Programme Overview:
- Duration:
- 2 Years
- Attendance:
- Full Time
- Mode of Delivery:
- Face-to-Face
- Next Intake:
- 2024/2025 September
- Contact Name:
- Erin O'Malley
- Contact Number:
- +353 (0)1 716 1871
- Fees:
- Fee Information
Application & portfolio guidelines
In 2011, the UCD School of Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy celebrated its centenary. The School has long led the way in architectural study and practice in Ireland. Its undergraduate, graduate and research programmes cover all aspects of the practice of architecture and landscape architecture, as well as advanced areas of conservation, sustainability, urbanism and history and theory.
The MArch programme equips students to deal with complex design problems in a challenging context. Through studio projects, academic writing and practical experiments, it develops professional capacities while placing equal emphasis on research and critical enquiry. It embraces intensive small-group teaching from facullty which includes many leading figures in architectural practice as well as internationally-recognised researchers. The programme equips graduates to work in the field of Architecture anywhere across the world in architectural practice and in other forms of creative practice as well as in the areas of policy, consultancy and academia. It is also the only programme which is triple accredited by the professional institute in Ireland (RIAI), and by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and which also has International Certification with the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) in the USA.
Master of Architecture interview timetable for applicants:
Completed applications (All required documents) must be submitted by the relevant submission deadline in order to be considered for the below interview dates.
Interview Dates:
Applicants are encouraged to submit their application as early as possible; all published interview rounds will only proceed subject to the availability of places.
2023/24 Timelines
Interview: Thursday, 7 December 2023 (Submission Deadline: Monday, 20 November 2023)
Interview: Thursday, 8 February 2024 (Submission Deadline: Monday, 22 January 2024)
Interview: Thursday, 21 March 2024 (Submission Deadline: Monday, 4 March 2024)
Interview: Thursday, 9 May 2024 (Submission Deadline: Monday, 15 April 2024)
Curricular information is subject to change
Full Time option suitable for:
Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes
This programme is aimed at students who wish to develop a career in architecture. It is a national and international professionally accredited academic programme that will equip graduates to work worldwide in architectural design and in creative and research practice. We encourage and support students to be active, motivated and autonomous learners, who have a critical and reflective approach to architectural design, practice and research.
This studio and lecture based programme, led by academics and practitioners at the forefront of the discipline, aims to provide an engaging, exciting and innovative learning environment that encourages students to develop their individual professional capacities while placing equal emphasis on research and critical enquiry. We do this through design projects, academic writing, technological and constructional investigations and practical experiments, valuing innovation, investigation and original creative work underpinned by a due regard for rigor, depth and precision. Students are provided with a firm foundation in advanced methodologies and skills and develop a close familiarity with the broader disciplinary, regulatory and societal frameworks within which professionals must operate.
The programme uses teaching, learning and assessment approaches such as individual and group design projects, live-projects, case students, scenario-based learning and written research and dissertations. Each has a focus on individual development and reflective learning, while developing effective group-work, written, verbal and visual communication and presentation skills
The MArch qualification is RIAI (and European Union), and RIBA accredited and has International Certification with the NAAB. It will equip graduates to work in architecture anywhere across the world, whether in major global centres or in particular regional contexts. This triple accreditation makes this Masters course unique and offers unrivalled opportunities to graduates. Graduates are involved in architectural practice and in other forms of professional creative practice, as well as in areas of policy and consultancy. Many graduates also go on to further postgraduate study, in UCD and elsewhere. Past students in the course’s connected programmes have gone on to become international or national experts in their selected fields.
This section links to general module information, for a more detailed description including module selection rules click here.
MArch Architecture (T273) Full Time
EU Year 1 - € 8830
nonEU Year 1 - € 27720
EU Year 2 - € 8410 aa
nonEU Year 2 - € 26400 aa
aaSecond Year Fee applies to Students in 2nd Year in 2023 and who were a 1st Year Student on the programme in 2022/23
***Fees are subject to change
Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see https://www.ucd.ie/global/scholarships/
MArch (Hons) is the only programme that is accredited by the professional institute in Ireland (RIAI), and by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and which also has International Certification from the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) in the USA.
A bachelor’s degree in architecture or another approved equivalent degree (NFQ Level 8) with a minimum upper second class honours or international equivalence (2.1 or UCD GPA 3.08 or equivalent) is required .
Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element), or equivalent
These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes
Graduate Profile - Chloe Loh
"After completing my three year undergraduate in the UK I spent three years working for different architectural practices in London before deciding to do my masters. An important element distinguishing UCD from other universities is its research based approach to most modules. These modules allow students to investigate their own interests and develop them into written arguments or effective design proposals; students at UCD are thus encouraged to be self-directed. This is something that has allowed me to project my personal interests into every project and to develop my own style and design method – an important characteristic distinguishing UCD from many other schools. It is a great time to be part of the Irish architectural scene. I will be graduating into the professional world at a time where Ireland is very much at the forefront of the international stage. It is a small course quietly producing talented and careful architects, where staff are open to nurturing the ideas of students, both in and outside of the studio environment."
The School of Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy offers dedicated studio space for its students, a dedicated architecture library and map room, access to fully equipped computer facilities, a building laboratory space with a wide range of equipment including laser cutters and a CNC router, and access to monitoring and simulation equipment in the Earth Institute.
The following entry routes are available:
* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised