phd in architecture london

Architectural Design MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

This is the programme information for 2025 entry

If you require details of the previous year's programme, Architectural Design MPhil/PhD (2024), click here

This programme encourages the development of architectural research through the combination of designing and writing. You present a thesis consisting of a creative project and a text that share a research theme and a productive relationship. The project may be drawn, filmed, built, or made using whatever media is appropriate.

UK tuition fees (2025/26)

Overseas tuition fees (2025/26), programme starts, applications accepted.

• Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, in a relevant subject, is essential. Exceptionally: where applicants have other suitable research or professional experience, they may be admitted without a Master's degree; or where applicants have a lower second-class UK Honours Bachelor's degree (2:2) (or equivalent) they must possess a relevant Master's degree to be admitted. We expect any successful application to include a sufficiently strong and convincing proposal, and those holding a Master's degree are typically well prepared to provide one. Relevant work experience is highly desirable.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This doctoral programme encourages the development of architectural research through the creative combination of designing and writing. A research by architectural design thesis has two inter-related elements of equal importance—a project and a text—that share a theme and a productive relationship. Integrating varied research methods, the thesis emphasises the creative interdependence of drawing, writing, and building in the development of innovative practices and theories of architecture.

There is an option of auditing modules from Architectural History MA , led by Professor Barbara Penner and Dr Robin Wilson. You are also encouraged to take advantage of the variety of skills development courses run by the UCL Doctoral School and the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education . (Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.)

Who this course is for

Students are expected to be independent thinkers, in order to make an original contribution to knowledge and expand the disciplinary discourse in their field of inquiry. They should be reflective within the shifting boundaries of their discipline and the rapidly changing nature of the architectural profession, and aware of how these are affected by societal and institutional challenges. The research proposal is crucial to our decision on your application since it demonstrates your ability to identify and articulate an independent line of research inquiry.

What this course will give you

The Bartlett School of Architecture is one of the world's most exciting architecture schools, in one of its most inspiring cities. Our name stands for provocative ideas, boundary-pushing research and high-achieving lecturers and students.

The Bartlett School of Architecture is a multi-disciplinary department with researchers active in architectural design, history, theory, practice, computation and space syntax, who bring together approaches from the arts, humanities, social sciences and engineering to the study of architecture. 91% of research at The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment has been deemed ‘World Leading’ and ‘Internationally Excellent’, and the faculty is number one for Research Power in the built environment (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

Our internationally renowned and award-winning design and research work is published and exhibited at galleries and events worldwide, helping our students become the most sought after in Europe. An inspiring programme of lectures and seminars by international academics and practitioners is supplemented by workshops and access to advanced digital fabrication tools. Our central London location makes us ideally placed for architectural education, research and practice, in close proximity to an exceptional concentration of built environment firms and related agencies.

Find out more about the benefits of studying at The Bartlett School of Architecture .

The foundation of your career

Graduate study at The Bartlett School of Architecture is enriched by our contact with a vibrant community of specialist consultants and research associates in industry and academia.

Located in central London, we collaborate on projects with a variety of national and international research centres and public engagement institutions.

Our students also benefit from the most advanced and extensive facilities available in any similar faculty in the EU. This combination of networks, knowledge and technical expertise makes our graduates some of the most sought after in the world.

Employability

Our graduates find employment in a wide range of careers as built environment professionals including academia, government, public service, policy formation and media worldwide.

We provide an increasing number of networking opportunities for our students, including book launches and social events, lectures, collaborative projects and visits.

Teaching and learning

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time.

Students have the option of auditing modules from Architectural History MA , subject to availability.

Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the variety of skills development courses run by the UCL Doctoral School and the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education . 

Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should demonstrate your capacity to pursue original research based upon a good understanding of the research techniques and concepts appropriate to the discipline.

Initially, you will be registered for the MPhil degree. If you wish to proceed to a PhD, you will be required to pass an 'Upgrade' assessment. The purpose of the upgrade is to assess your progress and ability to complete your PhD programme to a good standard and in a reasonable time frame. It is expected that a full-time student will attempt upgrade within between 9 and 18 months of registration.

Architectural Design thesis submissions combine a design project and a text of typically 60,000 to a maximum of 100,000 words.

