Masters Compare - Find your perfect masters course.
Masters Compare - Find your perfect masters course.
Study Details: 1 year full-time
MA Architecture and Urbanism invites you to shape the future of our cities and tackle the biggest challenges facing urban environments today. Combining in-depth research with studio-based design, the course addresses how cultural, economic, and environmental forces influence contemporary cities and places. You will produce written, drawn and modelled work rooted in historical urban theory and directed towards creating sustainable, future-focused cities.
Designed for both aspiring researchers and industry professionals, the course supports diverse career goals and specialised interests. Shape your own direction through the exploration of specific research interests and studio design practice. Our urban laboratories provide space to investigate solutions to urban challenges through various lenses - for example landscape, contextualism, prototype, and housing.
You will benefit from the specialist workshops at both Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester to explore model-making, fabrication, and realisation of your ideas.
You will have opportunities to enhance your specialist knowledge and get career ready by connecting with Manchester School of Architecture’s network of industry leaders and alumni. This course will expose you to the global perspectives and experiences of experts in urbanism including planners, architects, historians, artists and environmental consultants.
This course is ideal preparation for careers in professional or academic roles associated with sustainable urban and architectural design. Graduates go on to shape the built environment at every level in architectural practice, academic research, urban design, policy, consultancy, and construction.
The programme is part of Manchester School of Architecture, an internationally recognised leader in architectural and urban design education which is jointly delivered and awarded by Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Manchester.
You will normally have at least an upper second-class undergraduate UK honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related field including Architecture, Landscape, Environment Design, Urban Design.
Candidates are required to provide a digital portfolio and a written personal statement (approximately 450 words) as part of the application process to evidence designing/architectural practice and research.
Other professional qualifications or degree disciplines will be considered on merit and/or with relevant professional experience, on a case-by-case basis. As part of this process, the internal programme and university admissions teams may review applicant’s portfolios to determine suitability based upon drawing and communication of related skills, and the relevance of experience. Applicants may be invited to attend additional pre-start study skills support.
Overseas applicants will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification.
See our website for fees.
Graduates have gone on to work with leading architectural, urbanism and town planning practices both nationally and internationally. An increasing number of graduates enrol on further research degrees at doctoral level.
MA Architecture and Urbanism comprises of 180 credits, made up of six core modules. You will develop a strong foundation in the principles of architecture and urbanism, begin to establish your own position through research and design-based inquiry, and finally conduct original research to formulate an advanced architectural and urban design proposition.
Core modules:
Urban Strategies
Cities and Urbanism
Research Skills
Architectural Tactics
Research Project
Design Synthesis
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Thu 26 Mar 2026