Architect Degree Apprenticeship
Our Architect Degree Apprenticeship offers employers the opportunity to attract, retain and develop talented employees as they work towards registering as qualified architects in the UK.
The Architect Degree Apprenticeship combines the best of practice experience and research-led education. It gives apprentices the opportunity to use their academic studies to enrich their real-world experience, enhancing their learning and confidence, and enabling them to make significant contributions to your practice’s research, projects and networks.
Factfile
| Qualification |
MArch Architecture with Collaborative Practice Research (ARB/RIBA Part 2) and Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Practice in Architecture (Part 3) |
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| Duration |
50 months (including end-point assessment)
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| Delivery |
Day release
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| Entry requirements |
Minimum 2:1 degree and a 2:1 standard in final year design studio modules
Part 1 completion in a UK-based recognised School of Architecture
Six months work experience in a relevant role
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| Eligibility requirements |
All apprentices must:
- Hold a level 2 (equivalent to grades 4-9 at GCSE) or above in English Language and Maths, or equivalent
- Be working in a job role that provides opportunities to apply and develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours outlined in the Level 7 Architect Degree Apprenticeship standard
- Work a minimum of 50% of their time in England
- Have access to the agreed off-the-job training hours, during contracted working hours
- Be a UK/EU/EEA national or have lived and have had a right to work in the UK for 3 years or more
Apprentices who do not provide a suitable Level 2 English certificate, and do not hold an appropriate English language equivalent qualification from this list, will also need to provide an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) result that is dated within the last two years. The minimum requirement for this programme is an overall score of 6.0, with no less than a 5.5 in each of the individual elements. The university’s policy around this can be found here.
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| Start date |
September 2025
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| Application deadline |
Applications for 2025/26 will open in January 2025, however we encourage you to begin conversations now with our Employer Engagement Team as this is a popular programme and spaces fill up fast. Due to this, we will be reviewing applications during specific weeks:
- Week commencing 20 Januay 2025
- Week commencing 10 March 2025
- Week commencing 31 March 2025
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| Programme fees |
£21,000
Programme fees are paid by the employer either via the apprenticeship levy or they may be eligible for up to 95% co-investment from the government, there is no cost to the apprentice. Read our funding information to find out more.
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| Campus |
- University Park, Nottingham
- Wallacespace in Clerkenwell Green, Central London
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| School / department |
Department of Architecture and the Built Environment |
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| Accreditation |
- Architect Registration Board (ARB)
- Validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
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If you would like to find out more about the Architect Degree Apprenticeship, we will be holding an informational webinar where we will discuss the programme details in more depth.
Date: 16 January 2025
Time: 1:30pm-2:30pm
Sign up for the webinar today
Who is the Architect Degree Apprenticeship for?
Our Architect Degree Apprenticeship is designed to offer practices a cost-effective way to retain talented Part 1 Architectural Assistants.
Apprentices must have completed their Part 1 in a UK-based recognised School of Architecture and are typically required to have six months work experience in a relevant role.
Apprentices must be employed in a job role that provides opportunities to learn the skills, knowledge and behaviours outlined in the Level 7 Architect Apprenticeship Standard. They must also work at least 50% of their time in England.
Before apprentices join the programme, we work with them to determine their level of existing skills and knowledge in order to build a learning plan to provide the support they require to meet the apprenticeship standard.
Read more about eligibility for degree apprenticeships.
“It's been a benefit to the practice to have someone who's young, enthusiastic, and has the time to invest in research, which is what you get when you when you employ apprentices.
Our apprentices’ digital capabilities have been fantastic, particularly their work for virtual reality and 3D modelling. They have developed the skills that the practice needs, and the university has furthered their knowledge in areas we need them to be experienced in. Seeing the work they are doing at university keeps things interesting and fresh for the rest of us in practice."
David Hickman, Director, Hickman and Smith Architects
Programme Details
The Architect Degree Apprenticeship is delivered over a four year period with each year further building on the apprentice's knowledge and skills, the programme is delivered via day release with additional self study days to be booked each semester. Over the course of the programme, apprentices will be awarded MArch Architecture with Collaborative Practice Research (ARB/RIBA Part 2) and then the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Practice in Architecture (Part 3). They will then progress onto a gateway review and end-point assessment to complete their Architect Degree Apprenticeship.
