ARCHITECTURE BSc (Architectural Science) (Hons) and MArch

UCD College of Engineering and Architecture

Introduction

UCD is at the centre of architecture education in Ireland. By far the

country’s longest running architecture programme, the BSc

(Architectural Science) and MArch (Hons) is also the only programme

that is accredited by the professional institutes of both Ireland and

Britain (RIAI and RIBA). Over the years the school has produced

countless architects of note, who have not only redefined design in

Ireland and abroad, but have also redefined the role of the architect

in modern society.

At UCD our aim is to continuously deepen understanding, extend

capacities and broaden horizons in relation to architecture. We aim

to produce architects capable of addressing global and societal

issues. The architecture design studios based in the UCD School of

Architecture are hubs of creativity, capable not only of producing

award-winning designs but also of responding to some of today’s

greatest issues and challenges, such as increasing urbanisation, the

need for sustainable development, and the possibilities for

technological innovation. As a result, the programme is constantly

evolving, seeking to extend architecture’s role and potential in a

complex world.

Our educational programme attracts a diverse cross-section of

talents and approaches – from the technically minded to the

artistically gifted; from the socially conscious to the natural

communicators and leaders. All have the capacity to become

successful and productive graduates in architecture.

What’s on offer through architecture in UCD?

When students enter Richview, the home of UCD Architecture, they

enter a world of creativity, innovation and diversity. Creativity lies at

the core of the programme. From the outset, the emphasis is on

students proposing creative solutions to set problems and

situations. Through learning by doing, students propose, test and

develop ideas. There is a strong emphasis on group work and

collaboration, mainly through design tasks and problem-solving.

However, the educational experience is not confined to the studios,

lecture theatres and library – it spills over into the cafés and social

spaces, and out into students’ daily encounters with the world

around them.

What the programme offers is a means to engage creatively and

constructively with society. Put simply, architects change the world.

Whether at the scale of a small domestic extension or a new

masterplan for an urban quarter, they add something new. During

your time at UCD your lecturers will include many architects who are

at the forefront of their profession and have won national and

international acclaim for their buildings. The reality of cutting-edge

practice feeds directly into the lecture theatre and design studio,

encouraging and motivating the student to come up with realistic

yet creative answers to real-life problems. At the same time, our

academic staff are leading research in areas such as: sustainable

development; environmental modelling; technological innovation;

and, the history and theory of architecture, cities and landscapes.

Skills obtained during your years in UCD Architecture in addition to

the ability to design buildings include: critical thinking; negotiation;

time and budget management; communications and presentation;

familiarity with languages and cultures; a respect for the

environment; and, the ability to work in teams and to lead projects.

Through the UCD Horizons options, each year students can choose

to study modules ranging from languages and politics, or

philosophy and art history, to mathematical and scientific subjects.

This breadth of opportunity is augmented by the possibility to

experience other cultures and societies during field trips and

workshops abroad. Many of our students also elect to spend some

time studying in architectural schools in Europe, Asia, America and

Australia, encountering different approaches and philosophies.

UCD ARCHITECTUREBSc (Architectural Science) (Hons)and MArch

Direct Entry CAO Code DN100

Length of Programme 3 years (BSc) (Hons) +

2 years (MArch)

Minimum CAO points 2010 495

Entry RequirementsIrish, English, a third language and Mathematics.

And two other recognised subjects.

Educational model

Architecture at UCD is at the forefront of the architectural and urban

design debate in Ireland. The UCD School of Architecture provides

a unique forum for interaction between research, teaching and the

practice of architecture. The School is located at the Richview

section of the campus and boasts its own building laboratory,

computer laboratories, library and café.

The UCD School of Architecture five-year full-time degree

programme is accredited by the Royal Institute of the Architects of

Ireland (RIAI) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

From 2010 entry onwards, entrants into UCD Architecture will be

awarded a Master’s degree (MArch). This represents a departure

from previous years where graduates received the award of Bachelor

of Architecture (BArch). The change is in line with practice in most

leading British and European schools. While the 3 + 2 model has

been in place at UCD for many years, the change to a MArch reflects

the advanced, graduate nature of the second part of the

programme. It builds on the foundation of the BSc (Architectural

Science) to develop students’ capacity for research, innovation and

independent work in defining their own personal paths within

architecture.

Having satisfactorily completed the first three stages of the

architectural programme, students will automatically be awarded the

BSc (Architectural Science) degree. For follow-on entry into the

MArch, students must satisfy the progression requirement.

