MSc in Architectural & Urban Design

Admission to the degree is open to candidates with a 5-year University degree in architecture, or professional experience as deemed equivalent by the Head of Programme.

Applications for the MSc in Architectural & Urban Design are administered by the Postgraduate Office of College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Click on this 'How to Apply' link to access the College site. You can download application forms here. You will also find information on entry criteria, English language requirements (for those whom English is a second language), and the application process more generally.

Assessment

In common with general design education practice, assessment of progress will be by means of project-work (some of it group project-work).

Assessors will take into account:

• the extent to which a student has contributed original ideas to the projects
• the creative ability displayed
• the depth and breadth of coursework understanding revealed
• the extent to which the intention of the project has been revealed
• skills in visual, written and verbal communication of the project ideas

In all cases the limitations and potential of the available resources will be taken into account.

MSc and Diploma award requirements:

• All courses are marked on the University of Edinburgh’s common postgraduate marking scheme.
• Students must pass all courses and achieve an average of at least 50% for the first two semesters’ work before being eligible to proceed to Semester 3 and the Design Research Project to qualify for the award of MSc.
• Students who pass courses at Diploma level only, or who pass at MSc level but do not wish to proceed to semester 3, are eligible for the award of the Diploma in Advanced Architectural Design.

Participants need to book accommodation in advance of the commencement of the programme as the demand on accommodation in Edinburgh is high. If you are accepted into the course you will receive an accommodation prospectus and the associated application form with your letter of offer. Further information on accommodation is available at:

www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/accommodation/

Details on tuition fees can be found at:

www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/finance/

Applications to the MSc in Architectural & Urban Design (AUD) require the submission of a portfolio of recent work in addition to the academic and personal information as set out in the application form. The portfolio is the most important part of the application and these notes are intended to offer some guidance in preparing one.

The MSc AUD has a core commitment to creative experimentation and research rigour in relation to architectural design. Members of the admissions panel for this programme are looking for applicants with the motivation and skill to make the most of these qualities. They want to know how you, as an applicant, might benefit from and thrive within the programme. The portfolio is one the best devices we have to help make those judgments. It allows us to build up a picture of your capacities to draw, make things, think creatively, manipulate form, organize information, and handle ideas. So it is important to consider carefully how you assemble your portfolio.

Portfolios are as diverse in style, content and format as the authors who assemble them. We value this diversity and so try not prescribe too heavily the format of the portfolio. The following are the basic parameters:

• All work should be contained within a single portfolio no smaller than A3 (420 x 297mm)
• The work needs to be easily accessible, either bound or as loose-leaf sheets within a portfolio.
• Digital portfolios submitted as a CD Rom are acceptable, however all contents must be formatted as a single PowerPoint or PDF file.
• Three-dimensional models, video, performance, or installation work should be represented in good quality photographs. We understand that many kinds of work are not easily represented within the portfolio format, so you will need to translate as best you can three-dimensional and temporal work onto the page.
• Date all work and present it in a consistent way -- thematically, by project and/or chronologically.
• Include your name on the front of the portfolio

Keep in mind that the portfolio will be used to assess the potential you have to benefit from and thrive within the MSc AUD programme. It is important, then, to look through this website to get a feeling for the range and character of design work being carried out at different levels the Department of Architecture.

The focus of the portfolio should be on your best and most recent work. It should include representative examples of work undertaken as part of a formal programme of study, and any work carried out while in practice, and/or self-initiated projects undertaken outside formal studies. As much as possible include a variety of work:

• Kind -- architectural design, speculative projects, art, built, research
• Scale -- furniture, buildings, urban design, regional studies
• Media -- freehand drawings, technical drawings, computer drawings, models, sculptures, live performances, paintings, installations, video.

It is important that your portfolio contains your best work. But do not limit this to presentation images alone. Include sketches, studies and working drawings. If possible, include examples of from your design sketchbooks and notebooks.

Not all undergraduate courses in architecture, art and design require students to keep sketchbooks or notebooks, so you may not have such material to hand. However, notes and sketches play an important part in design thinking and are important for demonstrating your capacity to investigate and explore in the medium of design.

It is also important to present your most recent work. But, if you have had a longer period in practice or have a diverse educational, professional background, you should include work that would best show the wider scope and development of your career.

If you have questions about the preparation of your portfolio, please contact Dr. Stephen Cairns (s.cairns@ed.ac.uk), Programme Director, MSc in Architectural & Urban Design .

Apply Online