Successful apprentices will also be eligible to apply to become a registered architect with the ARB in professional practice.
Modules
The first year of the programme includes a foundation of specialist practice research modules, which give apprentices the opportunity to carry out research and development work in the practice as part of their studies. It offers guidance from research staff to help develop real life research skills, which RIBA has recognised is increasingly important for the profession. This is accompanied by core environmental and technology knowledge and skills that can, in later years, be explored and expanded in studio.
Architectural research study (30 credits)
The research study is at the heart of the programme and offers a unique opportunity for apprentices to lead on live practice research, and the space for practice to explore research topics that may be inaccessible in a commercial operating environment.
The apprentice and practice define the topic of the study, to be agreed with the university, to ensure it is deliverable within the given expertise and timeframe. The university teaching and research team will provide a firm grounding in a range of architectural research methods, before guiding apprentices through the preparation of their research study.
Our aim is to form wider peer review dialogue with likeminded and interested practice partners, and that the outputs from the reports will be publishable to a wider audience.
Building case study (10 credits)
This module enables apprentices to develop their understanding of the nature and context of architectural practice, focusing on how environmental principles, strategies and technologies inform the design and development of buildings. During their time in practice, apprentices will be more aware of the range of skills and knowledge that inform the design and construction of buildings, and of the different professions that contribute to this process.
Apprentices must apply this knowledge in the critical appraisal of a building case study of their choice.
Live design studio (30 credits)
The module brief is flexibly set to allow apprentices the opportunity to develop a relevant research outcome into a comprehensive project, provided it meets given criteria for complexity and scale of project. This option enables apprentices to explore outcomes of a practice research study with a live client. If a research-led design is not feasible for apprentices, then an alternative comprehensive design studio is offered.
Apprentices will identify a site, brief and typology emerging from their research study, with the aim of continuing live practice investigative work, drawing learning from continued practice and client engagement as the design develops.
Applied architectural technology (10 credits)
This lecture-based module aims to develop the practical knowledge and understanding of the environmental, construction, structural and technological dimensions of architectural design. It is designed to support practical applications in the studio, reinforcing skills in the integrative nature of architectural design. Formal teaching will be complemented by regular workshop sessions on specialist areas of expertise, such as façade engineering, parametric design and fabric architecture.
The second year of the programme explores aspects of urbanism and place-making in studio, accompanied by the introduction of exploration of architectural theory and an investigation of practice and project operations in professional studies. This enables apprentices to identify a theme for the major year three written thesis and following design project.
Culture and context in practice (10 credits)
This module aims to support the development of architectural thinking to an advanced level through a critical examination of architectural culture. The programme focuses on phenomenology and offers the opportunity to generate a piece of theoretical work.
Architectural urbanism in practice (30 credits)
A design studio module that aims to develop academic research and architectural design skills to an advanced level. The studio is project-based, and its activities follow a design process that serves as a precursor to the individual Practice Research by Design module. Apprentices apply analytical investigations and research explorations into a particular theme to inform the development of architectural proposals.
Apprentices participate in one of the studio units on offer, which will set a design project brief around a distinct theme, building type or specialism.
Practice research by design (30 credits)
This design studio develops the apprentice’s core research-led design skills, critical thinking and application skills prescribed by the ARB/RIBA for Part 2 students.
Each apprentice can identify a research theme with their practice to test and explore their research conclusions through an architectural solution in a chosen host city. The aim is to continue live practice investigative work, drawing learning from continued practice and client engagement as the design develops.
Professional studies in practice (10 credits)
The module offers an overview of architectural practice, with particular emphasis on legal frameworks, forms of contract, and the structure of an architect’s services (RIBA Work Stages). It will focus on more complex client relationships, project partnering and joint-venture working.
Lectures and workshops will cover:
- construction law
- building regulations
- planning law
- professionalism
- business management
- project financing
- risk management
- the building team
The scope also includes the financial implications of construction costs as related to decisions about procurement routes, contract and design decisions, Construction (Design and Management) Regulations and the implications of the Equalities Act.
