EVERYTHING You Need to Know About Studying Architecture (incl. Survey)

Some individuals have the notion that architects simply walk around with a construction helmet that reads either ‘residential’ or ‘commercial’, and whose job is to decide whether to construct a modern or classical building.

In the real sense, an architect designs the structure of a building and coordinates with other professionals to bring the concept to reality. Architects work alongside structural engineers, electrical engineers, landscapers, interiors designers, but the architects must have basic knowledge of those areas as well to ensure a satisfactory result.

What kind of training do I require to become an architect?

The first step is to meet the required educational standards by obtaining an undergraduate degree. While entry requirements to the universities vary, most of them require five GCSEs, including, Maths, English, and Science, along with a set of three A-levels or their equivalent. There is a growing emphasis in most universities for a portfolio of the student’s creative work.

You have to undertake a degree program that’s accredited by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). You begin with the Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch), which is a pre-professional degree. Should you need to proceed with your studies, you could advance to the Master of Architecture (M.Arch), and finally, obtain a Doctor of Architecture (D.Arch) degree.

Step 1 - pre-professional degree program

The pre-professional degree program takes at least four years; three years of classwork and one year in the field.

During the first one or two years, students undertake non-architecture classes such as math, physics, social science, and others that help them hone their drawing and interpretation skills. In the course of the other two years, students undertake architectural courses such as:

• The history of architecture
• Construction methods
• Building materials
• Building designs, structures, and architectural techniques
• Building codes

Once you complete the program, you will be required to undertake the RIBA I examinations before proceeding.

In the fourth year, graduates are required to gain some practical experience for at least one year. Students have to record their Professional Experience Development Record (PEDR) on the PEDR website, which is monitored by the immediate supervisor and the Professional Studies Advisor (PSA) from the institution you studied at. You can spend more than one year in such a place for extra experience.

Step 2 - postgraduate degree

After completing the four years, you could go for a postgraduate degree at the institution you were in or another one. You need to consider aspects such as teaching methods and the program’s content before choosing a particular institution. Institutions that provide work-based modules equip their students with valuable practical experience.

This could be a B.Arch, a Diploma, or an M.Arch program, which takes two years of full-time learning. More specialist studios are used to teach design modules, and you will be required to submit your design works to tutors for critiquing. Field trips to notable buildings will also be encountered at this stage.

After completing your postgraduate course, you will work for one year under a licensed architect to gain some more work experience. UK students can work either in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or the EEA. As with the first part, you will be required to record your progress on the PEDR website.

At this point, you could apply for a RIBA associate membership.

Step 3 - Advanced Diploma in Professional Practice in Architecture

This is an online course whose purpose is to assess your architect competency before sitting for the main exam. The exam lasts for a total of 3 days. During the first two, you will be answering practice problems. You will be compiling your submission that includes your CV, a case study, a self-evaluation, the PEDR log sheets indicating your work experience, and the answers to the practice problems from the first two days.

A nominated supervisor will go through your work. You will also be required to pay registration fees for the online course and the exam.

Once you pass the final exam, you are qualified to register yourself with a professional architectural body with the job title of an ‘architect’. Such bodies include the Architects Registration Board (ARB), Bund Deutscher Architekten, the Indian Institute of Architects, and The Society of American Registered Architects. This opens up multiple career opportunities for you.

At this point, you also qualify to become a RIBA Chartered Member. This gives you access to national and international architect networks, which opens up a flood of opportunities.

Are there any alternative routes to qualifying as an architect?

Not everyone is comfortable studying full-time or funding a full-time program. Such students have the following options:

Part-time Studies

Quite a number of learning institutions offer part-time RIBA accredited courses. This enables students to train in the field while working. The downside of this option is that it could take longer to qualify. Some institutions also offer online learning.

RIBA Studio

This offers a self-study route for students working in architectural disciplines. This is quite cost-effective compared to a school-based approach.

Accredited Prior Learning

Some institutions offer higher level entries to the architectural program if the applicants have studied in a related field. The institution will first assess whether the course content is relevant to architecture.

The institutions that offer architectural studies in the UK include:

• University of Sheffield
• University of Bath
• University College London
• University of Cambridge
• University of Nottingham
• University of Manchester
• University of Lincoln
• Coventry University
• UWE Bristol
• Strathclyde University

Architecture and Maths

As with many technical applications, Maths plays a major role when it comes to architecture. While you might not need in-depth knowledge in Math, you will need basic mathematics such as proportion to design correct building proportions, trigonometry which helps in the structure’s orientation, and so on.

How long will I have to study before I qualify?

Becoming an architect requires passion, patience, and determination. An architecture course in the UK takes approximately 7 years of study. A BA program or BSc in an architectural program takes three years, which is the same amount of time taken to complete building and planning programmes.

