BA (Hons) Architecture with Foundation Year

This professional validated programme gives you the opportunity to work on a range of authentic architectural projects with input from practicing architects in a dynamic studio environment with access industry standard technical facilities.

Taught principally through a studio environment that is seamlessly underpinned and informed by lectures and workshops, the over-arching ambition of the programme is to create graduates with artistic flair, and who are technically skilled and grounded in the demands of the professional role of the architect.

The learning and teaching environment is progressively informed by research in pedagogy in the creative field. While teaching the curriculum, the programme also develops less tangible skills in students, such as communication, presentation and self-motivation; a key ambition is to create independent thinkers, adept at resolving problems with creativity and originality.

A broad educational experience is offered within which students can develop diverse rigorous and creative approaches to design issues that explore and test appropriate resolutions in relation to contemporary and anticipated contextual issues.

Design projects form the backbone of the core teaching strategy. These projects are seen as primers to a divergent creative and critical thought process: they are characterised by individual interpretation and interest of the subjects that encourage imaginative solutions through discursive studio forums.

As you progress through the degree, the design projects gradually become larger in scale, more complex and ambitious in their intentions and integrative in their nature. At degree level, predominantly, the city of Liverpool is used as a contextual laboratory to test concepts that have a local flavour with global implications. The aim is to develop graduate skills and knowledge such that they become analysing, visualising and testing potential solutions to increasingly complex spatial and social issues within an increasingly holistic global scenario.

We regularly host symposia and conferences, for example the recent symposiums included: The Display, Exhibition & Propagation of Architecture and Government and Housing in a Time of Crisis which both featured world-renowned guest speakers from architecture, urban planning and academia.

Each year, two of our undergraduate students are put forward for the RIBA Presidents' Medals award, and thecollection of student work is published in a widely available catalogue. The variety of work and creative freedom seen in these projects demonstrates the expertise of our alumni.

For news, events, including student-led events, course information and student work and staff research, visit the Architecture blog.

Foundation Year 

The Foundation Year pathway (level 3) introduces students to core academic skills needed to thrive in High Education, and provides an introduction to art and design principles and practices that are required for students to study on the BA (Hons) programmes at Liverpool School of Art and Design.

This unique Foundation Year is a preparatory year of study shared by Architecture, Fashion: Design & Communication, Fine Art, Graphic Design & Illustration, and Interior Architecture degree programmes. It is ideal if you have the interest and ability to study for a degree, but do not have the qualifications to enter directly onto the first year of a full honours degree. The Foundation Year allows greater access to the undergraduate programmes through a series of general taught modules that gradually build in exposure to discipline-specific practices, to enable students to be ready to take their place on the first year of their chosen full-time HE course
Students are taught together as a non-discipline specific group in four out of six modules with opportunities to split into discipline-specific groups in the ‘Exploring Materials, Process and Practice’ and ‘Studio Practice Project’ modules. This non-disciplinary structure is designed to promote cross-disciplinary thinking and learning experiences. Students are also part of a wider level 3 community within the Faculty of Arts, Professional and Social Studies and study two academic skills modules (‘Preparing for Success: Academic Skills’, and ‘Investigating Liverpool’) with foundation students across the faculty.

There is a focus on the attainment of core academic skills, including writing, referencing, computer and research skills.

The Foundation Year aims to:

• Introduce students to contemporary art and design practices, including Art History and drawing

• Introduce core academic and general skills across four modules and introduce discipline specific subjects in two modules

• Foster the development of ideas through introductory 'exposures' and 'encounters' with materials, technologies and processes that replicate and simulate real-world interactions for making and collaborative practice

• Support students’ induction and orientation to basic resources and workshops in the John Lennon Art and Design Building, and use key workshop areas and resources associated with their programmes in a safe and appropriate manner

• Acquire and develop the academic skills needed for successful transition into level 4 and completion of the degree

• Engage students to develop a self-directed and independent approach to learning

Students will have access to specialist workshops and technical support in the John Lennon Art and Design Building to develop their practical skills but no dedicated studio space is provided. You will spent a significant amount of time working online in our virtual learning environment, CANVAS.

Once you pass the Foundation Year you will progress directly onto the first year of the [insert programme name here] honours degree. If you are a full-time UK student, you will qualify for student financial support for the full duration of your course (subject to eligibility criteria).