Live thesis research (30 credits)
This studio module develops architectural skills to an advanced level. Apprentices are encouraged to work alongside their employer to arrive at a joint research theme where commercial interests or specialisms can be explored in an academic setting.
Within the year, there is the opportunity to select from a range of different design research themes that each have a distinct focus and research problem. Apprentices are expected to follow a self-directed plan of independent study, working to a fixed brief and initial testing of ideas that will lead into the subsequent thesis portfolio module.
Live thesis portfolio (30 credits)
The portfolio component is a continuation of the research and brief development activities from previous modules. Here, the teaching focus shifts towards the production of a portfolio as a comprehensive representation of the apprentice’s full thesis project, which will be presented for examination during the second semester’s exam period.
This module also includes an essay assignment that enables apprentices to explore professionalism in the context of issues affecting the industry, the role of the architect and the practice.
Reflective practice portfolio (20 credits)
This module focuses on reflective evaluation of the first three years in practice, including the development of both professional and design skills, and the impact of the research study on their employer.
This work is complemented by two, short focus studies that offer deeper investigation of specific aspects of practice including marketing, impact of research and development, and elements of practice operation and business strategy.
The final year of the programme encompasses the Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Professional Practice (Part 3) studies and readies apprentices for the end-point assessment.
The PGDip in Professional Practice aims to prepare students for entry to the UK Architects Registration Board (ARB) by providing them with the requisite knowledge, skills, understanding and behaviours required to demonstrate their competency within a professional context, using the five professional criteria, as set out by ARB as a framework.
Apprentices who pass this final examination are eligible to apply to enter the register as an architect via the ARB.
Once the apprentice has completed all their on-programme learning, a meeting will take place between their employer and the university. During this meeting, the apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours will be assessed to determine whether they have met the minimum requirements set out in the Architect Degree Apprenticeship standard. Apprentices deemed to have met these requirements will progress onto the end-point assessment (EPA).
End-point assessment (EPA)
The final part of the apprenticeship is the end-point assessment. The end-point assessment requires apprentices to demonstrate that their learning can be applied in the real world. Apprentices will undertake a career appraisal followed by a professional interview and produce a case study report supported by the design challenge.
Why choose the Architect Degree Apprenticeship at the University of Nottingham?
Our Architect Degree Apprenticeship programme has been amongst the top three providers for the last three years for this standard* and is delivered in both Nottingham and Central London.
*As per ILR data published by the ESFA 2022-4 YTD
University Park is our biggest UK campus and is full of history and heritage as well as being the home of several award-winning buildings. With excellent transport links and state of the art facilities, it’s the home of our architecture teaching within Nottingham.
Apprentices based in the south of England can also benefit from undertaking their degree apprenticeship at our Central London satellite site: Wallacespace; an inspirational space with convenient transport links.
Moreover, our Architect Degree Apprenticeship is validated by RIBA and is taught by a top 10 university for architecture*, demonstrating our wealth of teaching expertise and knowledge. We are also rated 'excellent' by employers on the gov.uk website (as of December 2024) showing how employers value the benefits of our programme.
*The Times University Guide 2024, The Guardian University Guide 2024 and The Complete University Guide 2024.
Working together, we equip your apprentices with the core knowledge, skills and behaviours your industry needs to compete and succeed at the highest level.
Apprenticeship features
Initial needs assessment
As part of the application and enrolment process, we carry out an individual needs assessment. This will enable us to determine their existing levels of skill and knowledge and build a personal plan which will set out all the learning, tutorial support, and resources provided by the University.
Tripartite reviews
As part of our continued support for each apprentice and the degree apprenticeship, we offer tripartite reviews between the employer, apprentice and the university to formally assess progress in the academic programme and work-based learning.
Assessment
Apprentices are assessed through a mixture of exams, coursework and a portfolio of work. The degree apprenticeship also includes an end-point assessment, which comprises of a career appraisal followed by a professional interview and a case study report supported by a design challenge.
Support team
Each of our Degree Apprenticeship programmes are designed to include full support for the apprentice and their employer. We provide:
- an Account Manager to support and guide employers throughout the programme
- a Degree Apprenticeship Officer to support each apprentice throughout the programme