Architectural job prospects

After five years of study along with two years of work experience, you will have gained knowledge in subjects such as design, computer-aided design (CAD), project management, and numeracy. Unfortunately, architecture is quite a competitive industry that’s reputed to have low graduate job market. However, with appropriate skills and talent, you will make it in this profitable industry.

Apart from being an architect, you could specialise in related fields such as:

Become a building surveyor

You will be responsible for providing professional advice on the construction of modest as well as complex property. You will also help identify defects recommend any repairs, maintenance, and refurbishment options. You could work on existing buildings, historic structures, and develop new ones.

Graduate building surveyors earn around £30,000. After a few years of experience, you will be earning a salary of around £44,000. A senior building surveyor could earn up to £70,000, with the potential of earning a six-figure income should they become directors or partners.

A construction manager

Also referred to as a site manager, a construction manager is responsible for the completion of building projects safely, and within the set time frame and budget.

You will be working closely with the building professionals, architects, and surveyors to ensure proper planning and progress. As they are responsible for overseeing the project, a construction manager’s time is split between working from an office and working on site.

Construction managers’ salaries vary depending on the project scale, sector, location, and the employer. However, beginners can expect to earn anything from £25,000 to £34,000. After a few years of experience, you could earn as much as £50,000 with senior construction managers earning £70,000 or more.

A conservation officer

A conservation officer could work under an organisation or be self-employed. He or she is responsible for the conservation of historic buildings and areas of artistic interest. You could also work on regeneration projects with economic, environmental, or communal benefits. You will be expected to carry out inspections and site visits and make recommendations on their enhancement and preservation.

The starting salary of a conservation officer ranges between £22,000 and £27,000. With experience or conservation officer qualifications you could earn up to £36,000 while heads of conservation earn as much as £60,000.

A planning and development surveyor

Should you choose to work in this sector, you will be responsible for advising clients on complex social, environmental, and economic aspects of their structural developments. This allows your clients to make informed decisions. Such expertise is critical where a project is being funded from a public purse, thus planning and financial allocations need to be proven.

As the planning and development surveyor, you will advise your client on such issues as site planning, logistics, and environmental conservation, while taking into account the dynamic market conditions.

The starting salary falls between £20,000 and £25,000. Chartered surveyors could earn anything between £30,000 and £45,000, while senior planning and development surveyors could earn as much as £70,000 along with other employment benefits.

A production designer for TV, film, or theatre

You could use your architectural skills to identify design styles for locations, props, graphics, sets, lighting, costumes, and camera angles for film, theatre, and TV productions. Most people working as production designers start as set designers, production assistants, art department runners, or junior draughts people.

The salaries vary depending on the role, so it’s ideal to check on the current rates with the Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BETCU).

A higher education tutor

After attaining a D.Arch, degree, you could become a lecturer in universities or colleges to teach undergraduates or postgraduates through seminars, lectures, practical demos, field work, tutorials, and e-learning. You could also pursue unique research to contribute to wider research activities in the institution you teach in, and publish scholarly articles or even books. This helps in enhancing the institution’s profile.

The starting salary of a higher education lecturer averages at around £39,000. Senior lecturers earn an average of £49,000 with professional lecturers earning between £55,000 and £107,000 depending on your experience and responsibilities.

A landscaping architect

You will be responsible for the planning, designing, and managing natural and human-made open spaces. Your job is to ensure an aesthetically pleasing and sustainable environment.

Projects that you could be asked to work on include sporting sites, gardens, parks, residential gardens, and also city-centre designs. The five areas you could work on include; landscape planning, urban design, landscape science, landscape management, and landscape design.

Your starting salary could be anywhere between £20,000 and £25,000. Should you go a step further and obtain a Licentiate Membership or gain some experience, you could earn up to £30,000. Members of the Landscape Institute earn as much as £45,000, and with further experience, they earn as much as £100,000.

A structural engineer

A structural engineer is responsible for the construction of structures that will withstand the pressures of human use and environmental conditions. The structural engineer ensures that the building does not vibrate excessively, rotate, deflect, or collapse throughout its use. At times, they are required to inspect existing buildings and determine if they are still fit for use or structurally fit.

You could be asked to construct structures such as residential apartments or houses, office blocks, hospitals, bridges, oil rigs, and so on. You are also responsible for the selection of suitable building materials that will meet the design specifications and inspect the project’s progress.

A graduate structural engineer earns an average of £25,000, which could get to as much as £40,000 after a few years of experience. Senior structural engineers earn as much as £70,000 with those that have reached chartered status earning even more.

A town planner

A town planner’s responsibility is to strike a balance on conflicting housing demands, agriculture, recreation, industrial development, the environment, and transport to enable development to still take place.

You will, therefore, be involved in the development of urban centres, the countryside, and villages.

Starting salaries for town planners could be as much as £25,000 with chief planning officers earning up to £100,000. You have the potential to earn even higher if you become a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

The income figures indicated are meant to be a guide only, and could vary depending on the location, employer, and other factors. The earnings are also annual.