Architecture

Entry requirements

Master’s Degree: Master’s degree or equivalent in an appropriate discipline

Undergraduate Degree: 2:1 (Hons) degree (UK or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

Additional Requirements

As part of your application you will also need to provide

• A PhD Proposal form, which you can find on the Departmental website. You will need to upload your completed proposal form to your online application.
• Practice based Research applicants are also required to submit a portfolio

Months of entry

October

Course content

The PhD in the Architecture programme at Lancaster University offers a unique opportunity to draw from a range of topics within Architecture and the wider build environment. We particularly welcome proposals for interdisciplinary PhD subjects aimed at combating current and future challenges. Our research at the School of Architecture is underpinned by three areas of concern:

• Future Practice
• Digital Crafts
• The Climate Crisis

Expert supervision

As a PhD student, you will normally be supervised by two experienced staff members, one of whom will be in the School of Architecture and will be an expert in your academic field. Frequently, a second supervisor will be selected from a different discipline, depending upon your chosen subject focus.

Your supervisory team is selected to give the best possible academic support for your topic and hence each supervisory team is as individual as you are. During the period of your doctoral studies, your supervisory team will be there to provide structured guidance, advice, support and encouragement through regular supervisory meetings.

Fascinating research topics

Previously the team in the Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts, where Architecture is based, have supervised PhD projects on:

• the growth of spontaneous, informal settlements
• using tracking sensors to measure interaction dynamics in the workplace
• people’s cognition and experience of urban environments
• using eye-tracking to understand the effect of visual stimuli on how we move through cities
• the effect of the spatial layout of museums and galleries on memory and attention
• the use of a smart phone, game environment, to investigate the effect of landmarks in city design

Join a vibrant community

As a PhD student based in the Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA) and part of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), you will be part of a multidisciplinary community of research students, able to participate in seminars, reading groups, conferences, and research training courses. We also offer opportunities to study for a certificate in higher education teaching.

Our School of Architecture has close links with ImaginationLancaster, an open and exploratory research lab that conducts applied and theoretical research into products, places and systems – using innovative strategies including disruptive design techniques that combine traditional and social science methods with practice-based methods arising from the arts.

Information for international students

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk