Architecture (Degree Apprenticeship)
University of Portsmouth
UCAS Code: Not applicable | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
120-128 points to include a minimum of 3 A levels.
122-128 Tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma.
Cambridge Pre-U score of 50-54.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
5 GCSEs at grade C or above to include English and Mathematics/5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above to include English and Mathematics
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
25-26 points from the IB Diploma, to include 3 Higher Level subjects.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
H3,H3,H3,H3,H3-H2,H2,H3,H3,H3
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
120-128 Tariff points.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
T Level
UCAS Tariff
120-128 points to include a minimum of 3 A levels, or equivalent.
120-128 points from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate including 2 A levels, plus the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.
You may also need to…
Attend an interview
Present a portfolio
About this course
**Overview**
Architects design buildings and play a role in shaping cities, communities and the way we live. To become an architect, you need qualifications recognised by the Architects Registration Board (ARB).
This Architectural Assistant Degree Apprenticeship course is the first step to achieving these qualifications. You'll develop the technical and analytical skills you need to begin a career as an architect – all while earning a salary and getting on-the-job experience.
During term time, you'll spend 1 day a week on day release at the University and the other 4 days applying your skills and getting practical experience in the workplace. The Government or your employer pay your tuition fees – so your architecture degree doesn’t cost you anything.
When you finish your apprenticeship, you'll have a Bachelor's degree in architecture and you'll be primed to take on further study to continue your journey in becoming a registered architect.
**Recognised and validated by**
This course is prescribed and recognised by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
This accreditation means you'll satisfy the criteria for ARB Part 1 exemption and RIBA Part 1 exemption when you complete your apprenticeship, putting you one step closer to becoming registered as an architect.
**What you'll experience**
On this architectural assistant degree apprenticeship, you'll:
- Explore design in collaborative studio spaces alongside your peers, while developing your individual and team skills
- Expand your architectural thinking beyond practice with specialist tutors and architects
- Access the latest software, including BIM modelling, advanced parametric modelling, environmental evaluation software, 3d scanning and printing tools, to support your design work and challenge your creative thinking
- Explore a variety of architectural challenges outside of practice to develop your design creativity
- Develop design skills through model making, material testing, sketching and drawing
- Have access to the University's student support services and community, including the Library, study support, sports and recreation facilities, and the Students’ Union
- Build a network of professional peers during your time at university, sharing your ideas and knowledge
- Get practical work experience in your job, giving you an advantage over students who go to University full-time
- Get a personal tutor from the University and a workplace mentor
- If you need somewhere to live, you may be able to stay in the University's halls of residence – talk to our Housing team for more information.
**Careers and opportunities**
Many architecture graduates continue their training towards becoming a registered architect with further study at Master's level or registration on a Architect Degree Apprenticeship (Master of Architecture and Professional Practice) – equivalent to ARB and RIBA Part 2 and 3.
You can use your skills in areas such as:
- design practice
- planning
- historic building conservation
- project management
Roles our architecture graduates have taken on include:
- architectural design
- interior design
- landscape architecture
- urban design and master planning
- planning
- architectural technology
- product design
- graphic design
- lighting design
- set design
After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.
Modules
Year 1
Core modules in this year include:
- Design: Architectural Application
- Design: Exploration
- Design: Interpretation
- Technology and Environment: Exploration
There are no optional modules in this year.
Year 2
Core modules in this year include:
- Design and Professional Practice: Local
- Design and Professional Practice: Global
- Histories, Theories and Matters of Concern
- Technology and Environment: Design Practice
There are no optional modules in this year.
Year 3
Core modules in this year include:
- Communication: Professional Practice
- Design: Architectural Inverstigation
- Design: Architectural Narratives
- History and Theory: Dissertation
- History and Theory of Modern Architecture
There are no optional modules in this year.
Year 4
Core modules in this year include:
- Design: Major Project
- Design: Major Project Reflective Synthesis
- Technology and Environment: Discovery
- End Point Assessment
There are no optional modules in this year.
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Assessment methods
Assessment methods on this architectural assistant degree apprenticeship include:
coursework and written essays
presentations
portfolio
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You'll get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
The Uni
University of Portsmouth
Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Architecture
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Architecture
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Architecture had a difficult time a few years back during the great recession, but those days are over and the degree is in demand as house building and infrastructure have increased in importance. Most working architects secure jobs in the architecture industry, more usually starting as assistants rather than full-blown architects or chartered technicians. Some, however, move into management, design or marketing roles, where they find their planning, design and project management skills are very welcome. Nearly half the architecture-related jobs last year were in London or the South-East, and this group are rather more likely than average to find their jobs through personal contacts, so polish your networking skills, or see if you can get work experience if you want to succeed as an architect.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Architecture
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£23k
£29k
£30k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Explore these similar courses...
Higher entry requirements
Lower entry requirements
Nearby UniversitySame UniversityThis is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Course location and department:
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