Progression requirement from BSc (Architectural Science) to

MArch: minimum degree award GPA of 2.8 (mid 2H2) for

automatic progression. Students who do not achieve a GPA of 2.8

will be offered an interview to assess their suitability to progress.

For those who not continue with the MArch programme, the BSc

qualification provides an opportunity to pursue associated

professions such as landscape architecture, planning or research,

and also an option to transfer into other areas of study.

There are two main elements to the degree – project work

(architectural design, drawing and model making) and lecture

programmes (theoretical material).

Project work is taught in the architecture design studios through a

combination of lectures, individual tuition, field trips, group tutorials,

large reviews and exhibitions. Lecture-based modules are grouped

under the broad headings of: Technical – Architectural Technologies,

Structures, Environmental Science; Cultural – Architectural History and

Theory, Ecology, Conservation; and, Managerial – Professional Studies.

Project work is assessed on the basis of the student’s efforts over the

two semesters, while lecture-based modules have a combination of

written exams and continuous assessment, projects or written exams.

Upon completion of the MArch students may embark on further

research leading to research Masters and PhDs.

Profile of John Tuomey

I always liked drawing when I was a child. My father was an engineer

and I worked with him on building sites and land surveys during my

school holidays. I used to read about architecture in his books and

journals, and I was attracted to the creative and practical aspects of

studying architecture.

Studying architecture at UCD opened up a whole new world to me.

Once I started studying architecture my perception of what we see

around us every day changed dramatically. I began to see buildings,

cities and landscapes as evidence of human activity, individual

intention and collective intelligence. Studying architecture opened

my eyes to the curious complex reality of the man-made world. It is

a lifelong enquiry.

I met many like-minded people in my first year at UCD, who would

become lasting friends. My wife and partner was one of the first

people I met in the first-year studio, although it took a good few

years before we realised that we were to be each other’s life

companion. Now we run our own partnership, designing buildings in

various places in Ireland and abroad. Our office is an open plan

studio, with young and creative colleagues who work together in

collaborative teams. We design all kinds of schemes and structures,

from public buildings to housing and educational projects.

O’Donnell+Tuomey began with our first public commission for the

Irish Film Institute in Temple Bar. We worked with Group 91 on the

regeneration of Temple Bar, making public buildings and spaces in

Dublin’s cultural quarter. Our educational buildings include

Ranelagh School, the Furniture College Letterfrack, medical

laboratories at UCD, and the Glucksman Gallery UCC. Most of our

buildings are for social, cultural or educational activities and each

project seems to lead us to a different solution than the one before.

Studying architecture can lead directly to a career in general

architectural practice or to different directions in historic

conservation, academic research, construction and environmental

studies, strategic and urban planning, and landscape and furniture

design; architects are specialists in non-specialisation.

My own academic career started with teaching part-time in a number

of schools of architecture in the UK a few years after graduating from

UCD. At that time I was working in London. When I returned to live

in Dublin I took up a part-time studio lectureship in architecture at

UCD. I taught for a couple of years in America, in Princeton and

Harvard Universities, and still travel a couple of times a year to visit

other schools in Europe and America. Six years ago I took a

sabbatical from teaching to reflect on practice and design, leading

to the first Masters in Architecture awarded in UCD. Last year I was

appointed as the inaugural Professor of Architectural Design. An

integral part of my role is to direct the course of the design studio

and to develop research-by-design activity in the school.

My strongest memory is of my first days in the first-year studio at

UCD. I had the feeling that I might have arrived at the place where I

belonged. Today in my teaching life and practice I still believe that I

was not mistaken in that first impression.

Studying architecture at UCD is a unique experience. The centre of

the students’ world is the design studio. It is at the core of the course

and is a very different world than the school classroom or college

lecture hall. It is where each UCD architecture student sets up their

base and, although the hours are long, there is always an interesting

conversation going on somewhere in the studio. It is a place where

drawings and models are made and ideas are discussed in an

informal creative atmosphere of exploration and learning by doing.

MORE INFORMATION….

You can get more information about this programme by calling, emailing or writing to:

UCD Engineering and Architecture Programme Office | Room 122 (first floor)

Engineering and Materials Science Centre | University College Dublin | Belfield | Dublin 4.

Tel +353 1 716 1868 | Email: choosearchitecture@ucd.ie | www.ucd.ie/engarch and www.ucd.ie/architecture

Aug

ust

2011