Bachelor of Design in Architecture
Brochures
Ask a Question
Bachelor of Design in Architecture
Architecture is a creative profession that operates at the intersection of art and technology. Architects combine knowledge of design, philosophy, aesthetics, materials and construction in new and innovative ways. Their buildings both reflect and help to define cultural identities.
When you study the Bachelor of Design in Architecture, you receive the benefits of a unique and flexible course structure. Architectural design studios form the core of the degree. These studios instruct you in the specific knowledge of architectural communications, technologies, history and theory. You may explore your creative interests through a broad program of art workshops. Interests in the humanities, sciences, business or economics are also encouraged by a series of electives that may be drawn from across the University’s 16 faculties.
You will be taught by academics at the forefront of architectural thinking and practice. Your learning is supported by our extensive facilities, including state of the art computer laboratories and digital fabrication equipment alongside traditional timber and metal workshops.
You will join a talented and committed cohort of students who will be uniquely positioned to respond to the challenges of architecture. Once you have graduated you will join our esteemed alumni as a forward thinking leader of industry.
Why study the Bachelor of Design in Architecture at the University of Sydney?
This degree is offered by the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning. As a student with the Faculty, you will have access to:
- Experienced teaching staff drawn from leading academic institutions and architectural practices
- Strong links with industry
- Guest lectures delivered by leading national and international architects and academics
- An engaged student body from a global community of enthusiastic and committed learners
- The most extensive architectural facilities at an Australian university, including computer laboratories, digital fabrication equipment and art workshops
- A degree that is both industry aware and that nurtures personal architectural creativity
The Faculty has world-class facilities. As a Bachelor of Design in Architecture student you will have full use of:
- The latest digital fabrication equipment, including rapid prototypers, laser cutters, and wood- and metal-working equipment
- 24-hour a day access to advanced, design-focused computer laboratories
- Campus-wide WiFi
- Audio and visual equipment for hire for creative projects
- An array of art workshops including photography, drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture
- Subsidized building materials for models, printing and projects
- The insights of industry leaders we invite to critique your projects in feedback sessions and final reviews
A range of other opportunities including international exchange, student exhibitions, design competitions and industry presentations are also available to you.
Architecture as a Career
Leading architects are now often involved in the design of new materials, structures, exhibitions, graphics, furniture, fashion, lighting, household products, theatre sets and art installations, as well as in the architect’s traditional role as planner of houses, offices, schools, museums, airports, public spaces and city masterplans, etc.
When you work as an architect, some of the jobs you will be involved with are:
- interpreting client needs for new structures or modifying existing structures
- preparing sketches, detailed drawings and plans, models and computer images
- discussing designs with clients, builders and local councils
- preparing specifications and contract documents for approval
- consulting with engineers, quantity surveyors, interior designers and landscape architects
- managing and controlling building work
- conducting post-occupancy evaluations of completed projects.
For more information about how to become an architect, visit the Australian Institute of Architects website
Course Structure
The Bachelor of Design in Architecture is a three-year, full time degree.
Core studios provide you with a solid foundation in architectural concepts and practices, while electives enable you to pursue personal interests related to or outside of architecture. Art workshop electives foster creativity while encouraging conceptual and material experimentation with different media. This combination of core units of study, workshops and electives produces dynamic graduates that contribute much more than just the pragmatic design of buildings.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|
| SEMESTER 1Studio 101 Architecture History/Theory 1 Architecture Communications 1 Elective | SEMESTER 1Studio 201 Architectural Technologies 2 Architectural Communications 2 Elective | SEMESTER 1Studio 301 Architecture History/Theory 3 Architecture Communications 3 Elective |
| SEMESTER 2Studio 102
Architectural Technologies 1 Art Workshop 1 Elective |
SEMESTER 2Studio 202 Architecture History/Theory 2 Art Workshop 2 Elective | SEMESTER 2Studio 302 Architectural Technologies 3 Professional Practice Elective |
To become a registered architect
To practise as an architect in Australia, you must be registered with the Architect’s Accreditation Council of Australia. In order to register you need to have completed five years of study (or equivalent) in the field of architecture, have worked for a minimum of two years in architectural practice, and pass a registration examination.
