BACHELOR DEGREES
Bachelor of Architectural Design
Melbourne City
RMIT Architecture has an international reputation for design excellence and leads the way both in Australia and overseas by producing graduates that are design innovators.
Your first step in becoming an architect
This program is the first step to becoming an architect and will help you develop an understanding of architecture providing you with a diverse set of skills and learning experiences.
You will focus on learning the core skills required of an architect and architectural designer and intensively develop a broad grounding in design and communication skills.
You'll learn from internationally recognised and award-winning architects. alongside visiting national and international experts, consultants and specialists.
Design is at the core of your studies
Ideas-led venturous design exploration is at the core of your studies. You'll combine experimental and speculative design with real-life industry linked projects that will help you develop an innovative approach to architecture.
From first term, first semester you will be hands-on in design studios developing your drawing, 2D and 3D design skills. You'll learn in an environment that models the best practice of an innovative architectural design firm.
RMIT Architecture achieves at the highest levels
RMIT Architecture and its graduates continue to achieve at the highest levels and are acknowledged by the national and international architectural profession.
At the annual 2017 Victorian Architecture Awards run by the Australian Institute of Architects, RMIT’s architecture community featured prominently across the 58 awards and 16 categories, receiving a number of key and prestigious awards.
Key achievements
- The Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) by the STHDI and MCR consortium (Silver Thomas Hanley, DesignInc and McBride Charles Ryan) won this year’s highest honour: the coveted AIA Victorian Architectural Medal and the William Wardell Award for Public Architecture
- Architecture Adjunct Professor Robert McBride is the Director of MCR and the fourth RMIT Adjunct Professor in a row to lead prestigious Victorian Medal-winning projects
- M@ STUDIO Architects, a research-led practice lead by RMIT Professor Vivian Mitsogianni and Dean Boothroyd with staff, alumni and current students was awarded the 2017 AIA Melbourne Prize for their NGV 2016 Architecture Commission win.
Graduate Ton Vu was one of 10 students worldwide shortlisted for The Architectural Review’s “Global Architecture Graduate Awards“, and the only candidate to make the list from an Australian or New Zealand university.
International student visa holders can only study full-time.
It’s all centred around learning through design studios
RMIT Architecture’s highly celebrated design studios are situated within an urban campus, which means you will be immersed a laboratory of design exploration and at the centre of innovation.
From first term, first semester you will be hands-on in design studios developing skills in drawing, 2D and 3D design and learning in an environment that models the best practice of a local or international design firm.
Studios are located across the city campus and within the multi award-winning RMIT Design Hub designed by RMIT architecture alumni Sean Godsell. Design studios are one of the major reasons that makes RMIT Architecture and its graduates so highly regarded by industry.
What is a Design Studio?
Design studios provide a unique way of exploring ideas by challenging future designers. Studios are run by academics and practicing design leaders from local and international architectural and design firms.
Design studios model the best practice of local and global design firms. The studios allow you to explore design, connect with your peers, industry and integrate with other disciplines.
Design studios typically makes up half the program each semester and are taught in small groups. You will focus on a particular theme and project each semester. After the first semester, you’ll be able to select which design studio you wish to follow from approximately 20 on offer, completing one per semester during the course of your studies.
Courses that support your studio learning
Supporting courses such as technology, communication and history comprise the remainder of your program and give you an understanding of the social and physical contexts of the built environment, as well as teaching you drawing skills.
In your first semester, you will complete a structured foundational design and communications course.
Subsequent semesters include four ’lower pool’ design studios. In the final semester of study, you will move into ’upper pool’ and complete an upper pool design studio working with Master of Architecture students.
Study in the Master degree consists of three additional upper pool design studios, general elective courses and supporting courses such as professional practice.
Lower and upper pool studios are vertically integrated, that means you'll be grouped with students from various year levels.
All programs are delivered in English. You will have access to online and digital resources through the myRMIT student portal.
Learn from internationally recognised and award-winning architects.
RMIT Architecture is well known for its strong, long-standing links with industry. Design studios are delivered by academic staff as well as sessional staff from innovative practices, or visiting international practitioners and academics.
In the design studio context you will also have the opportunity to work on real world projects with local and international community and industry partners. Many public lectures are also held throughout the year, led by prominent local and international architects and urban designers.
Recent studio partners include
- RMIT Associate Lecturer Amy Muir
MUIR Architecture - RMIT Associate Professor Paul Minifie and Dr Jan van Schaik (lecturer)
MvS Architects - RMIT Professor of Architecture Carey Lyon
Lyons Architecture - RMIT Adjunct Professors Howard Raggatt and Ian McDougall
ARM Architecture
RMIT University is committed to providing you with an education that strongly links formal learning with professional or vocational practice.
The undergraduate program is a stand-alone award that provides employment options for those who seek to work in architectural practices or design more generally, in roles that do not require professional registration. Students must complete the Master of Architecture to be eligible to apply for accreditation as an architect.
Careers
- architect
- urban designer
Professional recognition and accreditation
Graduates may be employed in an architectural practice or a related design field, but need to complete the Master of Architecture in order to be eligible to apply to be professionally recognised as an architect. In Australia, completion of the Master degree will allow you, following two years’ professional experience, to sit the Architects Registration Board examination and register as an architect.
This program has a huge range of international exchange agreements with universities in the USA, Europe and Asia. You’ll also have the opportunity to choose design studios that require overseas travel to work with students from international universities.
Other recent design studios have included collaborations with students in Berlin, Germany and architecture practices in Shanghai, China.
RMIT’s Global Mobility supports students to undertake an exchange or short-term mobility activity with over 165 partner universities worldwide.
For further information about this program, please make an enquiry.
330 Swanston Street (cnr La Trobe Street)
Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel. +61 3 9925 2260
Make an enquiry
Program and course information
Key content
Design-focused architectural study that produces global innovators.
Explore the future of architecture through project-based design studios, investigating ideas about society and how we interact with the physical environment.