MArch Architecture

Fees and funding

All full and part-time students enrolled on postgraduate taught programmes at LJMU are liable to pay an annual tuition fee. You can opt to pay your tuition fees in full at the start of each academic year or pay by instalments. If you need advice about how you will pay your tuition fees, please email LJMU's Student Funding Team as soon as possible.

To qualify for student funding for your MArch you need to have studied the BA (Hons) Architecture or RIBA Part 1 (at LJMU or elsewhere in the UK) and normally go on to study the RIBA Part 2 with no more than two years between the two courses. Students that take longer than this between Part 1 and Part 2 should seek advice from the LJMU Student Funding Team before starting the MArch as Student Finance will consider applications from those with longer gaps on a case-by-case basis.

If you are planning to commence an MArch course without first completing the BA (Hons) Architecture (RIBA Part 1), you may not be eligible for full funding for the MArch so should seek advice from the LJMU Student Funding Team before you commence your studies.

The MArch is not normally eligible for a Postgraduate Loan.

Employability

Further your career prospects

LJMU has an excellent employability record with 96% (HESA 2018) of our postgraduates in work or further study six months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.

Postgraduates from this programme are highly sought after by employers.

On graduation you will gain exemption from ARB/ RIBA Part 2 examinations. This qualification is essential if you want to become a registered architect and gain Chartered status. Once you have passed the ARB/RIBA Part 3 exams, you can practice in any EU or commonwealth country and many other countries outside the EU.

Many of our graduates secure employment at world-class practices throughout the UK and further afield. Some have remained in the city of Liverpool, contributing to its evolution by taking key roles in leading practices that have reshaped the city over the last decade.

If, after graduating, you choose not to go down the route of becoming a registered Architect, many other careers are open to you. Past graduates have pursued successful careers as Project Managers, Property Developers, Building Contractors, Furniture Designers, Lighting Designers, Architectural Visualisation Artists and Journalists.

"Being based in the John Lennon Building, not only do you have the use of good modern facilities, but you also get to mix with students from different courses who can influence your work."

Dionne Barrett, graduate and Architectural Assistant at AT Architects

Teaching

An insight into teaching on your course

Study hours

The MArch involves intense teaching and project work. with a full Monday - Friday teaching timetable.

Your academic timetable varies according to the semester, the module you are undertaking, and whether you are studying on a full-time or part-time basis. Sample timetables are available from the Faculty Admissions Hub

Teaching methods

The first year introduces contemporary urban design theories and international best practice. Locating project work in Merseyside or abroad, you are encouraged to engage with cultural organisations, regional stakeholders and statutory authorities to produce creative, socio-economically engaged architectural proposals.

You then follow strands of enquiry around dwelling in the city and undertake a year-long specialist study as the basis for your research proposal.

The final year of the MArch offers opportunities for more in-depth explorations, emanating from group urban studies. Ambitions for comprehensive building design projects develop from an analysis of and intuitive response to place.

Applied learning

As well as providing a framework of expertise for your studies and being located in a UNESCO recognised city of cultural significance, LJMU also offers a number of overseas workshops that enable you to undertake design work in new territories and contexts. Recent workshops have taken place in Porto, Marseille, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Essen and Duisburg.

We also have Erasmus staff and student mobility agreements with FH Joanneum University of Applied Science in Graz, Austria and Pecsi Tudomanyegyetem, Pecs, Hungary. We regularly host symposia and conferences, for example: Starchitecture on the Mersey? a civic symposium and Housing - A Critical Perspective.

The first year of the course introduces contemporary urban design theories and international best practice. Locating project work in Merseyside or abroad, you are encouraged to engage with cultural organisations, regional stakeholders and statutory authorities to produce creative, socio-economically engaged architectural proposals.

You then follow strands of enquiry around dwelling in the city and undertake a year long specialist study as the basis for your research proposal.

The final year of the MArch offers opportunities for more in-depth explorations, emanating from group urban studies. Ambitions for comprehensive building design projects develop from an analysis of and intuitive response to place.

Take a tour of this year's Degree Show

Each year, MArch graduating students show their final assessed work to prospective employers, peers, friends and family. Take the virtual tour

Assessment

How learning is monitored on your programme

To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.

This is a project-oriented course. You will develop design ideas in the studio, guided by semester tutors and, at regular intervals, by joint review panels of design tutors and external critics who will comment on your progress.

Teaching is intensive and you will learn via one-to-one and group discussions plus regular presentations of work, so that continuous group and self-assessment is built into your course.

The environmental, structural and constructional aspects of your design projects will be assessed in technical workshops.

You will also need to submit: written, drawn and modelled coursework submissions, a written and illustrated dissertation, written and illustrated essays and reports plus reflective statements.

Entry requirements

You will need:

• a minimum 2:2 honours degree in Architecture
• to attend an interview

Additional Information:

• Assessment of suitability to the course may also be undertaken by review of a portfolio of work and an interview
• Students with first degrees without RIBA/ARB Part 1 exemption should be aware that the MArch awards exemption from RIBA / ARB Part 2 only. If you wish to register as an Architect in this country or become an RIBA Chartered architect you will have to acquire RIBA / ARB Part 1 separately
• IELTS 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each component)
• Pearson PTE Academic 64 (minimum 59 in each component for UKVI purposes)
• RPL is accepted on this programme

If you have any specific queries, please contact apsadmissions@ljmu.ac.uk

Please note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check via NARIC.

View country specific entry requirements

Contact LJMU's International Admissions Team for guidance on visa information. Further information is also available from our international web pages.

Application and selection

Securing your place at LJMU

You will apply for the majority of postgraduate courses using our online application form. You should complete the form thoroughly and provide a detailed personal statement which reflects your suitability and aptitude for the programme.

We are looking for students with an enthusiasm for design, who wish to engage in the debate on the future of the built environment. You should have a willingness to read around the subject widely and gain first hand experience of buildings, towns and cities.

You will need:

• information retrieval techniques, as you will be expected to read around the subject and draw upon your findings for essays and projects
• analytical skills, so that you can critically assess your own work and the work of others
• IT skills, as you will be expected to develop and submit project work using a wide range of specialist software applications
• communication skills, as you will be expected to contribute to tutorials and host presentations
• time management skills, as you will have to work to deadlines on a regular basis
• team-working skills, as you will have to work closely with others
  
  

Make sure that you include any work experience that you have had (this includes part-time and holiday work), particularly if this relates to your chosen field of study. We are looking for evidence of commitment and team-working skills, so give us details of these.

Remember: we will consider your application not only on your exam grades but also on the strength of your personal statement and references. We may invite you in for an interview or ask you to complete a piece of work if we believe your exam grades do not accurately reflect your ability and potential. Remember that a good application form could even make up a shortfall in your exam grades and help secure your place at LJMU.

What happens next?

If you are from the UK and meet the application criteria, you will receive a letter requesting that you attend an interview to which you should bring your full academic portfolio. This will also include an opportunity to meet academic staff and current students, as well as a tour of LJMU facilities.

International students will receive confirmation of their offer from the International Office, along with details on accommodation, fees and other important information.

Applications will be considered together in March and short-listed applicants will be invited to interview in April. Applications received prior to this date will be held on file until shortlisting takes place.

If you are applying from overseas, a decision will be made based on your application form and portfolio in the first instance. A Skype interview may be required.