Close

Advanced Architectural Design

MArch

UCAS code: P008078

Start dates: September 2026

Full time: MArch: 12 months; PGDip: 9 months

Location: Headington

School(s): School of Architecture

Overview Course details Careers Entry requirements How to apply Tuition fees
next or previous

Find a course

Expand

Overview

Are you looking to push the boundaries of architectural thought and practice? The Masters in Advanced Architectural Design programme at Oxford Brookes University invites ambitious architects and creative thinkers from around the world to explore architecture as a critical, experimental and research-driven discipline. As an Advanced Architectural Design student, you’ll immerse yourself in an intensive, studio-focused environment where the development of architectural ideas is celebrated over traditional consumption or product-driven output. You’ll question, speculate and generate thought-provoking proposals that redefine the role and impact of architecture in contemporary society.

Explore the future of architecture with a community that celebrates innovation, integrity, and the bold pursuit of new possibilities. 

If you're seeking a professionally accredited course for ARB and RIBA pt II or LAM, explore our MArchD course.

Attend an open day or webinar Ask a question

Why Oxford Brookes University?

  • Critical Experimentation

    Nurture your ability to think and work experimentally, fostering creative autonomy and intellectual resilience.

  • Research Through Design

    Advance your ideas through hands-on experimentation and critical design research.

  • Collaborative Studio

    Learn in a collaborative, studio-based setting where rigorous debate and open dialogue drive each project. 

  • Diverse Portfolio
    You’ll graduate with a body of design work relevant to different disciplines, demonstrating work that stands out from conventional portfolios. 
  • Location & Environment
    Based in the historic city of Oxford, you’ll have access to state-of-the-art facilities, inspiring libraries and the vibrant intellectual culture that defines Oxford Brookes University.

Course details

Course structure

At Oxford Brookes, we’ll challenge you to explore and develop your practice with the support of your tutors. You’ll go beyond mere architectural development; we encourage the exploration of diverse concepts to challenge your mindset and enhance your ability to effectively convey ideas in a visually dominant world.

Emphasis is placed on design work rather than written assignments. You‘ll create dynamic methods of communication and idea generation through art practice techniques, digital visualisations and physical modelling. Our modules integrate guided practice, ensuring that you receive comprehensive support for impactful learning. By fostering a culture of critical thinking and creativity throughout the course, you’ll be well-prepared for your final design research project. 

The programme culminates with an exhibition offering an immersive experience for guests and the public, allowing you to share your vision and achievements.

Learning and teaching

During this course, you will work both individually and in groups to explore new architectural concepts. Teaching is primarily in a design studio environment, with the addition of a series of lectures, tutorials, reviews, and site visits.

Methods of Exploration:
  • Practical Work: You will engage in active workshops, exploring techniques such as collage making, optical composites, and physical modelling.
  • Design & Research: You will conduct architectural design research and investigate the possibilities of structures and materials.
  • Drawing: You will develop skills in both hand drawing and computer-aided design.
Project Development: With guidance from your tutor, you will identify your areas of interest and develop an individual approach to your project's brief, programme, and final realisation.

Assessment

The assessment on the taught modules is 100% coursework and includes:
  • design presentations
  • seminar papers
  • essays.
Studio critiques by an invited jury provide formative feedback.
For your dissertation you can produce:
  • a project
  • artefact or portfolio in a variety of media
  • written work.

Field Trips

Whilst there is no official international field trip, you are encouraged to visit areas of interest that are relevant to your thesis, and to visit exhibitions and galleries. You should budget in the region of £100 for trips such as these. For overseas trips, the costs are kept below £500 and the trip is not mandatory.

Study modules

Each module sets out one or more assessment elements that enable you to structure your learning and demonstrate your learning outcomes. Assessment elements are designed to progress you through the five core graduate attributes supporting your individual abilities, personal qualities, interests and transferable skills.

Taught Modules

Compulsory modules

  • Advanced Architectural Design I

    Studio based design project.
    You will be introduced to a range of techniques and methodologies to produce an expansive variety of work. The work that you do, will be developed by you into a set of design principles to be applied to a designed artefact.

  • Urban Cultures

    You'll take part in workshops, lectures and discussions, which will form the basis of this module to introduce you to a broad range of contemporary cultural themes. You'll engage with techniques that will help you to question your previous understandings of architecture and its relation to urban culture, focussing on:
    • perception
    • drawing
    • materiality
    • lighting
    • models

  • Advanced Architectural Design II

    Your first semester work and investigations are brought together through developing a proposal and design of a personal project. The Studio places emphasis on the importance of developing an ability to demonstrate conceptual clarity, to locate your ideas in the spectrum of current and past architecture, maintaining a strong link between concept and production. You will explore a wide range of techniques of representation to find those appropriate to your project.

  • Architecture and the City

    You'll take part in workshops and lectures to explore the meanings of time between architecture and the city. In the workshop film and writing will be utilized to explore strategies of time. The detail and range of time is explored through camera movement, lighting, sound, story writing and editing as it relates to cultural themes, to define the experience of architecture through the perception of artefact and space.

Dissertation / final project

Compulsory modules

  • Dissertation and Design Research Methods

    You will undertake a single authored piece of work, giving you the opportunity to draw inferences, information and ideas from the other course components, as well as other experiences towards a chosen theme. Research methods are woven throughout the year, focusing on design research methods and collated as a fieldwork diary.

    The Dissertation differs from previous Design modules as it aims to encourage your independence of thought and your ability to develop an argument and draw constructive conclusions across a range of design explorations which will be valuable in the your future vocation. The Dissertation acts as a bridge between the Master's programme and academic career progression or professional life.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Research

The Oxford School of Architecture is a major player in international research in the fields of architecture and the built environment. On gaining the MArch, if you are interested in continuing to the PhD programme, we will encourage you to do so.

For more information please visit Research in Architecture.

Careers

Our graduates progress in different directions because of the way we’ve designed this course. Some return to their home country to start their own businesses, while others start careers in new areas like set design. It’s a great stepping stone to completing a PhD too.

Whatever you decide to do next, you’ll have an impressive portfolio to show potential employers. You’ll be able to show you’re capable of developing fresh ideas and understanding different research methods.

Watch our School of Architecture Employability video

Related courses

Related course
Applied Design in Architecture (ARB and RIBA part 2)
Related course
Digital Craft in Architecture
Related course
(MArch) Master of Architecture Part 2 (RIBA/ARB/LAM)
Related course
Advanced Practice
Left
Right

Entry requirements

International qualifications and equivalences

How to apply

Application process

We advise applying in advance to secure places, and allow sufficient time for applications to be reviewed.

There is no formal application deadline (recruitment closes when teaching capacity is reached).

Applicants should also factor any time needed to meet offer conditions, arrange accommodation, and obtain a UK Student visa (if applicable).


Apply Now

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) full time
Masters £11,250; Diploma £10,250
International full time
£18,500
Home (UK) full time
Masters £12,100; Diploma £11,100
Home (UK) part time
£6,050
International full time
£19,300

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Tuition fees

2026 / 27
Home (UK) full time
Masters £11,250; Diploma £10,250
International full time
£18,500
2027 / 28
Home (UK) full time
Masters £12,100; Diploma £11,100
Home (UK) part time
£6,050
International full time
£19,300

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

£2,000 International Student Scholarship September entry Postgraduate Master's Loan - England 20% Alumni Discount Scheme

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.