Architecture (Placement Year)

BA Hons

  • UCAS code K101
  • Entry year 2026 or 2025
  • A level requirements AAA
  • Duration Full time 4 years
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We welcome applications from the United States of America

We've put together information and resources to guide your application journey as a student from the United States of America.

Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • 2

    2nd for student satisfaction

    The Complete University Guide (2025)

  • 7

    7th for Architecture

    The Complete University Guide (2025)

  • Your own studio space, available 24/7

Radical creativity meets a planet-protecting mindset. Join us to learn from inspiring architects at our green and spacious campus, close to industrial cities and the Lake District. We will teach you how to think innovatively and prioritise sustainability while you perfect your practical skills.

Why Lancaster?

  • Study in a school that guarantees a dedicated studio space for every student, available 24/7
  • Take inspiration from our location – a rural, green campus on the edge of industrial cities and the Lake District
  • Learn from experts shaping conversation on technology, environment, and architecture and delivering TEA Talks
  • Benefit from top facilities - from hand tools, 3D printers and laser scanners to CNC routers, large-scale printers and specialist software
  • Immerse yourself in a programme that puts design innovation at the forefront of its teaching through our dedicated research lab, Imagination Lancaster
  • Enhance your CV with live project work, networking events, practical experience, summer school and mentoring

Radical creativity with a conscience

Studying architecture at Lancaster will give you the know-how to be agile and ethical in your architectural practice. Tackling three key areas: future practice, digital crafts and the climate emergency, this course will teach you to build with sustainability in mind and design innovative spaces that match the needs of the communities that will use them.

With sustainability at the heart of all that we teach, we empower students to search for innovative solutions that repurpose materials and extend the lifecycle of buildings. We help students to become pioneers of future technologies like digital fabrication, rapid prototyping and the maker movement. During the course we take advantage of Lancaster’s local surroundings, exploring areas such as the Lake District to address place-based issues, landscapes and contexts.

We are one of the first courses in the country to implement the latest ARB and RIBA guidance on teaching ethics, professionalism, fire safety and sustainability, ensuring your knowledge is fully up to date when you graduate.

Hands-on learning

Our campus is an inspirational setting for studying architecture. You will experience a great contrast in the Architecture of our working spaces – an Arts and Crafts manor house and the award-winning modern Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts. Our studio layout allows you to experience the culture of a professional practice and work collaboratively with other students, whilst taking advantage of our top facilities.

Alongside lectures, seminars and practical workshops you will have one-to-one tutorials with award-winning academics who have first-hand experience in the industry. You will learn from tutors who have worked on projects such as the London Olympic Village, award nominated Portuguese rowing centre, Pocinho, and the Glasgow Transport Museum, and several have published books on their work. With plenty of opportunities for hands-on work in the studio our small class sizes allow us to get to know all our students well, which makes for a friendly and productive environment.

In your first year, you will develop small scale projects around Lancaster and explore their context and architectural principles. Your second year will give you the opportunity to design a retrofit live project and work directly with a client such as Lancaster Music Co Op or Queen’s Market Morecambe. You will then consolidate your knowledge in your final year developing a longer retrofit and new build housing project with mixed use facilities.

Our Summer school is a great chance to practice alongside academics and architecture students from other years. This option is an opportunity to develop your teamwork skills, enhance your CV and explore innovative design approaches, technical solutions and materials.

Building Connections for your Future

With a strong and established network of national and regional partners, this course will equip you with the resources and the connections to effectively put your architectural skills into practice. Every student will have the opportunity to complete a placement in a local architectural practice through the RIBA North West Student Mentoring Scheme. This scheme provides two weeks’ experience within an architecture business, as well as valuable mentoring sessions with a professional architect.

At Lancaster School of Architecture, we have ongoing partnerships with several leading practices. Facilitated in part by the regional RIBA chapter and the Lancashire and Westmorland Society of Architects, we encourage students to start networking early, via events ranging from RIBA practice meet-ups, awards ceremonies, competitions, and cross-University studio reviews.

Through our design-led research lab, Imagination Lancaster, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with academics and public and private sector organisations, putting you at the forefront of live research projects that have real world, economic and societal impact. In previous years, we have partnered with organisations such as the Derwent Pencil Museum, The Ruskin Library, Museum and Research Centre, and UNESCO, all providing students with the opportunity to win awards for their work.

You will work with designers, architects, creative technologists and more, helping you build connections that will aid your future career.

three students creating structure with Willow

A level subjects

At Lancaster School of Architecture we don’t require any specific A level / BTEC subject. Any combination of subjects will work for architecture – often a mix of more creative subjects and science subjects work quite well for architecture.

Discover how each A level subject is related to architecture

Creative Arts Facilities at Lancaster University

Whatever creative arts subject you choose, you’ll find we have specialist spaces and equipment to inspire your studies.

Your Placement Year

Sometimes known as a year in industry, your placement year will take place between your second and final year of study and this will extend your degree to four years.

Placements and Internships

Hear from students and employers on how Lancaster University could support you to gain real-world experience and bolster your CV with a placement or internship as part of your degree.

A student working on a piece of stained glass.

A placement year is an excellent way to...

