BArch Hons Architecture

From day one you’ll be working in studio environments, labs and workshops rather than just sitting in lectures. You’ll get hands-on with physical modelling, digital fabrication, environmental testing, and real design briefs tied to external clients or field conditions. Through site visits, guest lectures, and a full placement year in industry, you’ll see how what you learn in class maps onto real architecture practice.

Here are some of the key practical resources, tools and opportunities you’ll get, directly tied to the BArch programme:

• The Keith Green Building is your dedicated architecture building. You get your own workspace, plus a “living laboratory” set-up — for example, SW glazing that reacts via light/thermal sensors to give you real feedback on building performance.
• There’s a 3,000 m² open-plan laboratory incorporating workshops, traditional craft areas, digital fabrication tools (like laser cutters, 3D printers), support for model-making, and applied research labs.
• The STEMLab facility: a multi-million-pound investment housing workshops, computer-aided design and rapid prototyping, teaching labs, and drop-in maker-spaces. Great for collaborative and exploratory work.
• ABCE Labs / Sir Frank Gibb Laboratory: specialised labs for concrete/material testing; structural testing; thermal comfort; solar energy simulation; geotechnics; hydraulics; environmental chambers etc. You’ll be able to test building materials, measure performance, even use 3D concrete printing and robotic construction in some cases.
• Outdoor Learning Space and the Archi-quad: spaces on campus where students can experiment with architectural interventions in real environment / external contexts.
• Extensive computer labs and specialist software provision: you’ll have access to design studios, software and hardware suited for digital modelling, rendering, simulations, plus the usual CAD, BIM tools etc. The University IT services supports specialist software, computer lab access (including 24/7 labs) for architecture / built environment students
• Placement year (industry / internships): after your second year you will spend a year working in industry (paid where possible), supervised both by a workplace mentor and a University tutor, giving you real-world design, technical, project management experience.
• Internship / vacation research projects: the School offers opportunities like the EPSRC Vacation Internship, which let you work on research or development projects (e.g. digital built environment, new materials, etc.) in the summer.
• Library and study support: The University’s libraries (e.g. Pilkington Library) and multiple study spaces, plus access to digital resources and specialist architecture reference materials.

Graduates from this programme enter a wide array of roles, often moving directly into architectural practice, design consultancies, or construction-related industries. It’s typical to see job titles like Architect (junior/assistant), Architectural Technician, Project Designer, or Urban Designer. Thanks to the placement year and strong industry links, many students also step into roles in sustainability consulting, heritage and conservation, or technical drawing/model making.

Here’s more detail on how Loughborough supports your career, what outcomes past students have achieved, and why this programme sets you up well for the long term:

• University Services for Employment: The School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering (ABCE) has dedicated placement & sponsorship support. The Industrial Training Coordinator helps students find their placements and manage the process. The Careers Network offers CV workshops, mock interviews, sector-specific employer events and connections with alumni and companies.
• Placement Salaries & Employment Statistics: Students doing the placement year typically earn between £17,000 and £22,000 during that year. Once graduated, architecture, building & planning graduates from Loughborough report median salaries around £26,000-£30,000 roughly 15 months out, and rising by three years post-graduation.
• University-Industry Partnerships: The programme makes use of its network of employer partners for placements and sponsorships via the Loughborough Construction Consortium. Students have worked with major firms such as Gensler, Holmes Miller, Saunders Boston, and Aukett Swanke after graduating
• Accreditation & Long-Term Value: The degree is accredited by RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) and prescribed by ARB (Architects Registration Board), which means you meet Part I professional requirements. That enhances your eligibility to move into registered architectural practice.
• Graduation Outcomes: Graduate employability is high; you’ll leave with a strong skill-set combining design, technical, theoretical, and environmental competencies. Many graduates are snapped up by leading architecture and design firms; the “End of Year Show” also gives high exposure.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BArch, many students go on to an MArch (Master of Architecture) or equivalent postgraduate degree to achieve RIBA Part II status, which is required for full professional qualification in many places. Others may specialise via postgraduate studies in fields like sustainable design, digital fabrication, urban planning, architectural history/theory, or building conservation. Also, research pathways are open for those interested in innovation in materials, environmental technologies, or architectural computing.