Architecture (RIBA) Part 1 BSc (Hons)

The BSc (Hons) Architecture (RIBA) Part 1 at UEL is your first step on the path to becoming a fully qualified architect. It blends creative design work (sketching, modelling, digital design) with history, theory, technical knowledge, and professional practice so you emerge with both conceptual and practical skills.

Curriculum Structure

Here’s how your studies unfold across the years:

Foundation Year (optional; for students needing preparatory work / extra support)
You’ll build core skills: creative design thinking, drawing and model-making, visual communication, and architectural theory/history. Modules like Mental Wealth and Professional Fitness, Media and Communication Skills, Architecture and Visual Arts in Practice, and Creative and Technology Industries Study Skills will help you gain confidence and prepare you for the full degree.

Year 1
You begin with design studios where you’ll do Design Investigation 1, Design Resolution 1, Design Integration 1, plus Technical Studies and Representation 1. History and Theory 1 offers you the background understanding of architectural developments. Also “Mental Wealth: Professional Life 1” helps cultivate your professional mindset and wellbeing. You’ll learn how to turn spatial ideas into sketches, CAD drawings, physical/digital models, and start understanding what it means to design buildings.

Year 2
The second year intensifies: more complex design assignments, deeper technical studies, and more advanced representation (both analog and digital). You’ll do Design Investigation 2, Design Resolution 2, Technical Studies and Representation 2, Design Integration 2, and History and Theory 2, plus the second level of Mental Wealth: Professional Life 2. You’ll start integrating environmental & sustainability concerns, explore how buildings are constructed, and begin thinking critically about how architecture fits into society.

Year 3 (Final Year)
In the final year, everything comes together. You work on Design Investigation 3, Design Resolution 3, Design Integration 3 combined with Integrated Technology and History and Theory 3. You’ll deal with more independent architectural projects, pushing creative ideas, resolving technical detailing, and refining your design style. Also, Mental Wealth: Professional Life 3 continues, ensuring you’re ready mentally & professionally to step into further studies or work.

Focus Areas

“Architectural design studios; technical studies & representation; history & theory of architecture; integrated building technology & sustainability; professional life & wellbeing; creative problem solving; drawing/model making/CAD & digital tools; regulatory & construction context.”

Learning Outcomes

“Graduates will be able to conceive, develop and present architectural design solutions; use a wide range of representation methods (drawing, models, digital); understand the historical, cultural, environmental, constructional and regulatory aspects of architecture; employ technical & digital tools; demonstrate critical thinking; work professionally, taking into account sustainability and societal context; enter Part 2 or related professional work with a strong portfolio.” (Based on UEL’s official materials.)

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

• The course has unconditional recognition by RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) and ARB (Architects Registration Board) at Part 1 level. That means upon graduating, you satisfy the Part 1 academic requirement toward becoming a registered architect in the UK.
• There is a note that ARB will stop prescribing undergraduate qualifications after 31 December 2027. Students graduating after this may have degree titles changed (e.g. with/without foundation) but that does not affect your ability to complete the full qualification path (via master’s etc.) to become a registered architect.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

• UEL’s architecture courses are highly rated: in the Guardian University Guide 2026, UEL is ranked 1st in the UK for “Satisfied with Teaching” for Architecture.
• In the National Student Survey (NSS) 2022, architecture at UEL scored very high: 95% overall satisfaction, and UEL was the top in London for student satisfaction in architecture-related courses.
• UEL architecture graduates go on to postgraduate study (e.g. MArch / RIBA Part 2) or work in architectural practices; the programme emphasizes professional readiness with portfolio development, industry links, site visits, etc.