BA (Hons) Architecture

Entry year:
2025/26
Start date:
September
Study mode:
Full-time
Course duration:
3 years
Campus:
Mount Pleasant
UCAS Code:
K100
Grades/points required:
ABB-AAB (128-136)

Why study this course with LJMU?

  • LJMU ranked 13th university in the UK for Architecture (The Times UK University Rankings 2025)
  • 96% of students surveyed said this course challenged them to achieve their best work (National Student Survey 2024)
  • 94% of students surveyed said the teaching on the course was good or very good (National Student Survey 2024)
  • Students can access study abroad opportunities and apply for overseas travel awards
  • Access to some of the UK's best examples of urban redevelopment and iconic buildings
  • Teaching in the RIBA award-winning, purpose-built John Lennon Art and Design Building
  • European and UK study trips included within the programme
  • Exemptions from RIBA Part 1 exams on graduation
  • Direct involvement in live artistic projects taking place in the city
  • To see what our students are doing and understand our studio culture please visit the Architecture Instagram

About your course

This professionally validated degree offers the opportunity to work on a range of authentic architectural projects in a dynamic studio environment. Input from practising architects and access to industry standard technical facilities gives you a rigorous and stimulating programme of study.

Taught principally through a studio environment that is seamlessly underpinned and informed by lectures and workshops, the over-arching ambition of the programme is to create graduates with artistic flair, and who are technically skilled and grounded in the demands of the professional role of the architect.

The learning and teaching environment is progressively informed by research in pedagogy in the creative field. While teaching the curriculum, the programme also develops less tangible skills in students, such as communication, presentation and self-motivation; a key ambition is to create independent thinkers, adept at resolving problems with creativity and originality.

A broad educational experience is offered within which students can develop diverse rigorous and creative approaches to design issues that explore and test appropriate resolutions in relation to contemporary and anticipated contextual issues.

Design projects form the backbone of the core teaching strategy. These projects are seen as primers to a divergent creative and critical thought process: they are characterised by individual interpretation and interest of the subjects that encourage imaginative solutions through discursive studio forums.

As you progress through the degree, the design projects gradually become larger in scale, more complex and ambitious in their intentions and integrative in their nature. At degree level, predominantly, the city of Liverpool is used as a contextual laboratory to test concepts that have a local flavour with global implications.

The aim is to develop graduate skills and knowledge such that they become autonomous thinkers who are capable of analysing, visualising and testing potential solutions to increasingly complex spatial and social issues within an increasingly holistic global scenario.

 

Course modules

What you will study on this degree

Further guidance on modules

Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.

Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.

Core modules

Core modules

Optional Modules

Core modules

Professional accreditation/links

This course is fully accredited by the RIBA (Royal Institute of Architects).

Liverpool School of Art and Design, where Architecture is taught, has many links with artistic and cultural institutions both nationally and locally, including RIBA and FACT (the Foundation of Arts and Creative Technologies), and collaborates regularly on both live projects and exhibitions.

In the recent 2022 RIBA Board Report, issued after their visit to the University, they commended the School of Art and Design for the provision of excellent facilities and technicians, which is "greatly appreciated by students". The board also commented that Architecture staff show a notable commitment to the students in respect of pastoral care and teaching, "in particular during the period of pandemic."

Read the full RIBA Board report

Your Learning Experience

Excellent facilities and learning resources

We adopt an active blended learning approach, meaning you will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning during your time at LJMU. This enables you to experience a rich and diverse learning experience and engage fully with your studies. Our approach ensures that you can easily access support from your personal tutor, either by meeting them on-campus or via a video call to suit your needs.

During Level 4, you will be introduced to fundamental tools and ideas that form the basis for the study of architecture. In parallel, the interpretation of themes and conceptual thinking will be established within the years overall focus of Form, Space and Light.

During Level 5, you will explore two core aspects of architectural thinking: Contextualism and Experimentation and complete a study trip to a city in Europe. You will also complete modules which will inform and aid your work in the design studio.

The final year, Level 6, focuses on environment, sustainability and ecology where architecture is seen as emerging from and responding to a holistic context of contemporary cultural and environmental programmatic issues. You will secure the skills and knowledge required to practice architecture via a creative but rigorous approach to design project work.

Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support

Independent design project work makes up 60% of this course, and so it is vital that you get the support you need to be able to fully develop your design skills. For this reason, you will be allocated a design tutor who will provide one-to-one teaching and support throughout each project.

The feedback system and the production of a personal development plan with a personal tutor are also designed to help you achieve your full potential, in both your studies and your future career plans.

Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.

All students perform differently depending on how they are assessed, which is why we use a combination of assessment methods. Typically, you will be assessed on your design and research presentations (group/individual), written work (essays, reports etc), exams (seen/unseen), practical work (workshop abroad), and your portfolio. At the end of your studies there will be a one-to-one interview with an external examiner.

