MArch Master of Architecture

at Manchester School of Architecture

The MArch is your final stage of formal academic architecture education leading towards professional registration as an architect. It is a professionally recognised award (prescribed at Part 2 level by the Architects Registration Board and validated at Part 2 level by the Royal Institute of British Architects) and developed for students who have completed RIBA Part 1 for example a BA (Hons) Architecture course and, typically, one year in practice.

The studio element of the course is delivered through research-driven, outwardly focussed clusters called ateliers that align strong areas of research activity and mutual interests of groups of staff. This will enable you to develop ideological positions that are critically underpinned by seminars, workshops and symposiums.

The first year of study will enables you to locate yourself within a broad range of perspectives in relation to contemporary architecture and urbanism. The studio units (Professional Studies 1 + 2) are deliberately professionally directed with developed discussions about custom and use, structures and materials, principles, and regulations. The first semester project is focussed upon occupation, while the second semester is dedicated to approach. Enquiry based Dissertation and Research Methods units including the highly innovative Events Programme support these two studio projects.

The second year will build upon this knowledge and developing skillset to orientate you towards a suitable role within the vast parameters of the profession. The studio units are consciously loose, so you, the prospective architect have the opportunity to pursue your own interests and develop your own trajectory. These are supported by an intensive and focussed unit dedicated to professional law and practice.

Study tours and international collaborations with other leading schools and organisations take place each year and there is the possibility for exchange under the Erasmus programme.

All students will be required to make a number of different submissions, including detailed examinations of building proposals, 10,000-word dissertation, annotated reports, methods exploration and a design thesis.

You will normally have at least an upper second class undergraduate UK honours degree (or international equivalent) in architecture and ARB/RIBA Part 1. Admission will normally be dependent on a successful application and possibly an interview.

A portfolio of work should be submitted with your application, this can be sent to us using online file transfer apps such as dropbox or we-transfer. It should include a table of contents with information regarding the duration of each project and in which academic year/level it was completed and a selection of projects worked on during your year in practice. We also require a concise letter of intent and two references, one of which must be from a former Year 3 tutor, the other a reference from your current employer.

Overseas applicants will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification. 

Full-time fee: £25,500 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).

Part-time fee: £12,750 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).