Why Lancaster
Tackling the climate crisis and protecting the world around us underpins everything we do at Lancaster School of Architecture. Join us to explore the future of architecture through solving real-world issues and develop an unbeatable mix of practical skills.
Radical creativity with a conscience
If you want to gain the know-how to be agile and ethical in your architectural practice, study with us. Here you’ll learn to build with sustainability in mind and design innovative spaces that match the needs of the communities that will use them.
Sustainability is at the heart of all our modules. We empower students to search for innovative solutions that repurpose materials and extend the life cycle of buildings. We’re also one of the first courses in the country to implement the latest ARB and RIBA guidance on teaching ethics, professionalism, fire safety and sustainability.
Hands-on learning
Our campus is an inspirational setting for studying architecture. You’ll experience a great contrast in the Architecture of our working spaces – an Arts and Crafts manor house and the award-winning Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts. Our studio layout allows you to experience the culture of a professional practice and work collaboratively with other students.
Alongside lectures, seminars and practical workshops you will have one-to-one tutorials and plenty of opportunities for hands-on work in the studio. Our size allows us to get to know all our students well, and you’ll get to know us well too, which makes for a friendly and productive environment.
Summer school is a great chance to work alongside academics and architecture students from other years. This option is an opportunity to develop your teamwork skills, enhance your CV and explore innovative design approaches, technical solutions and materials. Weather permitting, much of this is outdoors.
The School of Architecture is based in the Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA). BA (Hons) Architecture aims to be one of the UK’s leading destinations for aspiring architects.
Architects Registration Board
Both the BA (Hons) Architecture (Part I) and the M Arch Master of Architecture (Part II) are fully accredited by the ARB (Architects Registration Board).
RIBA
The BA (Hons) Architecture is accredited by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
At Lancaster School of Architecture we don’t require any specific A level / BTEC subject. Any combination of subjects will work for architecture – often a mix of more creative subjects and science subjects work quite well for architecture.
Discover how each A level subject is related to architectureAs a student within LICA, you will have access to a range of state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to catalyse your studies.
Many of our students will progress to postgraduate study to continue their journey to becoming fully qualified architects. Some will take what they have learnt and progress to one of these fulfilling professional roles:
Whatever option you choose, our Careers and Employability Service will be on hand to offer advice and guidance throughout your journey.
Professional accreditation
There are three main routes to registration for professional accreditation, but typically, if you are studying in the UK, you will:
You will need to have all three qualifications in order to apply for registration together with a minimum of 24 months appropriate practical training experience. This information is taken from: http://students.arb.org.uk
Careers support
Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring you not only gain a highly reputable degree, you also graduate with the relevant life and work based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which offers you the opportunity to complete key activities such as work experience, employability awareness, career development, campus community and social development. Visit our Employability section for full details.
Visit our interactive virtual exhibition, featuring work by Architecture students.
Visit the Exhibition
We have joined with a number of partners to offer six awards for outstanding work produced by our undergraduate students.
For the Best Drawing produced by a first year student.
For the Best Eco-Design produced by a first year student.
For the Best Essay produced by a first year student.
For the Best Ethical Design produced by a second year student.
For the Best Design produced by a second-year student.
For the Best Construction Detail produced by a first year student.
A level AAA
IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.
International Baccalaureate 36 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects
BTEC Distinction, Distinction, Distinction
Interviews Applicants may be invited for an interview before being made an offer and will be asked to bring a portfolio of their work to the interview. There is information about the portfolio on the course overview page. Alternative arrangements will be made for applicants who cannot attend an interview
We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualification. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.
Contact Admissions Team + 44 (0) 1524 592028 or via ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk
Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.
Our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of applicants whose personal circumstances may have impacted their exam results.
Contextual offersLancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and some which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism.
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.
One of the key skills of an architect is to be able to show clients their ideas for transforming space. In this module, you will learn digital and analogue techniques to represent architectural space and form, both measured and illustrative. You will develop hand-drawn skills for visual communication, including orthogonal drawing, and layout and annotation conventions.
Architecture in its primary form is a mode of shelter. This Design Studio will develop analytical survey skills, site analysis and observations, mapping the various dynamics and people relationships of a place towards a design proposal. You will explore materials and representative techniques to present both cultural and social understanding of spaces, but also their materiality and identity.
Architectural history is fascinating and we will explore the theory, culture, and design that has influenced architectural design past and present. Initially, we will look at architectural humanities principles from the first civilizations to 19th century. Later in the module, we will move on to age of industrialization, modernism and post-modernism discussing key moments in the late 19th and 20th century.
In this introduction to structural principles, materiality and tectonics, you will start to build up your knowledge of architectural technology, as well as wider infrastructure and technical elements. You will start to create building technology models and studies, and we will look at sustainable materials, passive architecture principles and lean construction.
The module will focus on contemporary construction technologies and provide an understanding of architectural technology and all the components associated with this. Active systems, energy efficiency systems and eco-technology will be some of the topics covered. The module will also provide an overview of the regulatory framework, including construction law, building regulation, contracts and administration. In addition to these professional contexts, you will learn about physical and material aspects of building elements through detailed models, which may include lighting and environment.
