Architectural Research MRes

Course structure

The programme comprises a taught element (60 credits) and a substantial research project (120 credits).  

Learning and teaching methods on taught modules, which vary depending which options are taken, typically include combinations of studio days, lectures, seminars, peer reviews, workshops, group tutorials, one-to-one conversations, and project reviews.   

The research component will be supported and mentored through by an academic supervisor who will advise on the development of your project and oversee its relation the university’s regulations and requirements.

How our courses are delivered

We've made some changes to the way our courses are taught to keep everyone safe, connected and involved in university life.

At the moment, students have a blend of on-campus and digitally enabled remote learning that provides lots of opportunities to interact and engage with lecturers and other students.

Areas of study

The core MRes research project is at the heart of your course. You'll work on your project under the supervision of  an academic member of staff who specialises in your area of interest.

The Research Practices module enables you to explore and develop designerly approaches to research.  

Option modules help you to specialise in an area of particular interest, and to develop research approaches, methods and themes in more detail to support the specific focus of your research project.

Core modules

• Architectural Research Project (120 credits)
• Research Practices (20 credits)

Options

Choose two from: 

• Sustainable Design: Present(s)
• Sustainable Design: Future(s)
• Critical Readings
• Architectural Humanities

Staff profile

Dr Ben Sweeting, course leader

Ben’s research explores intersections between architecture, ethics, and design methods in the context of systemically complex contemporary challenges. Drawing on transdisciplinary frameworks such as cybernetics and systemic design, his work has involved theoretical, historical, and practice-based approaches and their combination.

Ben is an active member of the Systemic Design Association, the International Society for the Systems Sciences, the Cybernetics Society, and the American Society for Cybernetics, and is a founder member of Brighton’s Radical Methodologies Research and Enterprise Group.

Facilities 

Facilities and workshops are supported by full-time specialist technicians and include:

• shared studio space dedicated to MRes/MPhil/PhD students
• Fab Lab
• specialist model-making and construction workshops with equipment for fabrication in wood, metal, plastics, resins and textiles
• photographic studios and darkroom
• digital fabrication facilities including laser cutting and 3D printing
• rapid prototyping, 5-axis milling and CNC routing facilities
• PC and Mac computer suites with software including Adobe suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), Vectorworks, Autodesk suite, Rhino, Blender, Maya, Cinema 4D and Premiere
• in-house reprographic department 
• wide range of surveying and audio-visual equipment available for loan.

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visas and immigration advice

Course fees

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies, although we have tried to keep this to a minimum. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included, whilst studying a course in the School of Architecture and Design are listed below:

• In your first year of studies, you will need to buy a drawing and modelling toolkit. Each course will suggest a list of items of which some will be essential, and others optional. You should budget around £100–£250 for these.
• For most courses you will need to budget between £100 to £300 per year for printing and portfolio costs. Costs will vary depending on type of printer and type and size of paper used. Some students tend to work digitally, spending more on printing and some by hand, spending more on materials so these costs vary widely between students.
• Most essay and report submissions can be made online however, you should budget around £25 for printing and binding dissertations in your final year.
• For most courses you will need to budget between £10 and £100 for material costs per design project. Costs will vary depending on how and what you use to make models. You are encouraged to recycle used materials where possible.
• Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget from £15 to £100 per year to buy your own copies and subscribe to design magazines.
• You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses. Find out what free software is available from the university.
• You will need to budget between £5–£50 to exhibit work for the end-of-year show. Fundraising by the student society, BIAAS, normally helps towards this cost.
• Most courses include mandatory site visits and travel expenses are included in the fees.
• There will be opportunities to attend additional study trips throughout the course but these are not required to pass your course. The cost of travel to them will be covered by the course but there may be additional costs varying from a packed lunch to entrance to a museum.
• International field trips are offered in each year which are optional and are not required to pass your course. You should expect to budget approximately £150–£350 for these, to cover flight, accommodation, food and entrance to museums. The total amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2021–22.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Local area

Maps