Architecture

Architecture is the discipline that shapes the built environment, from individual buildings to the organisation of entire cities. It sits at the intersection of art, engineering, and social thought, requiring you to think creatively about form and space while also understanding structure, materials, environmental performance, and the human needs a building must serve. An architect must be able to imagine what does not yet exist and to communicate that vision in drawings, models, and eventually construction, working with clients, engineers, planners, and builders throughout the process.

This five-year degree at the University of Dundee is based in the University's art school, which means you work within a highly creative studio atmosphere alongside students in other art and design disciplines. Design tutorials and the majority of your learning take place in the architecture studio, where you will develop your own design sensibility through sustained project work and critical dialogue with tutors and peers. The course includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study in another architectural culture and to encounter different approaches to the built environment.

Over five years you will develop technical knowledge in structures, environmental systems, and construction alongside your design skills, and you will build a portfolio of work that reflects your development as a thinker and a maker.

Graduates of architecture programmes in the UK typically go on to complete the further stages of professional qualification, culminating in chartered architect status with the Royal Institute of British Architects. The profession spans a wide range of practice, from small residential projects to large civic, commercial, and infrastructure work. Architecture graduates also work in related fields including urban design, heritage conservation, project management, sustainability consultancy, and academia.

The intellectual and creative skills developed in the course are genuinely transferable, and some graduates pursue careers in design, film, product development, and digital visualisation.