MArch Master of Architecture Part 2 (RIBA/ARB/LAM)

You'll have the opportunity to integrate research methods with practical representation skills, while exploring themes from your design specialisation alongside social, economic and environmental issues. By the end of this module you will have improved your creative and critical thinking skills and your design agency through research and experimentation. We explore 'conventional' research methods alongside LLM and AI exploration, developing an informed and critical position on these methods whilst creating new ways of working with these technologies.

You will integrate Management, Practice and Law with practical design and representation skills across various media scales. You'll find that this module will build on your Design Agency work, enabling you to develop your proposition and propose a new method of working that reflects your specific interests. Ultimately, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the legal and practical aspects of architectural practice, and you'll foster your creativity and design decision-making abilities. This module includes a design project, guided by expert tutors, that you use as a situation to embed your praxis knowledge.

Join one of our vertical design studios! Our design studio specialisation enables you to join one of our vertical design studios and refine your design skills alongside our second year students. This vertical system enables peer learning and collaboration - and allows exploration of a complex, master's level, design brief.

To help you develop a compelling thesis design portfolio, you will collaborate directly with experienced industry professionals and experienced design tutors - with studio leads from high-end practice such as WilkinsonEyre and Robert Dye Architects. The MArch Part II at Oxford Brookes enables you to define your own path.

You will develop skills that expand the world of architecture, including photography, film-making, and narrative development. You'll also build upon your intrinsic imagination and inspiration, cultivating an experiential understanding of the world around you. 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. This specialism is connected to the Design, Theory and Practice (DTP) research group.

Develop your advanced digital design and making skills, focusing on the intersection of computational design, digital fabrication and traditional craftsmanship. In partnership with leading design practices such as Mamou-Mani, MAKE and Grimshaw. You’ll experiment at the acclaimed Grymsdyke Farm digital fabrication labs, using its grounds for large-scale projects and collaborating with craftspeople and industry partners, building vital career connections. This specialism is connected to the Design, Theory and Practice (DTP) and the Place, Culture and Identity research groups.

You will investigate the impactful influence of humanitarian efforts and human-rights-based responses on global issues. As part of this exploratory journey, you'll delve into the complexities of cultural differences and critically consider how gender, diversity, and equality shape the world today. This specialism is connected to the Centre for Development and Emergency Practice (CENDEP) research group.

You'll delve into a programme that merges architecture, interior design, and social science. You'll be taught how to shift your focus from fundamentally designing physical 'objects' to critically evaluating the 'subjective' experience of the users, and creating a fulfilling design experience for your end user. This specialism is connected to the Design, Theory and Practice (DTP) research group.

Evaluation and Design (SAED): You'll explore the theory and practice of creating low-carbon and sustainable buildings. You can expect to gain an advanced understanding of the key sustainability issues facing the sector, equipping you with the knowledge to develop environmentally responsible solutions. This specialism is connected to the Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development (OISD) research group.

You will integrate theory and design practice to develop your urban design skills. You'll learn how to address contemporary global issues through your projects, working with examples and locations from around the world. Many global challenges can be tackled through better city design. Urban designers play a vital role in shaping sustainable communities, from protecting green spaces to reducing travel times. At Oxford Brookes, you’ll study design from building scale to city-wide masterplans, exploring environments from villages to megacities. This specialism is taught by Urban Design Experts and practitioners in our School of the Built Environment and connected to the Land, Design and Development (LDD) research group.

You can tailor your Part II to include a specialisation, choosing one route from the following design specialisations each offering a different approach to architecture. Our design specialisations ensure you leave the programme with a clear agenda and direction - helping you target the best design practices globally.

• Interior Architecture (MIA) Specialisation
• Advanced Architectural Design (AAD) Specialisation
• Sustainable Architecture: Evaluation and Design (SAED) Specialisation
• Urban Design (UD) Specialisation
• Digital Craft in Architecture (DCA) Specialisation
• Global Development and Humanitarian Practice (DHP) Specialisation
• Design Studio (DSS) Specialisation

Each specialism consists of two 30 credit modules, one that explores theory and research and one that applies theory and research to design. Our Specialisation Studios are led by academic and industry experts, ensuring you learn directly from our leading research groups including CENDEP and OISD.