Course profile: MSc in Environmental Design of Buildings, Welsh School of Architecture

Publish date	2007-09-12
Available Articles	Full articles without membership

Who are they?
The Welsh School of Architecture has an outstanding reputation for architectural education and research. It was judged the top UK department of architecture in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, and consistently appears at the top of published rankings for teaching. Classes are small. The WSA currently has 350 undergraduates, nearly 70 taught Masters students, 50 postgraduates, 56 staff and approximately 50 part-time tutors and critics.

How do I study?
The distance option is primarily intended for students who are in full-time work. It is also designed to leave students more flexibility in their work programme, giving them twelve weeks in which to complete each taught module, instead of the six in the local course. The teaching material is nevertheless planned to a programme in these weeks.

Teaching is entirely on line through the Internet, in an electronic learning environment specially designed for the course. It includes interactive exercises for students, and project work supervised on line. There is a forum in which students discuss ongoing progress with both staff and their fellow students. Students do not need to travel to Cardiff at any time, although of course they are welcome to visit if they would like to make contact.

What do I study?
The modules are the ones taken in the local course, and their syllabus and learning outcomes are essentially the same. Students earn the same numbers of credits for modules, and the MSc degree awarded on completion has the same standing as the local degree.

The programme introduces building designers to techniques geared towards making buildings less adverse environments. They learn strategies for making more informed decisions, for evaluating their results, and for drawing lessons from the work of others. The scheme is not aimed solely at architects. The responsibility for building environments is shared between many members of the design team.

Architects, building services engineers, architectural engineers, surveyors and building technicians have all found the scheme valuable in the past.

Project work is an important component of the scheme, and is intended to emphasise practicalities and develop the necessary working skills. The scheme encourages an understanding of both the principles and application of its subject, giving attention to design in diverse climates, serving many needs, commercial and domestic.

There are two stages to the scheme. All students take six taught modules in the first stage and a dissertation module in the second. Successful completion of the first stage makes students eligible for a postgraduate diploma, and of both stages leads to an MSc degree.

The scheme is preceded by an induction period in which students are introduced to fundamental computing, presentation, mathematical, language and study skills.

Modules include: Frameworks for Sustainable Design, Ambient Environment, Building Environment, Passive Design, and Efficient Building Services.

How long does it take?
The distance learning option takes just over three years to complete. The taught modules are delivered in the first two semesters of each year, and students carry out research for the dissertation module in the remainder of the year. Distance students study course material on the internet and have twelve weeks for a taught module.

Outside teaching periods, students work on projects and their private study. Projects are generally sufficiently flexible to allow students to follow their own interests and strengths.

How do I get in?
Applications are welcome from graduates or experienced practitioners in disciplines related to the built environment, such as architecture, building services engineering, building technology or environmental studies. Further information is available from our MSc in Environmental Design in Buildings pages.

How much will it cost me?
Each module costs £396 for UK students and £1,217 for overseas students.

Contact
WSA,
Bute Building, King Edward VII Ave.
Cardiff, Wales, U.K. CF10 3NB
Telephone: +44 (0) 29 20874430

Keywords: Architecture, online learning, distance learning.

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