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Qualification type
BA (Hons)

Architecture Design Studies

UCAS code K10D

Entry requirements
A level: ABB
View full requirements
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
3 years
Start date and application deadlines
Start date
September 2025
Apply by:
Starts on:

We've set the country or region your qualifications are from as United Kingdom.

How to apply

Although the UCAS equal consideration date has now passed, many of our courses are still accepting applications from UK students for 2025 entry through UCAS.

The deadline for international students is 30 June 2025.

Combine this subject

With a combined degree, you can study two subjects as part of the same degree programme.

  • Choose from 30 subjects and over 300 combinations
  • Choose joint or major minor subjects
  • Adjust the weight of your subjects at the end of your first year
  • Same number of credits as single honours students
  • Same classes as single honours students
  • Appeal to a wide range of employers

Explore combined degrees for Architecture, Building and Planning courses

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About this course

Architecture Design Studies allows for a greater flexibility in course choices than the prescriptive Architecture qualification, enabling students to explore their personal interests in the wider field of architecture by including a range of courses chosen by students, delivered other University of Liverpool departments, including Sociology, Planning, Music and Geography.


Introduction

The Architecture Design Studies programme aims to provide a foundation in the general field of architecture and other related disciplines. It seeks to generate an enthusiasm for architecture, a spirit of inquiry, and to stimulate life-long learning.

As well as a first step towards professional activity, architecture design studies can be an enjoyable preparation for further study or other careers. It demands knowledge of many different but interrelated disciplines and the development of personal as well as technical skills. All students begin in year one on a common course with the BA (Hons) Architecture RIBA Part I accredited route, to provide some experience of design process, before students specialise in later years through a wide range of courses offered by other University of Liverpool departments.

The programme encourages investigative and critical approaches to architecture, and the development of research and specialist skills. It combines individual creativity with knowledge and understanding of a broad variety of technical and cultural issues. The aim is to provide a broad academic programme in architecture and cognate disciplines, which does not contain the design project modules needed by future architects, but which will equip graduates with useful skills and knowledge of the field.


What you'll learn

  • Structural and constructional principles
  • The theories and principles of environmental technologies, the relationship of environmental design and architectural technology to the climate, the development of a sustainable environment, and the impact that architectural decisions may have upon the natural world and its resources
  • The history and theory of architecture and urban design, the history of ideas, and the related disciplines of art and cultural studies
  • An appreciation of the influences on the contemporary built environment of individual buildings, the design of cities, past and present societies and wider global issues
  • The cultural context of architecture and urban design, and the related disciplines of art and landscape studies
  • How to make informed and considered judgements about the spatial, aesthetic, technical and social qualities of historical or contemporary designs
  • An understanding of architectural history and the key drivers informing change and development
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We’re proud to announce we’ve been awarded a Gold rating for educational excellence.


Course content

Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.

Year one

Year one consists of compulsory modules, in which you will be introduced to the history and evolution of Architecture, developing foundational knowledge of the concepts and theories that will form the basis of the rest of your studies. We will look at the technology and principles of construction and structural design. Half of your module credits will be taken in studio design, enabling you to appreciate creative design process and learn architectural conventions.

Year two

Year two has two strands, a continuation of your understanding of architectural processes and context, and a number of additional courses that you have the opportunity to choose. These courses are drawn from outside of the School of Architecture and feature sociology, planning, geography and psychology. You will take two of these optional modules in semester one.

Year three

Year three continues to develop core architectural understanding while more optional modules allow further broadening of student interests. A core module in third year is a two-semester dissertation course in which students can devote significant time to researching an area of particular interest to the student, something both useful in itself and potentially important to moving toward employment opportunities or further study at postgraduate level.

You will take one optional module in semester one, and another in semester two.

Teaching and assessment

How you'll learn

The course comprises of a series of lecture-based courses, with seminars, group work and one to one tutorials. As the choice of courses in largely driven by each student it isn’t possible to provide a comprehensive description but the majority of teaching will be delivered on campus, with additional support through online Teams based conversations.

Architecture Design Studies does not have a studio design component, so the course is arranged as a number of lecture based courses which deliver core material supplemented by seminars, one to one tutorials and self-directed research.

How you're assessed

Each course assessed in different manners, which we attempt to provide in a series of ways to allow each student to demonstrate their knowledge in a range of submission formats. This comprise of essays, multiple choice quizzes, posters, reports, exams and presentations.

