Course details

Summary

Undertake your own architecture design project. Identify the unique qualities of your work and how to use these to forge new directions for your design practice.

Programme overview

Are you currently practicing in the field of architecture or do you have an architecture degree? The Master of Architecture is a qualification for people who have practiced or studied architecture and want to advance their skills and explore an area of their interest. Advance your knowledge of current design techniques, and learn to present your work effectively to interdisciplinary audiences and in a digital format. Improve your understanding of how to look at architecture sites and briefs from different angles, and use techniques to construct interesting and unique responses.

The key outcome of this programme is a master level project that demonstrates your specialised skill and/or knowledge in your area of chosen expertise. This is not an accredited degree to become a registered architect – for this you’ll need to complete the Master of Architecture (Professional).

Highlights

• Enables practising architects to study part-time, learn new techniques, sharpen their design skills and keep abreast of current theory
• Focus on practical projects: the degree is "by project", which means that you undertake a project based on an aspect of your architecture practice to date
• No coursework
• Collaborative approach: the Master of Architecture, together with the Master of Landscape Architecture, is part of a suite of design programmes at Unitec. Students in both programmes get together for seminars and workshops in order to foster collaboration, new ideas and new approaches to interdisciplinary practice.
• Interaction with international academics and practitioners

Career Options

• Architecture practitioner (senior level)
• Architecture lecturer (senior level)

Entry criteria

For this programme, you will need the following:

1. Completed one of the following:

• An undergraduate degree in a discipline relevant to your proposed programme of study, with an average grade of B- or higher in all Level 7 courses
• A postgraduate diploma in a discipline relevant to your proposed programme of study, with an average grade of B- or higher

2. A significant portfolio of professional work which enables us to critically reflect on your prior practice

3. A minimum of 8 credits at NCEA Level 2 in English (4 in reading, 4 in writing)

English Language requirements:

• Have achieved NCEA Level 3 and New Zealand University entrance
• NZCEL (Academic) (Level 5)
• IELTS score of 6.5 with no band score lower than 6.0
• TOEFL (pBT) Paper-based test score of 590 (essay 5.5 TWE)
• TOEFL (iBT) Internet-based test score of 79 (writing 21)
• CAE, or CPE with a score of 176. No less than 169 in each skill. OET at Grade B in all sub-tests
• Pearson Test of English (PToE) Academic with a score of 58 with no score lower than 50