A typical full-time PhD student is expected to spend the equivalent of a full-time job working on their PhD, although this can vary widely, with some periods of more intensive research.

Primarily, you are expected to conduct independent research, with guidance and supervision. The programme places emphasis on a close one-to-one working relationship between you and your supervisor. Your Principle Supervisor will establish a timetable of regular meetings with you at which all matters relating to you work can be discussed.

Research areas and structure

Research areas

Design is the core activity of The Bartlett School of Architecture. Design research is the means by which we discover not only the world that exists, but the world that is possible in the future. It results in the completion of highly contextual and inventive buildings, many of which are distinguished with significant awards.

Developed through individual research investigations and supported by regular tutorials with a principal and a secondary supervisor, an Architectural Design thesis integrates design projects and a text of around 60,000 words. Stimulated by the 500-year history of the architectural book and the many forms it has taken globally, over 30 graduates have had their thesis published as an authored book.

In your first year, you will be registered as an MPhil student and will then be expected to attempt upgrade within between nine and 18 months of registration. As a full-time candidate you will be expected to complete the PhD in three years, or as a part-time candidate you will be expected to completed your degree in five years.

Every year, we organise a series of regular seminars and events, including:

• Research introductions: Initial presentations by new MPhil students.
• Research conversations: In-depth seminars to meet the criteria for upgrade from MPhil to PhD status.
• Research projects: An annual PhD conference and exhibition with international critics as respondents, so that students can present and discuss work-in-progress.  Read the PhD Research Projects publications on Issuu .

You will also have the option of auditing taught modules from the  Architectural History MA .

Research environment

Supervision and mentorship is typically available from researchers with national and international contacts and collaborations across policy, government, industry and academic sectors. These links provide real opportunities to network and collaborate with a variety of external partners. You will usually have the opportunity to showcase your research at national and international conferences. You may lead your own networking initiatives, organising seminars and workshops for staff and students. You will usually also gain access to networking events, career workshops and seminars held by the Bartlett School of Architecture.

The MPhil/PhD Architectural Design and Architectural and Urban History and Theory routes jointly run a series of events which you will be expected to attend. There are 'Research Conversations', fortnightly work-in-progress seminars and reviews for new MPhil/PhD students, and 'Research Projects', annual PhD conference and exhibition with invited critics as respondents, organised by the AUHT and AD programmes of The Bartlett School of Architecture.

You will be expected to undertake independent research, with supervision and guidance, and normally are also expected to attend structured courses to learn about research methods in the field.

The programme encourages the development of architectural research through the combination of designing and writing. You will typically be required to present a thesis consisting of a project and a text that share a research theme and a productive relationship. The project may be drawn, filmed, built, or make use of whatever media is appropriate.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

Route code RRDBARSADE01

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

As a research student, your additional costs may include expenses such as books, conference attendance and field research, in the UK or overseas.

The Built Environment Faculty Office provides financial support to students through the Bartlett Student Conference Fund, Bartlett Doctoral Initiative Fund, Bartlett External Training Fund and Bartlett Extenuating Circumstances Fund. However, please note that these funds are limited and available through competition. 

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide .

Funding your studies

UCL offers a range of financial awards aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies, including our Research Excellence Scholarship.

In our faculty, The Bartlett Promise Scholarship aims to enable students from backgrounds underrepresented in the built environment to pursue PhD studies. Please see the UK PhD scholarship pages for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.

Any additional funding available from the Bartlett School of Architecture and the Built Environment Faculty Office are advertised on the respective websites.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Bartlett Promise PhD Scholarship

Deadline: 16 May 2025 Value: Full fees, plus £21,237 maintenance (Normal duration of programme) Criteria Based on financial need Eligibility: UK

UCL Research Opportunity Scholarship (ROS)

Deadline: 10 January 2025 Value: UK rate fees, a maintenance stipend, conference costs and professional development package (3 years) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Year of entry: 2024-2025, got questions get in touch.

Bartlett School of Architecture

[email protected]

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PhD in Architecture

• Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Practice in Architecture - ARB/ RIBA Part 3
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The PhD in Architecture is a three year research degree offering the opportunity for independent research under the supervision of a departmental member of staff. Unless the student becomes a member of a  research group , the research is undertaken entirely by the candidate on their own, with regular supervisions on progress with their supervisor. 