The University of Sydney offers a Master of Architecture degree. The degree is two years full-time. It is necessary to have first completed the three year Bachelor of Design in Architecture before you can be admitted to the Master of Architecture. On completion of the degree students will have satisfied the tertiary education requirements for registration with the Architect’s Accreditation Council of Australia.
A student who completes the Bachelor of Design in Architecture with at least a Credit average (65 per cent) across all of their units of study is automatically reserved a place in the Master of Architecture. Other entry pathways are open to students who have completed industry experience or a three-year architecture program at another institution.
For more information on the Master of Architecture program, visit the program page or download a brochure.
For more information about how to become an architect, visit the Architect’s Accreditation Council of Australia website.
Honours
Honours is a fourth year of study comprised of advanced research under the supervision of an academic advisor. Honours provides training in research practice and methodology. Honours students pursue in depth a line of academic inquiry of their choosing. The outcome is usually a written thesis that is supplemented by visual material and may include a creative design component.
An honours qualification is highly regarded by employers who respect the additional demands and rigours of an honours year. Universities consider honours qualifications as a foundational step to the attainment of a PhD. Students interested in a career in academia in architecture are encouraged to consider the honours program.
Entry to honours is competitive. Students must attain a minimum 70 per cent weighted average mark (WAM) across their Bachelor of Design in Architecture degree. Honours is comprised of 48 credit points and must be taken across two consecutive semesters.
For more information on Honours level study please contact the Faculty.
Undergraduate Admissions Procedure
Year 12 Applications (UAC Admission)
Year 12 applicants (and those who completed a gap-year in the year preceding the course commencement) must apply through the University Admissions Centre (UAC).
Applicants are eligible for the Flexible Entry scheme if their ATAR is within 5 points of the ATAR cutoff for the commencement year of the degree. See below for details.
As a guide, the cutoffs for previous years’ commencements are provided below:
| 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Design in Architecture | 96.95 | 96.95 | 96.25 |
| Bachelor of Design in Architecture/Bachelor of Engineering | 97.25 | 98.20 | 96.30 |
| Bachelor of Design in Architecture/Bachelor of Laws | 99.70 | Not Offered in 2011 | Not Offered in 2010 |
Non-Year 12 Applicants under the age of 21 (UAC Admission)
If you have completed the HSC or equivalent, and/or tertiary study, apply through the University Admissions Centre (UAC).
Your application will be evaluated by combining your ATAR and any applicable tertiary grades.
Applicants are eligible for the Flexible Entry scheme if their ATAR is within 5 points of the ATAR cutoff for the commencement year of the degree. See below for details.
Mature Age Entry Scheme:
If you are over 21 years of age and have not completed the HSC, its equivalent or more than one year of tertiary study, you can complete an approved preparation course through the University Centre for Continuing Education (CCE). Once you have completed this course, you can apply through UAC for entry into the Bachelor of Design in Architecture (and its combined programs).
You are eligible to apply through the flexible entry scheme. See below for details.
Contact the University Centre for Continuing Education for more information. You can call the Centre on (02) 9351 2907 or visit their website.
International Applicants (Onshore):
If you are an international student completing your HSC or equivalent within Australia or New Zealand, apply through the University Admissions Centre (UAC). You will be considered for a place based on your ATAR score. You are not eligible for the flexible entry scheme.
International Applicants (Offshore):
If you are an international student studying overseas (with the exception of students undertaking the HSC equivalents in New Zealand), you must apply through the University of Sydney’s International Office. You are not eligible for the flexible entry scheme.
International Mature Age Applicants (Onshore and Offshore)
If you are over 21 years of age, are not an Australian or New Zealand citizen and have not completed the HSC, its equivalent or at least one year of tertiary study, you must apply through the University of Sydney’s International Office. You are not eligible for the flexible entry scheme.
Other Applicants
If your high school qualification is not recognized, you can enroll in a foundational course. See the University’s Centre for Continuing Education for more information on which foundational courses provide entry pathways into the Bachelor of Design in Architecture. You are not eligible for the flexible entry scheme.
Flexible Entry
The flexible entry scheme is available to Bachelor of Design in Architecture applicants who fall under one of the following categories:
- Year 12 applicants
- Non-Year 12 applicants under the age of 21
- Mature age applicants who are Australian citizens.
Note: The flexible entry scheme is not available to Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Laws applicants.
