Following the successful completion of the Architecture BA(Hons) RIBA Part 1, students normally go on to experience their first formal employment in an architectural practice or professional discipline within the design or construction industries.
The post-Part 1 course supports diverse approaches to practice. It is designed to help you formally record your experiences so you can successfully complete the RIBA Professional Experience Development Records (PEDRs) and prepare for the Architecture RIBA Part 2 MArch.
As part of the course, the university will sign off your PEDRs and give you advice and support when you're in practice.
Find out about postgraduate events
Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb
Entry requirements
Students from other institutions with Part 1 exemption are welcome to join the course.
Contact the school office for details of fees and application process. Email us at ATE-office@brighton.ac.uk.
Course structure
The course comprises two seminar sessions at the university. The first session is held in the autumn and discusses professional experience best practice and how to effectively record what you do.
The second session, held in the summer, reviews the different types of experiences that students have experienced in practice and provides a platform for you to discuss different roles and forms of professional experience.
Meet the team
Dr Nicholas Ardill, course leader
Dr Nicholas Ardill is an architect, lecturer and postdoctoral researcher in the School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering at the University of Brighton, UK.
First entering practice in 1998, he has worked in Winchester and London for leading architectural studios before starting his own practice and qualifying as an Architect in 2014. He received his PhD at the University of Portsmouth, UK and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
His current research focus is on collaborative learning processes, dialogic feedback, and the co-construction of knowledge in higher education. Previous research examined socio-spatial processes and dynamics around social innovation and urban change.
Nicholas has authored papers in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences and his book Growing Food in Cities: Social Innovation Strategies for Sustainable Development was published by Springer in 2022.
The Architecture Professional Practice Pre-Diploma helps you to prepare for the Architecture RIBA Part 2 MArch, a highly creative, research-led and professional two-year masters rooted in studio laboratories and driven by individual enquiry.
Course fees
The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.
You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.
UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).
If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.
Find out more
What's included
Here you’ll find details of specific resources and services that are included in the tuition fee for our School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering students. To help you to budget for your studies, there is also information on any additional costs that you may have to pay or can choose to pay in addition to your tuition fee.
Find out how tuition fees enable us to support all of our students with important services, facilities and resources across the university - https://www.brighton.ac.uk/whats-included-in-your-fee - and check out our finance pages for info about fees, funding and scholarships along with advice on international and island fee-paying status - https://www.brighton.ac.uk/fees-and-finance.
You can chat with our enquiries team - https://www.brighton.ac.uk/enquiries - if you have a question or need more information.
You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. 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.
Architecture, interior architecture, design and product design additional costs
Campus where this course is taught
Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Moulsecoomb has been transformed by a recent development of our estate. On campus you’ll find new Students’ Union, events venue and sports and fitness facilities, alongside the library and student centre.
Over 900 students live here in our Moulsecoomb Place halls and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.
Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains so you can access all the exciting things happening in our home city.
Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube.
Accommodation
We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students. So if you applied for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.
Halls of residenceWe have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.
You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:
Want to live independently?We can help – find out more about private renting.
Modern accommodation at Moulsecoomb
Relaxing in halls near the campus
Student Union social space at Moulsecoomb
Local area
One of Time Out's 50 best cities in the world
“Brighton has… all the important parts of a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis (connections to London in under an hour, an array of properly excellent restaurants, energetic late-night spots) … with the easy-breezy beachy attitude to life that makes you feel welcome in an instant.” Time Out’s 50 Best Cities in the World, 2025
The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.
Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.
The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy – as much as tourism.
All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.
It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and there are daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.
Maps
Loading maps...
Support and wellbeing
Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.
Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.
As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more about how we support your wellbeing.
Sport at Brighton
Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition.
Find out more about Sport Brighton.
Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.
Find out more about sport scholarships.
Brighton Cricket Academy
Develop your cricketing skills in the UK’s largest indoor cricket facility alongside studying for a degree. Whether you can already play or you’re new to the game offers the opportunity to train with top coaches in our world-class training environment.
Find out about the Brighton Cricket Academy.
Take a tour of sport facilities on our Falmer campus
Got a question?Call our enquiries team on 01273 644644 or message us online.
Read more