Competency in digital skills is essential for any practicing architect. In this module we will be aiming to develop your skills in CAD, 3D modelling and rendering towards a professional level. You will learn about site and survey capture techniques, modelling, rendering and digital fabrication using industry standard software packages while also completing a design brief. This module includes a live project experience, where you will gain awareness of the participation process through design approach and explore communication skills in relation to fine arts.
Every architect needs a sound knowledge of the building regulations for the country in which they are operating. Focusing on UK building regulations, in this module we introduce urban design principles and planning frameworks. Your project will be to create an urban masterplan, which should include consideration of social and cultural impacts. You will then take this further and focus on an urban building and specific building scheme. You will design a public building, part of which will be in sufficient detail to demonstrate compliance with RIBA (the Royal Institute of British Architects) for your building, design and construction process.
Continuing from your first year module, we will explore a range of perspectives on contemporary architectural practice. You will be asked to think about the role of the architect, for example in relation to post-war urbanism, digitisation and smart cities. This will be brought to life through visits to sites of particular interest.
We will challenge you in this module! You will be asked to consider a site and a global problem and to come up with a solution. The problem is likely to be topical such as climate emergency, work force automation, data security or the ageing population.
You will need to create a brief, present a feasibility study, and use your problem solving skills and strategies to implement a responsive urban and architectural solution. You will be using digital and analogue media, as well as physical modelling. The activity could include responding to a competition or call for tender, consultation with residents/users, as well as site visits where appropriate. You will need to assess feasibility, using your design skills and contextual knowledge, and consider a range of strategic, functional, legal and technological issues, as well as getting into detailed technical aspects in your design. You will then present your project using a variety of media and appropriate techniques.
In the second half of the final year Architecture Design Studio module, you will complete a major project. This forms part of the graduate portfolio that demonstrates your readiness for practice and further postgraduate study on an MArch (Part II) qualification. This major project will present a comprehensive, fully detailed design project for a building with interior space up to 1500 sqm in size, and will cover aspects of communication, realisation and resolution with a fully integrated technology design report.
The final Architectural Humanities module will develop and explore a specialist topic in design cultures and futures. You will explore cases from historical and contemporary points in the built environment, concerning your graduate portfolio and developing interests. This will be informed through lectures in research skills and research methods, alongside 1:1 dissertation tutoring.
The module will require you to demonstrate your understanding of regulatory compliance, contractual risks and the ethical considerations that are involved in provision of Health and Life Safety in the context of their design work.
You will be asked to prepare risk assessments for your own design development stages. Your will produce an ‘Integrated Professional Studies Report’ report into the regulatory and professional compliance of your concurrent design that integrates the following: Health and Life Safety, Ethical and Professional Practice, Finance and Business Skills.
The second part of the module will focus on the structural, technological and sustainable integration and resolution of your concurrent design studio work. You will produce an ‘Integrated Technology Report’, which will detail the strategies they have employed in the design and resolution of their concurrent design studio project, including sustainable strategies, construction methodologies and technical and material specifications.
Building on professional development in previous Design Studio and Architectural Technology components, this module delivers a series of lectures and seminars designed to consolidate your understanding of professional practice, in the context of the range of possibilities for Architects. You will study RIBA professional publications, aspects of building regulations, planning applications, site appraisal, building control application and architectural practice management.
We set our fees on an annual basis and the 2025/26 entry fees have not yet been set.
As a guide, our fees in 2024/25 were:
| Home | International |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £23,750 |
You may find it necessary to purchase model making materials and drawing equipment during the course.
There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.
Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.
Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small college membership fee which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.
For students starting in 2023 and 2024, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2025 have not yet been set.
To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.
The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.
In addition to travel and accommodation costs, while you are studying abroad, you will need to have a passport and, depending on the country, there may be other costs such as travel documents (e.g. VISA or work permit) and any tests and vaccines that are required at the time of travel. Some countries may require proof of funds.
In addition to possible commuting costs during your placement, you may need to buy clothing that is suitable for your workplace and you may have accommodation costs. Depending on the employer and your job, you may have other costs such as copies of personal documents required by your employer for example.
The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your fee status.
Fees are set by the UK Government annually, and subsequent years' fees may be subject to increases. Read more about fees in subsequent years.
We will charge tuition fees to Home undergraduate students on full-year study abroad/work placements in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:
International students on full-year study abroad/work placements will be charged the same percentages as the standard International fee.
Please note that the maximum levels chargeable in future years may be subject to changes in Government policy.
Details of our scholarships and bursaries for students starting in 2025 are not yet available. You can use our scholarships for 2024-entry applicants as guidance.
Students apply to the Lancaster School of Architecture with a variety of skills: it is not always the case that applicants have studied Art or Design at A-level or GCSE for example, nor is this necessary.
Please refer to the Lancaster School of Architecture portfolio guidance document.
ImaginationLancaster is an open and exploratory research lab that investigates emerging issues, technologies and practices to advance knowledge and develop solutions that contribute to the common good. We conduct applied and theoretical research into products, places and systems – using innovative strategies including disruptive design techniques that combine traditional and social science methods with practice-based methods arising from the arts.
ImaginationLancasterThe information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.
The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.
More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.
We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.
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