  • try out a role that you may be interested in as a career path
  • start to build your professional network (some placement students are offered permanent roles to return to after they graduate)
  • develop skills, knowledge and experience to put you ahead of the field when you graduate

You'll spend your third year...

in a graduate-level position, where you’ll work for between nine and twelve months in the type of role that you might be considering for after you graduate. A very wide range of companies and organisations offer placements across all sectors.

As a full-time employee, you’ll have a job description with specific responsibilities and opportunities to access training and development, the same as other employees.

A whiteboard showing a diagram of 'how to create a CV'

Our Careers and Placements Team...

will help you to search and compete for a suitable placement with expert advice and resources, such as creating an effective CV, and tips for applications and interviews.

You will still be a Lancaster University student during your placement and we’ll keep in touch to check how you are getting on.

Students drinking coffee in a campus coffee bar

The university will...

use all reasonable effort to support you to find a suitable placement for your studies. While a placement role may not be available in a field or organisation that is directly related to your academic studies or career aspirations, all offer valuable experience of working at a graduate level and gaining a range of professional skills.

If you are unsuccessful in securing a suitable placement for your third year, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent non-placement degree scheme and continue with your studies at Lancaster, finishing your degree after your third year.

Careers

Many of our students will progress to postgraduate study and continue their journey to becoming fully qualified architects. Some will take what they have learnt and progress to one of these fulfilling professional roles:

  • Architectural technician/assistant
  • Landscape architect
  • Interior architect
  • Spatial designer
  • Urban designer
  • Property developer
  • Project and construction manager

Previous students have gone on to work in different architectural practices across Lancashire, Manchester, Birmingham, London, and overseas. Whatever option you choose, our Careers and Employability Service will be on hand to offer advice and guidance throughout your journey.

Careers and employability support

Our degrees open up an extremely wide array of career pathways in businesses and organisations, large and small, in the UK and overseas.

We run a paid internship scheme specifically for our arts, humanities and social sciences students, supported by a specialist Employability Team. The team offer individual consultations and tailored application guidance, as well as careers events, development opportunities, and resources.

Whether you have a clear idea of your potential career path or need some help considering the options, our friendly team is on hand.

Lancaster is unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which recognises activities such as work experience, community engagement or volunteering and social development. A valuable addition to your CV!

Find out more about Lancaster’s careers events, extensive resources and personal support for Careers and Employability.

Student work

  • Annual Degree Show

    Every year our final year students showcase their designs in a major degree show exhibition, which is open to the public.

  • School of Architecture Yearbook

    Catalogue of student work for Lancaster School of Architecture for 2023/24.

  • BurnOut Magazine

    Lancaster Architecture students founded BurnOut Magazine as a way to express their ideas and thoughts about architecture and student life in a creative and collaborative way.

Entry requirements

These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. You may need to have qualifications in relevant subjects. In some cases we may also ask you to attend an interview or submit a portfolio. You must also meet our English language requirements.

Find more about these qualifications and others not shown here

Learn about how we will assess your application

Qualifications and typical requirements accordion

Contact Admissions

If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, please complete our enquiry form and one of our team will get back to you.

International foundation programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Contextual admissions

Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.

Course structure

Enhancing our curriculum

We continually review and enhance our curriculum to ensure we are delivering the best possible learning experience, and to make sure that the subject knowledge and transferable skills you develop will prepare you for your future.

We will publish more detailed information about the structure of this degree course for 2026-entry in June 2025, ahead of our summer undergraduate open days. This will include overviews of the core modules you will take and examples of optional modules which may be available to you.

Fees and funding

We set our fees on an annual basis and the 2026/27 entry fees have not yet been set.

As a guide, our fees in 2025/26 were:

Home International
£9,535 £24,700

Fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

Details of our scholarships and bursaries for students starting in 2026 are not yet available.

You can use our scholarships for 2025-entry applicants as guidance.

A cardboard architectural model

Portfolio guidance

Students apply to the Lancaster School of Architecture with a variety of skills: it is not always the case that applicants have studied Art or Design at A-level or GCSE for example, nor is this necessary.

Please refer to the Lancaster School of Architecture portfolio guidance document.

Arial view of students working in groups

ImaginationLancaster

ImaginationLancaster is an open and exploratory research lab that investigates emerging issues, technologies and practices to advance knowledge and develop solutions that contribute to the common good. We conduct applied and theoretical research into products, places and systems – using innovative strategies including disruptive design techniques that combine traditional and social science methods with practice-based methods arising from the arts.

ImaginationLancaster

Important information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2026/2027 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

Undergraduate open days 2025

Our summer and autumn open days will give you Lancaster University in a day. Visit campus and put yourself in the picture.

Undergraduate Open Days
two students sitting and reading on some outdoor steps

  • Virtual tour

    Take five minutes and let us show you what Lancaster has to offer, from our beautiful green campus to our colleges, teaching and sports facilities.

  • Accommodation guide

    Most first-year undergraduate students choose to live on campus, where you’ll find accommodation to suit different preferences and budgets.

  • The city and beyond

    Our historic city is student-friendly and home to a diverse and welcoming community. Beyond the city you'll find a stunning coastline and the picturesque Lake District.