Architecture

Architecture is the art and science of shaping the built environment, designing spaces that are functional, safe, beautiful, and meaningful. It draws on technical knowledge of structures, materials, and environmental systems alongside creative and conceptual skills in design, and situates both within the social, cultural, and historical contexts in which buildings are commissioned and used. Architects are responsible for some of the most consequential decisions in any community, determining how people live, work, learn, and come together in the spaces they inhabit.

At Coventry University this three-year full-time programme is accredited by the RIBA, meeting the standards of Part 1 in the professional pathway for architects in the UK. You will develop your creative vision and technical skills through design studios, exploring how thoughtful architecture responds to site, programme, structure, and the needs of users. The programme includes a sandwich year and a year abroad, broadening your experience of architectural practice and building culture in different contexts, and a work placement is integrated into the degree.

This gives you the opportunity to work in a professional architectural office before you graduate, understanding how design ideas are realised through the processes of practice.

RIBA Part 1 is the first step in a longer qualification pathway, and many graduates go on to complete Part 2 and Part 3 to achieve full architectural registration in the UK. In the meantime, graduates with Part 1 are qualified to work in architecture offices, gaining the professional experience that is a requirement for progression. Others move into related fields including urban design, interior architecture, spatial design, project management, and the built environment consultancy sector.

Some pursue postgraduate study at Part 2 level, while others spend several years in practice first, building their portfolio and professional experience.