Liverpool Hallmarks

We have a distinctive approach to education, the Liverpool Curriculum Framework, which focuses on research-connected teaching, active learning, and authentic assessment to ensure our students graduate as digitally fluent and confident global citizens.

The Liverpool Curriculum framework sets out our distinctive approach to education. Our teaching staff support our students to develop academic knowledge, skills, and understanding alongside our graduate attributes:

  • Digital fluency
  • Confidence
  • Global citizenship

Our curriculum is characterised by the three Liverpool Hallmarks:

  • Research-connected teaching
  • Active learning
  • Authentic assessment

All this is underpinned by our core value of inclusivity and commitment to providing a curriculum that is accessible to all students.

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Course options

Studying with us means you can tailor your degree to suit you. Here's what is available on this course.

Global opportunities

University of Liverpool students can choose from an exciting range of study placements at partner universities worldwide.

Year abroad

Broaden your world by spending an additional year of study at a partner university abroad following your second year of study.

  • Choose from up-to 26 countries
  • Experience another way of life
  • Inspire your future career or studies
  • Improved prospects of earning a 2:1 or First
  • More likely to earn higher salary
  • More likely to be employed after graduating

Where can I spend a year abroad on this course?

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Hong Kong
  • Malaysia
  • Singapore
  • South Korea
  • USA

More about taking a year abroad

Year in industry

Year in industry placements give you an in-depth workplace experience where you can develop your skills and apply your learning.

  • Develop key employability skills that graduate employers are looking for
  • Experience and understand workplace culture and disciple
  • Understand the relationship between academic theory and real world application
  • Begin your professional network
  • Gain industry insight and insight into potential career options.

You don't need to decide now - you can choose to add a year in industry after you've begun your degree.

Learn more about year in industry

To spend a year in industry, you'll need to secure a placement with an organisation. If you're unable to find a placement, you'll continue with the standard version of the course without a year in industry.

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Your experience

The Liverpool School of Architecture benefits from comfortable, well-lit studio, work and seminar/review spaces, including a ‘hi-tech’ design studio, to which you will have 24-hour access.

Our facilities include a Print Media Design Suite, computing labs, workshops, a laser suite, a CNC router room, 3D printers, computing labs and research labs. A team of dedicated technicians will help you to get the most of these facilities and to realise your ideas.

Explore where you'll study

Architecture exterior
Workspace in the Stirling Gallery
Workspace in the Stirling Gallery
Architecture Stirling Gallery
Student work on display
Student work on display
Arthictecture studio
Watch on Panopto: Meet our Architecture students

Meet our Architecture students

Virtual tour

Supporting your learning

From arrival to alumni, we’re with you all the way:

Why study Architecture at Liverpool?

  • Established in 1894, the Liverpool School of Architecture was the first university in the UK to award a RIBA-accredited degree in Architecture
  • As one of the UK’s premier centres for architectural research and education, the Liverpool School of Architecture is the ideal place to pursue your architecture studies
  • We are ranked 3rd in the UK for Architecture (The Guardian University Guide 2025) and 7th in the Times and Sunday Times Higher Education Good University Guide 2025.
  • In the latest Research Excellence Framework assessment (REF 2021), we were rated 5th in the sector for overall research classified as world leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*).
  • We are strongly focused on research, and have many leading architectural experts based amongst our teaching staff
  • Our membership of the School of the Arts and wider University presents intriguing specialist opportunities, in fields such as autonomous building systems, arts and building design, and climate change risk mitigation
  • Work is underway on a major refurbishment of our premises, which will comprise a new-build addition of more than 2,000M. The £23 million scheme has been designed by Dublin-based architects O’Donnell + Tuomey, and is expected to be completed by 2024.

The ambition the school of architecture has is unmatched by any other in the U.K – and it shows.

Kuda Mushangi, BA (Hons) Architecture 2017, MArch Master of Architecture 2020
Two students chatting while walking through campus.

Chat with our students

Want to find out more about student life?
Chat with our student ambassadors and ask any questions you have.

Watch on Panopto: David Grant – Architecture

David Grant – Architecture

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Careers and employability

The programme prepares its graduates for careers into a series of fields related to architecture and the built environment. Successful students may go on to work in architectural journalism, art history, museum curatorship and arts administration, executive roles in the construction industry and architects’ offices, as well as the wide range of careers open to graduates in arts and social science disciplines. The programme also prepares graduates for further full-time education at Masters level or in vocational degrees such as Town and Country Planning.

Architecture graduates can follow a few options.  This programme is also an ideal preparation for further study and hugely valuable in a whole range of other careers.

