Master of Architecture (MArch) (RIBA Part 2)

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Westminster

Program Overview

The Master of Architecture (MArch) RIBA Part II at the University of Westminster is a two-year professional degree that builds on your existing architectural training to help you become a confident, socially aware and technically capable designer. It is designed for students who already hold a Part I or equivalent qualification and want the next accredited step toward becoming a registered architect in the UK.

Curriculum Structure

In the first year, you’ll deepen your design approach through modules such as Architectural Productions and Architectural Reflections I, where you explore how architecture responds to cultural, social and environmental contexts. You’ll work on design projects that challenge you to be bold, speculative and technically informed — supported by seminars, workshops and studio teaching.

In the second year, modules like Architectural Productions II and Architectural Reflections II push you further into complex architectural problem-solving, including structural and environmental strategy, urban scale, construction logic and professional responsibility. You’ll complete your studies with a substantial thesis or major design project that demonstrates your readiness for practice and becomes the centrepiece of your professional portfolio.

Focus Areas

Advanced architectural design, critical and cultural theory, technical construction and environmental performance, professional practice and urban context.

Learning Outcomes

You’ll graduate able to design ambitious and well-resolved architectural proposals, communicate ideas with clarity, analyse architecture within a wider social and cultural context, and produce a final thesis or portfolio that reflects professional-level capability.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The degree is fully accredited — it grants RIBA/ARB Part II exemption, which is an essential milestone toward becoming a registered architect in the UK.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

The MArch benefits from the strong reputation of Westminster’s School of Architecture and Cities and its central London setting, giving students exposure to architectural practices, cultural institutions and industry networks that support excellent graduate outcomes.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The MArch (RIBA Part II) at Westminster is built around real architectural practice. Rather than learning everything from textbooks, you’ll spend most of your time in studios, workshops and digital labs, turning ideas into drawings, models and full-scale prototypes. You work closely with tutors and fellow students on real design challenges, gaining the confidence and practical experience needed for professional practice.

Here’s what that looks like in day-to-day learning:

Purpose-designed architecture studios at the Marylebone Campus, where you sketch, model, discuss and develop projects side-by-side with peers and tutors — just like a working design office.
Full access to the Fabrication Laboratory, with 3D printers, CNC cutting and routing machines, metal and wood workshops and robotic fabrication equipment, allowing you to test materials, make detailed prototypes and push complex design ideas into physical form.
Use of industry-standard digital design software, supporting advanced modelling, visualisation and technical documentation that prepares you for the tools used in architectural practice.
A collaborative studio culture, with regular group projects, peer reviews and design crits that help you build communication and teamwork skills essential in professional architecture.
Opportunity to explore how architecture interacts with society, technology and the environment, through studio briefs and research-driven work that mirrors the challenges architects address in the real world.
A central London setting, giving you access to architectural practices, galleries, exhibitions and built projects — connecting your academic work to the architecture and culture of the city around you.

This combination of studio practice, digital tools, fabrication, research and teamwork ensures that you leave the programme not only with knowledge, but with the practical confidence expected from a future architect.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the MArch (RIBA Part II) at the University of Westminster move into rewarding roles across the architectural profession. Many begin their careers as Architectural Assistants or Spatial/Urban Designers, while others join or even launch architectural practices, or work on regeneration and cultural projects. Because the degree is formally accredited, it gives you a strong professional platform that is recognised in the UK and internationally — putting you in an excellent position to continue toward full registration as an architect.

Westminster supports your professional journey through:

A dedicated Careers & Employability service that helps with portfolio and CV development, interview preparation, networking and connecting you to opportunities suited to architecture graduates.
Internship and placement support, enabling students to gain professional experience either during the course or soon after graduation.
Well-established links with architectural practices and industry partners, helping students build relationships that can lead directly to employment or collaborative work.
Long-term value of an accredited qualification, as the MArch provides the RIBA/ARB Part II exemption required to progress toward full licensure.
Strong graduate outcomes, with alumni employed in private practices, consultancy and urban-design roles, as well as those who go on to establish independent studios.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the MArch, students who wish to qualify as registered architects can continue to an ARB/RIBA Part III course. Those interested in research or teaching can also progress to a PhD or other advanced research pathways, particularly in areas connected to architecture, urban design, sustainability and the built environment.