The type of feedback you will receive varies according to the module. For instance, design modules are reviewed twice with formal feedback given by a panel at the second review, and portfolio reviews are conducted at the end of each semester when you will work with your personal tutor to put together a personal development plan. This will address your strengths and weaknesses and help you develop your academic work as well as your career plans.

93%of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well.

Data for Architecture (Full time) at Liverpool John Moores University

For more official course information visit Discover Uni

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Where you will study

Cross-disciplinary learning in art and design subjects takes place in the Liverpool School of Art and Design 's John Lennon Art and Design Building, based in the Mount Pleasant Campus. Here students studying a variety of disciplines, including Architecture, Art in Science, Exhibition Studies, Fashion, Fine Art, Graphic Design, History of Art and Museum Studies and Interior Architecture, will have the opportunity to develop their work in state-of-the-art workspaces and facilities within a stimulating and critically demanding environment.

Course tutors

I wanted to receive an education that gave me the skills required to work in the real world. Studying at LJMU proved to be the best option, since they offered a well rounded education that focused on both design and technology.

Career paths

To become a registered architect you usually need to work for an additional year in architectural practice then complete a two-year Master of Architecture (MArch) diploma. Once you have passed the RIBA Part 3 exams, you can practice in any EU or commonwealth country and many other countries outside the EU.

If after graduating you choose not to go down the route of becoming a registered architect, a range of other careers are open to you. Past graduates have pursued successful careers as project managers, property developers, building contractors, furniture designers, lighting designers, architectural visualisation artists and journalists.

Many of our graduates have successfully secured employment at world-class practices throughout the UK and further afield, while others have remained in the city of Liverpool contributing to its evolution, taking key roles in leading practices that have reshaped the city over the last decade.

Student Futures - Careers, Employability and Enterprise Service

A wide range of opportunities and support is available to you, within and beyond your course, to ensure our students experience a transformation in their career trajectory. Every undergraduate curriculum includes Future Focus during Level 4, an e-learning resource and workshop designed to help you to develop your talents, passion and purpose.

Every student has access to Careers Zone 24/7, LJMU's suite of online Apps, resources and jobs board via the LJMU Student Futures website.

Dion Barrett, BA Architecture and MArch Graduate

Studying at the LJMU School of Art and Design allowed me to be exposed to other disciplines such as Fashion, Art, Graphic Design and Illustration, that really shaped the way I thought about Architecture within the wider context of design. The common denominator was how success often came down do how well we communicate our ideas, and having your influences come from a broad spectrum really strengthens that ability. This honed skill is essentially me helping other architects to communicate their ideas and value.

Read Dion's interview

Tuition fees and funding

Full-time per year:
£9,535

The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in accordance with any changes to the maximum allowable fees set by the UK Parliament. In the event of such a change, any fee increase will be subject to a maximum cap of 10% of the total course cost as originally stated at the time of your offer.

The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:

  • library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
  • access to programme-appropriate software
  • library and student IT support
  • free on-campus wifi via eduroam

Additional costs

Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:

  • accommodation and living expenditure
  • books (should you wish to have your own copies)
  • printing, photocopying and stationery
  • PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
  • mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
  • field trips (travel and activity costs)
  • placements (travel expenses and living costs)
  • student visas (international students only)
  • study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
  • academic conferences (travel costs)
  • professional-body membership
  • graduation (gown hire etc)

Funding

There are many ways to fund study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you'll find all of the information you need on our specialist funding pages.

Entry requirements

Please choose your qualifications below to view requirements

Grades/points required from qualifications: ABB-AAB (128-136)

Work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth by visiting the UCAS Tariff Calculator.

Qualification requirements

How to apply

Securing your place at LJMU

UCAS is the official application route for our full-time undergraduate courses. Further information on the UCAS application process can be found here https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate-students/how-to-apply.

All short-listed applicants are requested to submit a digital portfolio - portfolio guidance.


Applicants are awarded an offer on the quality of their digital portfolio or work, and academic attainments.


We are looking for students with an enthusiasm for design, who wish to engage in the debate on the future of the built environment.

You should have a willingness to read around the subject widely. You should be willing to gain first hand experience of buildings, towns and cities and acquire information retrieval techniques, as you will be expected to read around the subject and draw upon your findings for essays and projects.

You would be expected to meet the criteria below;

  • Critically aware of their surroundings
  • Capable of discussing Art & Design issues
  • The ability to analyse and reflectively criticise your work and the work of others
  • Visual awareness

Your university life

From accommodation and academic support to clubs and societies. Find out what LJMU has to offer.

Talk to our students

Connect with a current LJMU student for advice and guidance on university life, courses and more.

See what our students are saying

At LJMU we want you to know you're making the right choice by studying with us. You can see what our students are saying about their experience with us through their reviews on the following websites:

The university reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the university. Where this does happen, the university operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.
Further information on the terms and conditions of any offer made, our admissions policy and the complaints and appeals process.