Light and Lighting

The normal minimum qualifications are a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

A second acceptable qualification is a degree of lower than second-class Bachelor's standard, or an equivalent overseas qualification, in a subject appropriate to the programme, plus extensive background and experience in the field. The latter implies considerable experience as a professional at a senior level.

For applicants without a first degree or full professional membership, but with relevant and substantial work experience in the field, a special qualifying examination may be set. Details of this route can be obtained from the UCL Bartlett's Graduate Faculty Office.

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Standard.

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

UCL offers one of the world's most comprehensive MSc programmes in Light and Lighting. The bespoke content provides a holistic approach to lighting and is widely accepted across industry. By joining Europe's long-standing specialist graduate lighting programme you will learn how to design lighting as an integrated component of architecture, considering the human response and exciting advances in science and technology.

You will benefit from both practical and theoretical learning. This MSc has at it's disposal the Lighting Simulator, an advanced sunlight and daylight modelling facility employing both computer simulation and a sophisticated variable luminance artificial sky.

Alumni who have studied this course have been able to demonstrate their ability out in industry. Many of our graduates have been successful in gaining awards and prizes from around the world including Lighting Designer of the Year, and the Society of Light and Lighting's Young Lighters of the Year award.

We are part of The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources – home to specialist institutes in energy, environment, resources and heritage. The Bartlett is the UK's largest multidisciplinary Faculty of the Built Environment, bringing together scientific and professional specialisms required to research, understand, design, construct and operate the buildings and urban environments of the future.

The QS World University Rankings (2020) places The Bartlett, as the #1 for Architecture/Built Environment studies in the UK and #3 in the World. The Bartlett’s research received the most world-leading ratings for research on the Built Environment in the UK in the most recent Research Excellence Framework.

The programme has formal elements of lectures and tutorials that are complemented with project work and site visits to study lighting. There are also other visits to laboratories and other facilities associated with the subject. Assessment is through coursework (essays and design projects), written examination and a 15,000-word dissertation.