This course is accredited by the following professional bodies:

• Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)

The job of an Architect

Architects take the germ of an idea for a building, or restoration project, and to translate this into a detailed design. A great architect has both the technical skill and the artistic vision to transform a space into something that is highly functional and beautiful. Architects use a combination of hand-drawing and CAD software to help them illustrate their ideas. However, they also need great people and communication skills to articulate their vision to clients and to work with local planning authorities to obtain the necessary planning permissions.

Course overview

The aim of our course is to provide a creative and design focused education that emphasises the considered design of our environment through an engagement with contemporary material, social and environmental issues.You'll be encouraged to take inspiration from wide sources.

This course offers you the opportunity to study in our dynamic department close to the Tate Modern and Design Museum. Our identity is derived from our location in the centre of London and from the diversity of our students who come from all around the world. The course offers a creative design focused education in which academic and intellectual rigour underpins all subjects.

This is a highly creative course where design project work is the focus of our studio culture. You'll develop a wide range of skills, which teach you how to draw both by hand, and use digital media. History and theory modules will develop your understanding of the subject of architecture whilst technology modules will teach you about structures, materials and how architecture is made. You'll also address the issue of how to design architecture in a more sustainable and ethical way.

You'll need to gain the RIBA examinations, Parts 1, 2 and 3 (or equivalent) to become a fully-qualified architect. On choosing this course you'll be on track for these qualifications through the BA (Hons) Degree (RIBA Part 1), Diploma in Architecture (RIBA Part 2) and Professional Practice Course (RIBA Part 3).

Course modules

Year 1

• Design 101
• Design 102
• Design 103
• Cultural context 1
• Technology 1
• Communication 1

Year 2

• Design 201: experimental media
• Design 202
• Design 203
• Cultural context 2
• Technology 2
• Communication 2: digital design

Year 3

• Design 301
• Design 302
• Design 303
• Cultural context 3
• Technology and professional practice 3

Employability and academic progression

This course will give you exemption for RIBA Part 1 and will prepare you for future studies and a rewarding career as either an architect or in other design-related areas.

The course will enable you to develop a wide range of employability skills through: the emphasis on both a vocational and academic approach to teaching; a focus on design project work; our strong design and academic reputation and our excellent links into practice.

Recent student work has been awarded the Serjeant award, the SOM commendation and the sole commendation for the RIBA Bronze medal. These awards significantly improves student employability.

The success of our programme can be gauged by the reputation and impact of our graduates both in the UK and abroad  We have a number of award-winning alumni who are running their own international practices, such as David Adjaye OBE, or contributing to major design practices at director level, such as Patrik Schumacher in Zaha Hadids office.
Once fully qualified, a significant number of our graduates practice as professional architects including for: Zaha Hadid, Richard Rogers Partnership, Norman Fosters, Hawkins Brown, Alford Hall Monaghan, Nigel Coates Architects and Wilkinson Eyre Architects. We also have graduates working in America, Australia, the Far East and Africa as well as throughout Europe.

This course also equips you with excellent transferable skills and a number of our graduates have pursued careers in architectural journalism, interior design and fashion design as well as careers in the built environment.

Graduates will be able to apply for further study at postgraduate level at any of the RIBA recognised schools, including for our Postgraduate Diploma in Architecture (RIBA Part 2).

Graduates from our course have also been accepted for further studies at prestigious national and international Schools of Architecture including the Bartlett University College London, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, the Architectural Association and the Royal College of Art London.

LSBU is committed to supporting you develop your employability and succeed in getting a job after you have graduated. Your qualification will certainly help, but in a competitive market you also need to work on your employability, and on your career search. Our Employability Service will support you in developing your skills, finding a job, interview techniques, work experience or an internship, and will help you assess what you need to do to get the job you want at the end of your course. LSBU offers a comprehensive Employability Service, with a range of initiatives to complement your studies, including:

• direct engagement from employers who come in to interview and talk to students
• Job Shop and on-campus recruitment agencies to help your job search
• mentoring and work shadowing schemes.

Professional and industry links

Our courses are fully accredited by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Architects Registration Board for RIBA Part 1, RIBA Part 2 and RIBA Part 3.