Bachelor of Architectural Design

Architectural design is the first stage of our five-year bachelor/master professional qualification in architecture. Successful completion of the bachelor degree guarantees access into the Master of Architecture course at Monash.

Over half of your study is undertaken through architecture design studios where you will investigate ideas and experiment with design processes, mentored by academics and architects from around the world. You will work with various media to test design ideas and critically observe their implications in class and in the community.

Very high achieving domestic students can apply to be admitted to the scholars program. Architectural design scholars complete the same academic program as other students in the Bachelor of Architectural Design, but also have access to a range of development opportunities that provide an edge in industry. Scholars will be personally mentored by a leading architect and provided with the opportunity to participate in a leadership workshop series. Architectural design scholars (who must be Australian or New Zealand citizens or holders of an Australian permanent resident or permanent humanitarian visa) will also receive an annual scholarship while they remain in the scholars program.

Upon successful completion of both the Bachelor of Architectural Design and the Master of Architecture, you will meet the academic requirements for registration as an architect in Australia. In order to register as an architect in Australia you must also complete two years of professional practice and pass the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) Practice Examination.

Architecture offers substantial career opportunities in Australia and internationally. Our graduates contribute to a wide range of buildings or large-scale urban projects working in private practices and for government, with opportunities as designers, policy advisors, project managers or in community development.

Double degrees

The Bachelor of Architectural Design course can be taken in combination with the following course:

• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (with the civil engineering specialisation)

This will lead to the award of two degrees, the Bachelor of Architectural Design and the Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours). The requirements for the award of the each of the specialist degrees will be fulfilled in part by cross crediting of units required in the separate courses. Students should refer to the course entry for the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and the course mapcourse map (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2016handbooks/maps/) for the double degree for the requirements of the civil engineering specialisation.

Specialisations

This is a single specialisation course in architectural design.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 7, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 7, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Upon successful completion of the course it is expected that you will be able to:

1. engage imagination, creativity, analysis and critical judgement in resolving design issues
2. independently develop design strategies and concepts, refined through an iterative process of reflection
3. communicate design ideas verbally and visually through multiple media
4. demonstrate critical awareness of building materials, construction processes and structural service systems and their integration into professional architecture practice
5. engage reflectively with other professionals involved in the design, development and construction of the built environment within an ethical and environmentally-aware framework
6. critically assess international architectural discourses and speculative design theories and engage with design research
7. integrate global and local practices and understanding in the process of design.

The course develops through theme studies in architectural design, technologies and environments, history and theory, and communication. These will come together in the form of a graduand exhibition normally developed during the final studio unit in the third year of the course.

Part A. Architecture design studios

Architecture design studio units bring together a range of complex issues inherent in the production of architecture: material, structure, program, site, history and representation. They focus on the architectural project as a process of investigation, critical observation and experimentation. Design studios foreground the development of architectural designs through material and three-dimensional testing of ideas. They combine various design, technical, conceptual, historical and professional issues into creative architectural outcomes across a range of scales and types of projects.

Part B. Technologies and environments studies

Technologies and environments units cover material, structural, construction and environmental conditions. Studies begin with the exploration of materials through physical models and drawings. They move on to the introduction of structural systems and then to environmental systems including human comfort and energy usage. Studies culminate with a comprehensive integration of building systems and the introduction of relevant professional practices. Across the units, issues are explored through design projects including the use of physical and digital models for performance analysis.

Part C. History and theory studies

History and theory units provide the skills to research and analyse architecture issues, and develop awareness and critical understanding of architectural and urban developments across local, national and international contexts. Through the prism of history, you will begin to situate the built environment in relation to broad social, cultural, environmental and theoretical developments. These units introduce the languages of architecture - formal, visual, written, and verbal - and enable you to become more articulate in all of these modes.

Part D. Communication studies

In communications units you will learn various representational techniques relevant to the technical, conceptual and intuitive practices of architectural design work. The investigations develop through a series of clearly defined exercises that build upon one another and increase in complexity and scale over time, from drawing to key software applications and design media necessary for professional practice. You will be introduced to tools, techniques and media for developing and expressing architectural ideas.

Part E. Occupational health and safety study

This will introduce you to occupational health, safety and environmental training particularly within the context of studying art, design and architecture.

Part F. Free elective study

Electives will enable you to further develop your knowledge of architectural design, or to select units from across the faculty or the University (in which you are eligible to enrol).

The course comprises 144 points, of which 132 points are focussed on the study of architecture and 12 points are free electives. Units are generally either 6 credit points or 12 credit points.

Elective units may be at any level, however no more than 10 units (60 points) are to be completed at level 1.

The course progression mapcourse progression map (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2016handbooks/maps/map-f2001.pdf) will assist you to plan to meet the course requirements, and guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

Note that students in the scholars program are required to maintain at least a distinction average (70 percent) each semester. If you do not meet this standard you will be required to transfer to the standard Bachelor of Architectural Design program.

Units are six credit points unless otherwise stated.

Part A. Architecture design studios (72 points)

Students complete:

• ARC1001 Foundation studio 1 (12 points)
• ARC1002 Foundation studio 2 (12 points)
• ARC2001 Architecture design studio 3 (12 points)
• ARC2002 Architecture design studio 4 (12 points)
• ARC3001 Architecture design studio 5 (12 points)
• ARC3002 Architecture design studio 6 (12 points)*

Part B. Technologies and environments studies (24 points)

Students complete:

• ARC1102 Technologies and environments 1*
• ARC2101 Technologies and environments 2*
• ARC3101 Technologies and environments 3*
• ARC3102 Integrated technologies environments and professional studies*

Part C. History and theory studies (24 points)

Students complete:

• AHT1101 Introduction to visual culture in art, design and architecture
• ARC2401 Contemporary architecture
• ARC2402 19th and 20th Century architecture
• ARC3401 Architecture and the city

Part D. Communication studies (12 points)

Students complete:

• ARC1301 Architecture communications 1
• ARC2301 Architecture communications 2

*Note: Students in the double degree course with Engineering do not complete these units since civil engineering studies provide the knowledge and skills.

Part E. Occupational health and safety study (0 points)

Students complete:

• OHS1000 Introduction to art and design health and safety

Part F. Free elective study (12 points)

Elective units may be chosen from the faculty or across the University so long as you have the prerequisites and there are no restrictions on admission to the units. For students in a double degree course, these elective units are used in fulfilling requirements of the other course.

Students who successfully complete the Bachelor of Architectural Design will automatically progress to course F6001 Master of Architecture, the second part of the Monash University architecture program. Graduates will be trained to have the vision to design progressive architecture that responds to the needs of contemporary society.