Recent graduates have gone on to work in the following:

  • the Arts Council;
  • the construction industry;
  • and multidisciplinary think tanks;
  • games design and the fashion industry;
  • property development.
employment

95% of students agree their main activity after graduation is meaningful.

(Graduate Outcomes, 2018-19.)

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My qualifications are from United Kingdom.

Fees and funding

Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.

Tuition fees

UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)

Full-time place, per year - £9,535
Year in industry fee - £1,905
Year abroad fee - £1,430 (applies to year in China)

International fees

Full-time place, per year - £29,900
Year in industry fee - £1,905
Year abroad fee - £14,950 (applies to year in China)

The tuition fees shown are correct for 2025/26 entry. Please note that the year abroad fee also applies to the year in China.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support. Learn more about paying for your studies.


Additional costs

At first year level, where the course follows the K100 Architecture course, there is a limited requirement for graphical and model making materials. Most of these are supplied by the Architecture Course, but there will be some costs in purchasing course specific equipment (adjustable set square, pencils, erasers, pens, craft knife, glue etc). In the later years, where there are no studio modules the additional costs will only be those that might be associated with any academic course

Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this course.


Scholarships and bursaries

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that could help pay your tuition and living expenses.

The Liverpool Bursary

If you’re a UK student joining an undergraduate degree and have a household income below £35,000, you could be eligible for a Liverpool Bursary worth up to £2,000 for each year of undergraduate study.

Asylum Seekers Scholarship

Apply for an Asylum Seekers Scholarship and you could have your tuition fees paid in full and receive help with study costs. You’ll need to have applied for asylum in the UK, or be the dependant of an asylum seeker, and be joining an eligible undergraduate degree.

Care Leavers’ Opportunity Bursary

If you’ve spent 13 or more weeks in Local Authority care since age 14, you could be eligible for a bursary of £3,000 per year of study. You’ll need to be a UK student joining an eligible undergraduate degree and be aged 28 or above on 1 September in the year you start.

Cowrie Foundation Scholarship

Are you a UK student with a Black African or Caribbean heritage and a household income of £25,000 or less? You could be eligible to apply for a Cowrie Foundation Scholarship worth up to £8,000 for each year of undergraduate study.

Estranged Students Bursary

If you’re a UK student identified as estranged by Student Finance England (or the equivalent UK funding body), you could be eligible for a bursary of £1,000 for each year of undergraduate study.

Genesys Life Sciences Scholarship

Joining a School of Biosciences degree and have a household income of less than £25,000? If you’re a UK student, you could apply to receive £4,500 per year for three years of your undergraduate course.

Nolan Scholarships

Do you live in the Liverpool City Region with a household income of £25,000 or less? Did neither of your parents attend University? You could be eligible to apply for a Nolan Scholarship worth £5,000 per year for three years of undergraduate study.

Rigby Enterprise Award

Are you a UK student with a household income of £25,000 or less? If you’ve participated in an eligible outreach programme, you could be eligible to apply for a Rigby Enterprise Award worth £5,000 per year for three years of your undergraduate degree.

ROLABOTIC Scholarship

Are you a UK student with a household income of £25,000 or less? Did neither of your parents attend University? You could be eligible to apply for a ROLABOTIC Scholarship worth £4,500 for each year of your undergraduate degree.

Sport Liverpool Performance Programme

Apply to receive tailored training support to enhance your sporting performance. Our athlete support package includes a range of benefits, from bespoke strength and conditioning training to physiotherapy sessions and one-to-one nutritional advice.

Technetix Broadhurst Engineering Scholarship

Joining a degree in the School of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Computer Science? If you’re a UK student with household income below £25,000, you could be eligible to apply for £5,000 a year for three years of study. Two awards will be available per academic year.

Young Adult Carer’s (YAC) Bursary

If you’re a young adult and a registered carer in the UK, you might be eligible for a £1,000 bursary for each year of study. You’ll need to be aged 18-25 on 1 September in the year you start your undergraduate degree.

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My qualifications are from United Kingdom.

Entry requirements

The qualifications and exam results you'll need to apply for this course.

Qualification Details
A levels

ABB

Applicants with the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) are eligible for a reduction in grade requirements. For this course, the offer is BBB with A in the EPQ.

You may automatically qualify for reduced entry requirements through our contextual offers scheme. Based on your personal circumstances, you may automatically qualify for up to a two-grade reduction in the entry requirements needed for this course. When you apply, we consider a range of factors – such as where you live – to assess if you’re eligible for a grade reduction. You don’t have to make an application for a grade reduction – we’ll do all the work.