Flexible entry is designed to assist the University of Sydney to identify students who may not have achieved the required ATAR, but nonetheless demonstrate an aptitude for studies in Architecture.
More details on flexible entry are available on the flexible entry webpage.
Scholarships
Information on scholarships can be found here under current students.
FAQs
- What will the ATAR be this year?
- What exemptions can I get for previous study?
- How long is the architecture course at Sydney University?
- What is the advantage of having two degrees?
- Can I just do the first degree?
- Do I need both degrees to be an architect?
- I’m not going to get the marks to get into architecture but I really want to be an architect. What should I do?
- What subjects should I choose in Year 11?
- Where is the Faculty Located?
- What textbooks do I need?
- What equipment do I need?
- What sort of areas can I work in as an architect?
- Do I have to be good at maths?
- Do I have to be able to draw - I have not done art or any technical drawing before?
- Will I be able to continue doing art?
- Where can I park?
- Where can I eat?
- Are there any scholarships in the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning?
What will the ATAR be this year?
The Faculty cannot predict its ATARs and so it is impossible to answer this question until enrolments for 2012 have been finalised. However, last year’s ATAR score gives a good indication of what this year’s will be. In 2011, the ATAR was 96.95.
What exemptions can I get for previous study?
Exemptions are available to students who have completed related programs at University or TAFE. Common exemptions for previous study are identified in the following tables but additional exemptions from other institutions may be available.
Architecture programs
- University of Canberra: Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
- University of Newcastle: Bachelor of Design (Architecture)
- University of New South Wales: Bachelor of Architectural Studies
- University of Technology, Sydney: Bachelor of Design in Architecture
| Level of completion | Exemptions offered |
|---|---|
| First semester | 1st semester (24 credit points) |
| First 2 semesters | 1st year (48 credit points) |
| First 3 semesters | 1st year and 1st semester, 2nd year (72 credit points) |
| First 4 semesters | 1st year and 2nd year (96 credit points) |
Other related programs
- University of New South Wales: Bachelor of Interior Architecture
| Level of completion | Exemptions offered |
|---|---|
| First 2 semesters | 1st semester (24 credit points) |
| First 4 semesters | 1st year (48 credit points) |
| First 6 semesters | 1st year, 4 electives (72 credit points) |
| Completed (8 semesters) | 1st year and 2nd year (96 credit points) contingent on portfolio review |
- University of New South Wales: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture
| Level of completion | Exemptions offered |
|---|---|
| First 2 semesters | BDES1012 (Architectural Communications 1), BDES1024 (Art Workshop 1), 2 electives (24 credit points in total) |
| First 4 semesters | BDES1012, BDES1024, up to 6 electives (48 credit points in total) |
- University of New South Wales: Bachelor of Architectural Computing
| Level of completion | Exemptions offered |
|---|---|
| First 2 semesters | BDES1010 (Studio 101), BDES1011 (Architectural History Theory 1), BDES1012 (Architectural Communications 1), 1 elective (24 credit points in total) |
| First 4 semesters | 1st year (48 credit points) |
| Completed (6 semesters) | 1st year and 2nd year (96 credit points) contingent on portfolio review |
- University of New South Wales: Bachelor of Industrial Design
| Level of completion | Exemptions offered |
|---|---|
| First 2 semesters | BDES1010 ( Studio 101) BDES1012 (Architectural Communications 1), BDES1024 (Art Workshop 1), 1 elective (24 credit points in total) |
| First 4 semesters | BDES1010, BDES1012, BDES1024, BDES2012 (Architectural Communications 2) up to 4 electives (48 credit points in total) |
- UTS: Bachelor of Design in Interior and Spatial Design
| Level of completion | Exemptions offered |
|---|---|
| First 2 semesters | 1st semester (24 credit points) |
| First 4 semesters | 1st year (48 credit points) |
- UTS: Bachelor of Industrial Design
| Level of completion | Exemptions offered |
|---|---|
| First 2 semesters | BDES1010 ( Studio 101) BDES1012 (Architectural Communications 1), BDES1024 (Art Workshop 1) 1 elective (24 credit points in total) |
| First 4 semesters | BDES1010, BDES1012, BDES1024, BDES2012, up to 4 electives (48 credit points in total) |
| First 6 semesters | BDES1010, BDES1012, BDES1024, BDES2012, up to 6 electives (60 credit points in total) |
- NSW TAFE Architectural Technology
| Level of completion | Exemptions offered |
|---|---|
| Diploma (2 years) | BDES1012 (Architectural Communications 1), BDES1023 ( Architectural Technologies 1) 2 electives (24 credit points in total) |
| Advanced Diploma (3 years) | BDES1012, BDES1023, 3 electives (30 credit points in total) |
- NSW TAFE Industrial Design
| Level of completion | Exemptions offered |
|---|---|
| Diploma (2 years) | BDES1012 (Architectural Communications 1), 3 electives (24 credit points in total) |
| Advanced Diploma (3 years) | BDES1012, 4 electives (30 credit points in total) |
How long is the architecture course at Sydney University?