The Department welcomes applications from graduates to undertake research towards an PhD degree in most areas or architectural research, but is unable to offer places to candidates for whom no supervisor is available. Applicants are admitted who meet the course requirements and whose research interests match those of an available member of the academic staff. 

Please note that the Department does not offer a taught PhD programme, unlike, for example, many North American Universities. 

List of available supervisors

Course Structure & Examination

The PhD in Architecture is a three year programme which commences in October each year. It is also available on a five year part-time basis. Students submit their dissertations at the end of their third full-time year (or part-time equivalent) and will be invited to attend an oral examination up to three months after submitting. 

The programme involves minimal formal teaching. Students will usually have their supervisors confirmed before they have begun their course in October and will typically meet for 45 minutes on a fortnightly basis during term time. A bespoke programme is evolved by the student in conjunction with their supervisor and will include attendance at the Department’s programme of research seminars and other relevant graduate courses. Attending lectures is optional but students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of lectures offered in the Department, their college and other departments and faculties relevant to their research topics.

As well as the research and skills training programme offered by the Department of Architecture, students have the opportunity to develop their research skills by attending numerous courses, such as those related to the use of bibliographic resources and other databases, and specific computer skills. Informal opportunities to develop research skills also exist through mentoring undergraduate students, contributing to our departmental journal,  Scroope  and other opportunities presented by fellow students and members of staff.

Students will be provided with feedback via supervisions and their supervisor's termly reports which are available to them via their self-service pages on CamSIS.

Students will be provided with feedback via review exercises, supervisions and the supervisor's termly reports.

Submission of a thesis, which is not to exceed 80,000 words.  The thesis is examined by two examiners, and includes an oral examination which is usually held at the Faculty.

Footnotes, references and text within tables are to be counted within the word limit, but captions, appendices and bibliographies are excluded. Appendices (of no determined word length) may be permitted subject to the approval of the candidate's supervisor (in consultation with the Degree Committee). Appendices should be confined to such items as catalogues, original texts, translations of texts, transcriptions of interview, or tables. Permission to include such appendices must be requested well in advance of the submission of the final thesis. 

Candidates for the PhD are reviewed formally on an annual basis.  In the third term, candidates submit a First Year Report.  Candidates’ reports are assessed by two assessors and the candidate is invited to attend an oral assessment. 

During their sixth term, candidates are required to give a presentation of their work to the Graduate Director(s), their supervisor and any other appropriate assessor approved by the supervisor. The candidate’s progress is assessed and documented in a short report.  

The ninth term review ensures that candidates are on track to submit on time.  

Candidates submit a log of their research activity which is assessed at each of the annual reviews described above. 

Annual Reviews of Work

Students undertake an annual review of their work throughout their programme which is realised in different ways; for example, the production of a report or undertaking a presentation. The purpose of the reviews is to ensure that students are on track to submit a successful dissertation by the submission deadline. The first review also serves as a registration exercise, for which students have to submit a report of 10,000 words which is orally assessed by two assessors. The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the student is suited to the demands of PhD research and to address any concerns if there are any. 

Examination

Students submit a dissertation, of not more than 80,000 words (60,000 words for the MSc degree). The dissertation and the general field of knowledge within which it falls is orally examined by two examiners. At least one of the examiners will be external to the University.

At a Glance

Course length and dates:

3 years full-time/5 years part-time, October start.

Examination:

A dissertation of not more than 80,000 words. 

Academic requirement:

A 1st class or a high 2i honours degree and a Masters degree with merit (if a merit category exists) in architecture or a related discipline.

English language requirement:

See  Postgraduate Admissions Office . 

Applications accepted from:

The preceding September.

Application Deadlines:

The final deadline for applicants seeking funding is early January, please see Postgraduate Admissions for exact date. Even if you are not seeking funding, we strongly recommend that you submit your application by 7 January, as no applications will be accepted once this competitive and popular programme is full.

Course Fees:

Information relating to the fee for this course is available from the  Postgraduate Admissions Office .  