Find out more about how we make reduced grade offers.

GCSE

GCSE Maths and English grade C/4

Subject requirements

This course requires a portfolio to accompany standard UCAS application

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate

Distinction BB

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma

DDD

International Baccalaureate

33 points with no score less than 4.

Irish Leaving Certificate H1, H2, H2, H2, H3, H3
Scottish Higher/Advanced Higher

ABB in Advanced Highers, combinations of Advanced Highers and Scottish Highers are welcome

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Acceptable at grade A and A level grades BB
Access Considered if taking Art and Design Pathway 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 15 level 3 credits at Merit
International qualifications

If you hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, but don’t meet our entry requirements, you could be eligible for a Pre-Master’s course. This is offered on campus at the University of Liverpool International College, in partnership with Kaplan International Pathways. It’s a specialist preparation course for postgraduate study, and when you pass the Pre-Master’s at the required level with good attendance, you’re guaranteed entry to a University of Liverpool master’s degree.


English language requirements

You'll need to demonstrate competence in the use of English language, unless you’re from a majority English speaking country.

We accept a variety of international language tests and country-specific qualifications.

International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.

Qualification Details
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no component below 5.5
TOEFL iBT 88 overall, with minimum scores of listening 17, writing 17, reading 17 and speaking 19. TOEFL Home Edition not accepted.
TOEFL Paper Grade 7 at Standard Level or grade 6 at Higher Level
Duolingo English Test 125 overall, with speaking, reading and writing not less than 105, and listening not below 100
Pearson PTE Academic 61 overall, with no component below 59
LanguageCert Academic 70 overall, with no skill below 60
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 Grade C overall, with a minimum of grade 2 in speaking and listening. Speaking and listening must be separately endorsed on the certificate.
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0990 Grade 4 overall, with Merit in speaking and listening
Cambridge IGCSE Second Language English 0510/0511 0510: Grade B overall, with a minimum of grade 2 in speaking. Speaking must be separately endorsed on the certificate. 0511: Grade B overall.
Cambridge IGCSE Second Language English 0993/0991 0993: Grade 6 overall, with a minimum of grade 2 in speaking. Speaking must be separately endorsed on the certificate. 0991: Grade 6 overall.
Cambridge ESOL Level 2/3 Advanced 176 overall, with no paper below 162
LanguageCert Grade 5 at Standard Level or grade 5 at Higher Level

Pre-sessional English

Do you need to complete a Pre-sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course?

The length of Pre-sessional English course you’ll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.

Pre-sessional English in detail

If you don’t meet our English language requirements, we can use your most recent IELTS score, or the equivalent score in selected other English language tests, to determine the length of Pre-sessional English course you require.

Use the table below to check the course length you're likely to require for your current English language ability and see whether the course is available on campus or online.

Your most recent IELTS score Pre-sessional English course length On campus or online
6.0 overall, with no component below 5.5 6 weeks On campus
5.5 overall, with no component below 5.5 10 weeks On campus and online options available
5.5 overall, with no more than one component below 5.5, and no component below 5.0 12 weeks On campus and online options available
5.5 overall, with no component below 4.5 20 weeks On campus
5.0 overall, with no component below 4.5 30 weeks On campus
4.5 overall, with no more than one component below 4.5, and no component below 4.0 40 weeks On campus

If you’ve completed an alternative English language test to IELTS, we may be able to use this to assess your English language ability and determine the Pre-sessional English course length you require.

Please see our guide to Pre-sessional English entry requirements for IELTS 6.5 overall, with no component below 5.5, for further details.


Alternative entry requirements

  • If your qualification isn't listed here, or you're taking a combination of qualifications, contact us for advice
  • If you are returning to learning, have had a disrupted education or are switching career pathways, the one-year Go Higher diploma qualifies you to apply for University of Liverpool arts, humanities and social sciences programmes
  • Applications from mature students are welcome.
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Entry requirements: which qualifications do you need?

Contact us

Have a question about this course or studying with us? Our dedicated enquiries team can help.

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Last updated 20 December 2024 / / Programme terms and conditions

Changes to Architecture Design Studies BA (Hons)

See what updates we've made to this course since it was published. We document changes to information such as course content, entry requirements and how you'll be taught.

14 January 2025: Duolingo English Test requirements updated

Duolingo English Test requirements updated. See English language requirements for details of the revised requirements.

13 December 2024: BA Architecture Design Studies

Updated the lists of optional modules.

7 June 2022: New course pages

New course pages launched.