The course is 5 years. It is divided into two degrees: the 3 year Bachelor of Design in Architecture and you may then apply for the 2 year Master of Architecture.
What is the advantage of having two degrees?
Two degrees gives you increased flexibility. Not all students find that architecture is their vocation, so the BDesArch allows for changes in career direction.
Students may decide to enter one of the Faculty's graduate programs such as Urban Design, Urban and Regional Planning, Heritage Conservation, Facilities Management, Illumination Design or Digital Media. Alternatively, students might pursue something from another faculty.
Can I just do the first degree?
Yes, many students complete the first degree and go on to do further study in related areas. The first degree is focused on the built environment and design.
Do I need both degrees to be an architect?
Yes. The 5 year program is fully accredited and recognised by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. To be registered as an architect requires completion of a recognised program – which means both degrees!
I’m not going to get the marks to get into architecture but I really want to be an architect. What should I do?
If your marks were not high enough to get in this time, you may consider enrolling in another degree. After one full year of study, you are eligible to apply through UAC for a place in architecture as a non-year 12 applicant. You will need to perform very well to give yourself a chance of an offer.
It is best to select a degree in which you think you will perform well and perhaps to take subjects that might help prepare you for either architecture, or design computing.
What subjects should I choose in Year 11?
There are no prerequisites but there are two subjects which are 'assumed knowledge'. These are Maths and Advanced English. Interpretive subjects such as History, Visual Arts and Geography are also recommended.
Where is the Faculty Located?
The Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning is in the Wilkinson Building at 148 City Road, Darlington as are the Tin Sheds Gallery and Art Workshops. For more information, please see our How to find us page.
What textbooks do I need?
Most students do not buy textbooks as they have access to one of the best Architecture libraries in Australia, the Sci-Tech Library which is located close to the faculty. Some course notes are purchased throughout the program.
What equipment do I need?
On orientation day, you will be issued with a list of recommended equipment, along with prices and addresses of where to buy at a 10% student discount.
What sort of areas can I work in as an architect?
Architectural employment, like most other professions, is affected by the economic climate. At present the job market for architects in Sydney and surrounding areas is very good. Architecture graduates specialise in heritage and conservation, public buildings (sports buildings, museum buildings, health buildings), housing, computers, interiors, restaurant design, project management, design management, information technology, planning and urban design, among others.
Do I have to be good at maths?
Mathematics is assumed knowledge, but it is not a prerequisite. This means you can get into our program without studying 2 unit maths. A maths elective is available in 1st year for students wishing to catch up.
Do I have to be able to draw - I have not done art or any technical drawing before?
You don’t need to have been taught drawing at school – we will equip you with the skills you need. Drawing is one of the design communication skills that is taught in first and second year.
Will I be able to continue doing art?
One of the great things about our Faculty is that we have the Art Workshops and Tin Sheds Gallery. They offer many subjects which can be taken as electives or as a specialised stream in your degree: painting, screen painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, graphic design, web design etc.
Where can I park?
Most students come by bus or train. Many senior students and most international students live in the area. City Road has on-street parking which is subject to clear zones at peak hours and is heavily monitored. The Seymour Centre carpark on Shepherd Street offers parking for a reasonable daily rate and is only a few minutes walk from the Faculty.
Where can I eat?
We have a cafe in our building for coffee and food, otherwise you can eat at Wentworth Building on City Road about 100m from the faculty. There are lots of great cafes on campus as well as in Glebe and Newtown which are both in walking distance.
Are there any scholarships in the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning?
Yes! Faculty scholarships are available. For more information, please see our scholarships page.