If you are seeking funding for your course via one of the University’s main funding competitions, there are specific deadlines and eligibility criteria for each competition.  Please check the Funding Section of the  Postgraduate Admissions Office  website for information and application deadlines. 

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MPhil/PhD Research Architecture

Content navigation menu, why study mphil/phd research architecture at goldsmiths.

Undertake your own research project in the Centre for Research Architecture.

• This MPhil/PhD programme is aimed at practitioners of architecture and other related spatial practices who would like to develop a sustained multi-year practice-led research project.
• The MPhil/PhD allows you to produce intensive, rigorous, and scholarly research as well as further elaborate your own practice.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Susan Schuppli .

3-4 years full-time or 4-6 years part-time

Home - full-time: £TBC Home - part-time: £TBC International - full-time: £20000

Visual Cultures

You'll research

The programme is structured around an annual series of two-day long seminars, which take place each month during the autumn, winter, and spring terms.

The seminars are organised as a roundtable discussion of student research projects as they progress each year. Each of the roundtable seminars is supplemented by invited guests who bring relevant scholarly knowledge or practices into the Centre for Research Architecture .

Student and guest presentations, along with assigned readings, provide the common conceptual ground for discussion of work and ideas.

Visual Cultures assessment are 100% coursework. Normally this consists of essays, sometimes accompanied by creative projects, group projects, multi-media projects, presentations, symposia, reviews, and studio work.

What our students say

Angela Melitopolous

Angela Melitopolous's PhD research project

View profile

Anselm Franke

Anselm Franke's PhD research project

Ariel Caine

Ariel Caine's PhD research project

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees.

These are the PG fees for students starting their programme in the 2025/2026 academic year.

• Home - full-time: £TBC
• Home - part-time: £TBC
• International - full-time: £20000

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office , who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment .

Funding opportunities

You may be eligible for the following funding:

• Forensic Architecture Open Verification PhD Fellowship
• ESRC/SENSS Doctoral Studentships
• AHRC Studentships
• Goldsmiths scholarships  

Paying your fees

Find out about paying your tuition fees .

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page .

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.

Entry requirements

You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters in a relevant subject area. 

You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the  qualifications we accept from around the world .

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or  equivalent English language qualification ) of  6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0  to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of  courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate study .

How to apply

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.

Before submitting your application you'll need to have:

• Details of your education history , including the dates of all exams/assessments
• The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
• Contact details of a second referee
• A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online
• Details of your research proposal
• If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

Before you apply for a research programme, we advise you to get in touch with the programme contact, listed above. It may also be possible to arrange an advisory meeting.

Before you start at Goldsmiths, the actual topic of your research has to be agreed with your proposed supervisor, who will be a member of staff active in your general field of research. The choice of topic may be influenced by the current research in the department or the requirements of an external funding body. 

If you wish to study on a part-time basis, you should also indicate how many hours a week you intend to devote to research, whether this will be at evenings or weekends, and for how many hours each day.

Research proposals

Along with your application and academic reference, you should also upload a research proposal at the point of application. This should be in the form of a statement of the proposed area of research and should include:

• Delineation of the research topic
• Why it has been chosen
• An initial hypothesis (if applicable)
• A brief list of major secondary sources

When to apply

You can make an application to study for an MPhil or PhD with us at any time of the year, for the academic year starting the following October.

We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.

If you're applying for external funding from one of the Research Councils, make sure you submit your application by the deadline they've specified.

Selection process

Admission to many programmes is by interview, unless you live outside the UK. Occasionally we'll make candidates an offer of a place on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.

Further guidance

Find out more about applying .

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Similar programmes.

MPhil/PhD Advanced Practices

This programme will provide you with an opportunity for your own work to engage with the widening horizons of new practices. It will also enable you to invent methodologies, reframe urgencies, and reimagine the contexts for work.

MPhil/PhD Visual Culture

We welcome applicants wishing to explore visual culture understood as a meeting ground between creative practices, the philosophical and the political.

MRes Advanced Practices

The MRes in Advanced Practices responds to the growing importance of research within contemporary cultural production.

MRes Visual Cultures

The MRes Visual Cultures is ideal if you have already completed an advanced course of study in art history and theory but would like to further develop your thought and research projects before studying at MPhil/PhD level.

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