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Solent Unviersity Southampton logo
Solent Unviersity Southampton logo

BA (Hons)Architectural Design and Technology

4 years with foundation year
2023
UCAS code:
ADT3
Institution code: S30
Campus:
Southampton City Centre

Why study architectural design and technology with a foundation year

Build your architectural career with a professionally accredited degree that delivers industry specific skills and experience, and the opportunity to qualify as a BREAAM Accredited Graduate.

  • Top0
    for student satisfaction in the UK for architecture studies (NSS 2022)
  • Solent University’s Design Foundation Programme is perfectly suited to students who may not be from an architectural design-related background or whose qualifications do not meet the admissions requirements for BA (Hons) Architectural Design and Technology.
  • You can qualify as a Building Research Establishment (BRE) Academy accredited Graduate.
  • Develop professional skills using our industry-standard hardware and software such as sketching and computer-aided drawing.
  • You will work on projects with real clients and employers.
  • Sustainability is embedded in the curriculum with modules in sustainable environmental design and Building Information Modelling (BIM).
  • Showcase your final-year projects to employers and the public at our end-of-year summer show. Students have, in the past, secured graduate employment as a result.
  • Solent is an Adobe Creative Campus, meaning all students have free access to Adobe Creative Cloud, which contains the full suite of Adobe professional software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, Premier Pro, and more.

To help get you up to speed, the one-year foundation course provides all the creative, technical and study skills needed for entry onto a degree-level art, design or fashion course. Upon completion, you will be able to progress onto the BA (Hons) Architectural Design and Technology degree here at Solent.

Taught by a dedicated and well-qualified team, the architectural design and technology course is professionally accredited by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists, meaning that the curriculum meets the specific needs of the architectural technology industry. The curriculum equips students with a strong grounding in architectural design, construction technology, technical design and professional practice. Students also have the opportunity to qualify as a BREAAM Accredited Graduate.

Students also have the opportunity to work in our architectural technology studio. Fully-equipped with the latest version of industry standard software, this modern studio space was developed to give a sense of the feel and atmosphere of a working professional studio, bringing students together from various built environment courses to collaborate as they would in the real-world workplace.

Our graduates also regularly win top industry awards, including the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists' (CIAT) 2022 AT awards where recent graduate, Ian Westhead was awarded the Student Award for Excellence in Architectural Technology Project.

Solent students will study in the heart of an exciting city undergoing significant development, from the Royal Pier project, the new Cultural Quarter and Watermark Westquay, to Solent University’s own buildings.

Accredited by:

Image reads CIAT accredited programme

Accredited graduate programme:

BRE Academy logo


Course features

  • Professional accreditation

    This course has been accredited by a professional body

  • Foundation year available

    If you're not quite ready for a full undergraduate degree, there's alternative entry through one of our foundation years

  • Specialist facilities

    This course has access to specialist facilities

  • Part-time option

    You can study this course part-time

Who is this course for?

Our design foundation programme is ideal for students who aren’t quite ready to undertake a full undergraduate degree, once completing the foundation year, you will progress on to the BA (Hons) Architectural Design and Technology degree.

What does this course lead to?

This course prepares graduates for a range of careers within a number of organisations, such as architectural and architectural technology practices, local authorities and building contractors.

The majority of our graduates find employment as architectural technologists within architectural practices, such as Bright Space Architects, ADAM Architecture, HPW, HGP Architects, Noviun Architects, HNW architects and even as far afield as Spain and Australia. Some graduates work for local government, such as Hampshire County Council and Dorset County Council.

Meet the team

The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.

Facilities

Facilities available to students include AutoCAD, Revit, Google SketchUp Pro, 3D printers and large format scanners. By using industry-standard hardware and software, Solent students can develop the specific skills required by the architectural technology industry such as sketching and computer-aided drawing – as well as transferable skills they can apply in other industries. And as Solent is an Adobe Creative Campus, all students also have free access to Adobe Creative Cloud, which includes the full suite of Adobe professional software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, Premier Pro, and more.

Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces. Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.

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