Approximately 33,310 enroll each year in further education and study architecture,
with architecture being the most popular study.
This is due to its ability to provide its students with a professional degree and high rates of employment after graduation.
83.9% of architecture students go directly to full-time work immediately after completing their studies.
If you have ambitions to become an architect and are thinking about studying architecture,
you may be wondering which A-levels you should study.
When you complete your UCAS application,
you will need to include details of the A levels you took and the grades expected in each subject.
Many universities will discount applicants based on this information alone;
It is therefore important to ensure that you choose A level subjects that are relevant to the subject you wish to study in further education.
You cannot apply for a medical degree if you have studied arts rather than science subjects at A-level, for example.
Why should you study architecture?
At the highest level, an architect is a designer who works with buildings.
Architects combine technical drawing skills with technical mathematics skills,
To ensure that built environments are structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing.
Architecture is a hugely rewarding profession,
allowing its practitioners to combine their technical knowledge with creative and imaginative ideas.
Architecture is also considered a professional degree,
which means that the main reason to study architecture is because you want to become an architect.
Becoming an architect requires seven years of hard work and further education level study.
This makes it much more time consuming and labor intensive than the traditional three-year course.
Some of the things you can expect to do if you study architecture and become an architect are:
- Use your creative skills to design drawings and models of your ideas for a project, based on the project design brief your clients will provide you.
- Once you have approved this creative brief, you will need to continue designing your structure using digital software. These detailed technical plans must be accurate and scalable.
- You will need to be financially mindful and consider your client’s budget when drawing your design and choosing the materials you will use in your project.
- Although architects are not construction workers, your role will include supervising the construction of the building you design and ensuring the design progresses, within budget and on schedule.
If you feel that architecture is the right course and career path for you based on your skill set,
But you’re still not entirely sure what an architect’s role will involve on a day-to-day basis,
The Royal Institute of Architecture (RIBA) is a great resource for exploring architecture and offers a range of resources specifically designed for students.
It is also not uncommon to study architecture and then not go on to work in the architectural profession.
Other professions held by individuals with degrees in architecture include design, teaching, construction, real estate, and public administration.
Reasons to study architecture
In addition to the obvious desire to become an architect, some other reasons to study architecture include:
- Opportunity for personal growth Students are often capable of achieving much more than they think, and studying architecture will provide you with the opportunity to test your limits, expand your mind, and develop amazing new skill sets.
- Thinking outside the box, architects are rarely linear thinkers, and instead of focusing on getting from point A to point B, they will look at the journey from every angle.
- Architecture students are rewarded as much for their creative thinking as they are for their technical skills.
- To improve your creative and technical skills, if you love making things, this is the course for you.
- Architectural study involves more than just sketching, you will also create paintings, sets and models, as well as rendering 3D computer models.
- These are transferable skills that can be used in a wide range of future careers.
The type of knowledge required for an architecture degree
Since architecture is a competitive degree course,
It is not enough just to have the appropriate A-levels to complete your UCAS application form.
Most universities will ask you to submit a portfolio of your art and design work, to ensure you have the artistic talent and creative skills you need to succeed in your chosen course.
Making sure you have a strong work experience is probably the most important thing you can do if you want to study architecture.
at degree level, along with achieving the required grades at your A-level.
Your portfolio should demonstrate a wide range of skills, so it should include text and photographs alongside your drawings and designs.
What other knowledge, skills and qualities should an architect be familiar with?
- Strong mathematical skills and ability to think analytically and reasoning.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work well with individuals from all walks of life.
- Digital design skills and the ability to use a wide range of IT platforms efficiently.
- Creativity, design skills and the ability to think outside the box.
- Problem-solving skills and ability to focus on the bigger picture.
Basic levels of studying architecture
You cannot study architecture at university level without taking A-levels.
If you want to study architecture, you will need at least two A-levels,
But most universities will require that you have at least three A levels.
Since architecture degree courses are very competitive,
You will need to achieve high-level grades in order to secure a place.
Offers range from AAB to CCD, so you should expect at least a BBB if you want to get into a prestigious university.
As well as taking three A levels, you will also need at least five GCSEs,
All courses require a grade of C or higher in both mathematics and English.
The ability to demonstrate proficiency in mathematics and English (English Literature will not be accepted as an alternative) is also essential for admission to the Architecture degree.
If you have an architecture degree in mind and have already got the GCSE grades you need,
To continue studying for your A levels, you’re probably wondering which A levels you should take.
Not all universities will have a specific list of required A levels,
But some will require you to have A levels in both mathematics and art or graphic design.
