BSc (Honours) Architecture and Environmental Design
UCAS code
K100Attendance
Full-time
Three years full-timeAt a glance
Prepare for a career in an architectural industry that increasingly involves environmental issues and sustainable design at the heart of its practice. You learn from staff with a wide range of architectural and environmental design backgrounds and benefit from an approach to teaching that has put this course at the very top of the National Student Survey for teaching quality and overall satisfaction.
Key points
• Prepare for a career in an industry where environmental factors and sustainability are increasingly important.
• Learn architectural design skills from an academic team renowned for their dedication to student support.
• Study on a course with an excellent reputation with the UK professional bodies for architecture.
• Develop cutting-edge skills in CAD highly valued by employers.
What is architecture and environmental design?
Architecture and environmental design involves the practice of designing and constructing buildings that make a positive contribution to society and allow the creation of sustainable environments. It combines an essential understanding of how buildings can be energy efficient and how creative design ideas can make buildings and outdoor environments that are healthy and uplifting to use.
About this course
Study on a visionary course that is unique in the UK and is designed to prepare you as an architect who can respond to the future environmental challenges that architecture must address.
You join a body of students and lecturers who are passionate about how architecture can be environmentally responsible. After ten years of successful delivery and development this environmental ambition remains at the heart of what we do.
As a graduate, you leave with a desire to make a positive contribution to the lives of people and the environments in which they live.
Your lectures and seminars cover current theory and examples of best practice in sustainable architecture. You consider low energy design principles and how architecture can be good for the wellbeing of people, using good daylight, natural ventilation and innovative solar design strategies.
As a student you have stimulating interactions with talented design staff, who are all qualified architects. They include a multi-award winning professor, a course leader who worked for Sir Norman Foster and a lecturer who built his own zero energy home to live in.
The design projects you work on allow you to experiment with original ideas for environmental architecture, developing and testing them in a highly supportive studio atmosphere. Studios have 24 hour access.
You develop the construction skills that architects must possess and are taught how to apply these as a core and creative aspect of architecture. You receive excellent CAD training, which is highly valued by employers, and access to up-to-date environmental design simulation software.
The history and theory lectures you attend provide diverse architectural knowledge. You carry out an individual project on current theory and practice in environmental architecture as part of the course.
European field trips during your second and third years explore the culture, history and architecture of cities such as • Paris • Barcelona • Florence • Helsinki • Berlin • Rotterdam • Rome
Key areas of study
Lectures explore the latest thinking on • environmental issues • architectural theory • cultural studies • professional practice • building technology.
Associated careers
To become a registered architect you can go on to postgraduate study on a Royal Institute of British Architects part 2 and 3 accredited course.
Sheffield Hallam offers MSc/PgDip Architecture. The PgDip has RIBA part 2 accreditation and may be studied part-time with attendance one day a week. You may progress directly to this after successfully completing our part 1 course or equivalent RIBA course, subject to an interview with portfolio.
You can find careers with local, national and international practices in public and private organisations.
Professional recognition
This course is validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and prescribed by the Architects Registration Board for exemption from RIBA Part 1 examinations.
Course content
Year one modules
• design studio 1 • cultural context 1 • environment and technology 1 • communication
Year two modules
• design studio 2 • cultural context 2 • environment and technology 2 • construction technology • computer-aided design
Year three modules
• design studio 3 • cultural context 3 • environment and technology 3 • architectural practice
Assessment
• project work • continuous assessment • written assignments • examinations
Entry requirements
2014 entry requirements
GCSE mathematics and English language at grade C or above. We do not accept GCSE equivalents. Plus one of the following
• 280–320 points from at least two GCE/VCE A levels or BTEC National qualifications. The level of offer will determined following assessment at interview. We do not accept AS levels, general studies A level or Key Skills.
• Access – at least 45 credits at level 3 from a relevant Open College Network accredited course
• Diploma in Foundation Studies (Art and Design) – distinction
If English is not your first language you need an IELTS average score of 6.5 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each skill
You will also be invited to attend an interview with a portfolio of art or design work. This portfolio may be compiled from drawing, sketching and painting outside formal academic subjects. See below for guidance on your portfolio.
We consider other qualifications from the UCAS tariff. Applicants with alternative qualifications or a combination of qualifications and work experience are also considered. We welcome applications from people of any age. Please contact us for further advice.
Meeting the qualifications on the entry criteria does not guarantee you a place. You should ensure that you submit a personal statement and reference as these are considered as part of the selection process. Guidelines on personal statements and references can be found on the UCAS website.
Portfolio guidance
Your portfolio should give us a clear view of your creative potential through your original work. It should
• show your interest in architecture
• demonstrate your imagination, originality and enthusiasm
• show you to be someone with good skills of graphic communication and evidence of design flair and creativity
We’re not looking for highly finished professional work, such as CAD, but evidence of a range of graphic communication media. This could include montages, water-colour, oil-painting, pencil work or work that demonstrates you have good technical drafting skills. Photographs of 3D work demonstrating skills in wood, metal, plastic, card, fabric are also appropriate.
You should demonstrate the development of your ideas, process and result. It’s a good idea to include strategic captions and a small text paragraph explaining what is being presented. Present your work in a logical order – think out the sequence in which your work will be seen. This could be by the date of completion of your work, or by a particular theme. Think about the background to your work and why you made the creative decisions you did.
Don’t include torn or poorly cared for work make sure there are no spelling mistakes
Your portfolio must contain no more than 10 pages and must not exceed 3MB in size. You must rely on your creativity and graphic judgment. You can present more than one piece on each portfolio page.
2013 entry requirements
GCSE mathematics and English language at grade C or above. We do not accept GCSE equivalents. Plus one of the following
• 280-320 points from at least two GCE/VCE A levels or BTEC National qualifications. The level of offer will determined following assessment at interview. We do not accept AS levels, general studies A level or Key Skills.
Fees
Home and EU students
2013/14 academic year
For 2013 entry, membership of professional bodies and mandatory UK field trips are included in the course fee
International students
2013/14 academic year
Typically £10,680 a year
2014/15 academic year
Typically £11,250 a year
How to apply
You apply for this course through UCAS.
Contact details
For more information or to check the progress of your application phone +44 (0)114 225 5555, fax +44 (0)114 225 2167, e-mail admissions@shu.ac.uk