GA1.6)


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Distinctive Features

1 Direct engagement with the reality of the city around us and its legislative and

economic constraints.

2 Collaboration and multi-disciplinary team-working are at the heart of the learning

and teaching experience.

3 Develops an appreciation of the links and inter-relationship between theory and

practice.

4 The development of radical ideas as well as the radical potential of making and

building.

5 Encourages innovation and unconventionality.

6 Integration of digital and traditional knowledge, skills and technologies.

7 Rethinks the profession and imagines roles beyond disciplinary limits.

8 Emphasises the development of self-awareness and professional identity.


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Course Detail

Architecture is always political – it is first and foremost about people and our

interaction with the world around us. BA Architecture at Central Saint Martins is

committed to socially engaged practice. It promotes direct engagement with real-

world social, cultural and political conditions in the contemporary urban landscape.

Buildings are only one way in which we intervene in the built environment. The

space of the city is charged and shaped through the interplay of multiple factors

and tensions. Engaging with these complex dynamics requires innovative design

approaches. These often encompass alternative forms of space-making. The

course is underpinned by the idea that the human environment is alive with agency;

as we shape our environment, our environment shapes us.

The practice of architecture has always been collaborative. On this course, we

rethink the profession and imagine roles beyond disciplinary limits. Architects are

increasingly called upon to design the integration of a broad range of practices.

These range from the arts to urban development and landscape design to

engineering. In order to bring these together into coherent ideas, architects must

understand other practices while also effectively communicating their own.

On BA Architecture, we focus on the relationship between making and thinking. We

believe this is central to understanding the ways in which architecture can engage

with a range of scales and practices. On this course, we support the development

of radical ideas, but also the radical potential of making and building. As a student

on BA Architecture, you will be treated as a young practitioner. We will encourage

you to develop your own critical and radical approach to architectural design.

The course collaborates with a range of external partners. These include social

initiatives, cultural institutions and public and private sector bodies. You will also

work with the other programmes and disciplines in the College. This creates a rich

and multi-disciplinary learning experience, with ample opportunity to work on live

projects. Here, you will undertake design work in live situations, often engaging with


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clients. This will allow you to gain an understanding of spatial practice and your role

as a designer within it.


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Course Units

The increasing complexity of contemporary socio-economic, cultural and

environmental issues requires architects to develop a broad skill set. This may be

described as context-led – seeking solutions which address local issues arising

from global agendas. Architects must move beyond traditional disciplinary

boundaries to find innovative and sustainable design solutions. There is a growing

need for contemporary city design which focuses not only on "hard" infrastructure

but also the "softer". That is, not only buildings, transport and engineering but also

systems of social networks, organisation and human interaction. BA Architecture

shifts the focus of design from buildings as objects to the processes that bring them

about, and their impact upon building. This provides greater opportunity for holistic

learning and sustainable development.

The course provides a rich learning environment and set of experiences in order for

you to develop as a spatial practitioner. It will introduce you to a range of cognitive

and practical skills, critical theories and creative experiences. These are delivered

through design studio tutorials, lectures, seminars, workshops and study visits.

Stage 1

Unit 1: Introduction to BA (Hons) Architecture

Unit 2: Design Studio 1

Unit 3: Contextual Studies 1: Architecture and Context

Unit 4: Technical Studies 1

Stage 1 will introduce you to core skills and concepts. These will allow you to

develop a critical understanding of spatial practice. You will focus on studio-based

projects, workshops and lectures. You will approach design for the human

environment, exploring and representing different scales and typologies of spaces,


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buildings and places.

Stage 2


Unit 6: Contextual Studies 2: Modern Dialectics


Unit 8: Professional Practice 2

This stage provides further development of your conceptual thinking, interpretive

and design skills. Material knowledge, technical skills, critical writing and

presentation skills will enable greater resolution in your designs. Stage 2 also

focuses on your personal responses to design issues and the development of your

unique voice as a spatial designer.

Stage 3


Unit 10: Contextual Studies 3: Dissertation


Unit 12: Professional Practice 3

Stage 3 brings together your skills, concepts and knowledge into more integrated

design projects. This stage offers you the opportunity to merge your previous

experience. You will explore in-depth, potential directions for your future career

through a self-directed project and written dissertation.

Mode of study


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BA Architecture runs for 90 weeks in full-time mode. It is divided into three stages

over three academic years. Each stage lasts 30 weeks.

You will be expected to commit 40 hours per week to study, which includes

teaching time and independent study.

Credit and award requirements

The course is credit-rated at 360 credits, with 120 credits at each stage (level).

On successfully completing the course, you will gain a Bachelor of Arts with

Honours (BA Hons degree).

Under the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications the stages for a BA are:

Stage 1 (Level 4), Stage 2 (Level 5) and Stage 3 (Level 6). In order to progress to

the next stage, all units of the preceding stage must normally be passed: 120

credits must be achieved in each stage. The classification of the award will be

derived from the marks of units in Stages 2 and 3 or only Stage 3, using a dual

algorithm.

If you are unable to continue on the course, a Certificate of Higher Education

(CertHE) will normally be offered following the successful completion of Level 4 (or

120 credits), or a Diploma in Higher Education (DipHE) following the successful

completion of level 5 (or 240 credits).

BA Architecture is professionally validated by the RIBA. Successful completion of

the course provides RIBA Part 1 qualification, the first of three stages of RIBA

professional registration.

Please note that as a result of course specific regulations, unit compensation as

detailed in UAL Course Regulations, is not available to students on this course.


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Learning and Teaching Methods

Unit and project briefings

Set and self-initiated project briefs

Inductions, workshops, lectures and seminars

Collaborative working

Tutor groups

Individual, group and personal tutorials

Peer learning

Self and peer assessment

Staff presentations and guest speakers

Group discussions, reviews and critiques (also referred to as crits)

Working with clients on live projects

Independent study

Assessment Methods

Reports and essays

Portfolio presentations

Portfolio submissions

Technical reports

Professional practice

Dissertation

Reference Points

The following reference points were used in designing the course:

FHEQ Level Descriptors (Level 4,5 and 6);

University Strategy for Student Learning;

Architecture Subject Benchmark;

RIBA/ARB validation criteria;

External industry advice and guidance.


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Course Diagram Indicative assessment weeks are detailed in the course diagram. For exact dates please refer to the timetable. For details on the winter, spring and summer breaks, term dates are published on the UAL website: https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/term-dates A non-teaching week of activities is scheduled between Weeks 15 and 16 of the spring term. The activities will be communicated directly to students.

Stage 1

Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Unit 1: Introduction to BA (Hons) Architecture 20 credits

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Unit 2: Design Studio 1 60 credits

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Unit 3: Contextual Studies 1: Architecture and Context 20 credits

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Unit 4: Technical Studies 1 20 credits

https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/term-dates


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Stage 2


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Unit 6: Contextual Studies 2: Modern Dialectics 20 credits

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Unit 8: Professional Practice 2 20 credits


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Stage 3


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Unit 10: Contextual Studies 3: Dissertation 20 credits

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Unit 12: Professional Practice 3 20 credits

Key

Week Summative assessment

Week Formative assessment


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The University will use all reasonable endeavours to provide the Course and the services

described in this Output. There may be occasions whereby the University needs to add, remove

or alter content in relation to your Course as may be appropriate for example the latest

requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body, or in response to student feedback, or to

comply with applicable law or due to circumstances beyond its control. The University aim to

inform you of any changes as soon as is reasonably practicable.

10251 - ba (hons) architecture programme …...10251 - ba (hons) architecture programme...

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