A common statement of chosen subjects is that a combination of science or mathematics, humanities and arts is preferred.
It is important to note that you should not limit yourself to studying only technical subjects or only mathematics and science.
Other A levels to study architecture
There are two main types of architecture degrees:
those that focus on architecture as a creative subject, and those that focus on architecture as a technical subject.
If you are more interested in the technical aspects of architecture,
studying further mathematics or physics as your third subject may be beneficial.
If you are more interested in the creative aspects of architecture, another creative subject such as fine art, art history or graphic design may be beneficial.
Some students choose to demonstrate their skill set and ability to study at a higher level,
By studying an essay topic such as English literature or English language,
or one of the humanities (with history and geography being the most common).
However, if these subjects do not appeal to you, there is no need to limit yourself,
you have much wider scope than you might think when choosing your third A level,
Your main focus should be on choosing a subject that you enjoy and in which you know you will do well.
List of preferred subjects that some universities may offer:
- Ancient History
- Anthropologist
- Arabic
- Archeology
- Art and design
- Art and Design: 3D Design
- Art and Design: Art, Craft and Design
- Art and Design: Critical and Contextual Studies
- Art and Design: Fine Arts
- Art and Design: Graphic Communication
- Art and Design: Graphic Design
- Art and Design: Photography
- Art and Design: Textiles
- Bangla
- Hebrew Bible
- Biology
- Biology (Salters-Nuffield)
- Biology (human)
- Biology b
- A job
- Cantonese
- Chemistry
- Chemistry (Nuffield)
- Chemistry (salts)
- Chinese
- Classical civilization
- Classical Greek
- Computer science
- Drama (WJEC specifications)
- Drama and Theater Studies
- Dutch
- Economics
- Economics b
- Economics and business
- Economics and Business Studies (Nuffield)
- English language
- English language and literature
- English Literature (Specification A or B where applicable)
- Environmental sciences
- Environmental studies
- Film studies
- French language
- Geography A
- Geography b
- Geology
- German language
- Government and politics
- Greek language
- Gujarati language
- Indian language
- Date
- Art history
- History of art and design
- Information and communications technology
- Irish language
- Italian Language
- Japanese language
- Latin language
- Law
- Mathematics
- Mathematics (MEI)
- More math
- Pure mathematics
- Media Studies (entry 2022)
- Modern Greek
- Modern Hebrew
- Motion Picture Arts (CCEA Specifications)
- Music
- Punjabi
- Persian
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Physics (Advanced Physics)
- Physics (Salters Horners)
- Polishing
- Policy
- Portuguese
- Psychology
- Psychology A
- Psychology b
- Religious studies
- The Russian language
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Statistics
- Tamil
- Turkish language
- Urdu language
- Welsh (second language)
You should note that General Studies is not a subject that appears on this list.
While General Studies can be an interesting subject to study,
and some schools will consider it a requirement for all A-level students,
It is important to note that most universities will not consider General Studies as a legitimate third subject when I make you a conditional offer of a place to study with them.
General Studies should be considered as a fourth subject but should not be included in the three subjects you study to secure your university place.
How do you get the right A-levels for architecture?
Perhaps more important than choosing the right A-level course is ensuring you get the grades you need for your A-level.
Because places on architecture degrees are in high demand,
you’ll need good grades to ensure your application stands out from the crowd.
The good news is that there are over 300 undergraduate courses in architecture in the UK,
Which means you’ll have a wide range of choices for courses when you get to the university application stage.
What are the best performing universities for architecture in the UK?
- University of Cambridge (you will need to achieve grades A*AA to be accepted onto this course)
- University College London (you will need to accept AAB grades for this course)
- University of Bath (you will need to achieve grades A*AA to be accepted onto this course)
- Cardiff University (offers are usually AAA or AAB to be accepted onto this course)
- University of Nottingham (you will need to have AAA grades to be accepted onto this course)
As it is a highly regarded and sought-after course,
the University of Cambridge is a great example to look at when assessing which A-levels you will need.
Perhaps surprisingly, there are no specific subject requirements to apply to study Architecture at the University of Cambridge.
However, you will need to complete a series of written and practical assessments,
conduct an interview, and submit your portfolio.
When applying to Cambridge University, your body of work, along with your grades,
will be an integral part of determining whether you get an interview or not.
University College London and Cardiff University from this list will also ask you to attend an interview,
While all the universities on this list will require you to submit a portfolio of work alongside your application.
لدراسة الابتكارات التي تشكل العمران في القرن الحادي والعشرين
