If your in the UK, come to OB's end of the year show 25 May and see for yourself!

would love to, but I'm overseas and quite busy with my own end of the year stuff ;)

thanks for the invite anyway!

FYI, Brookes has 24 hour studios[I don't know of other UK schools with such] and physically expanding the school this year with a new addition while actively reducing student numbers. Brookes is in Oxford which is brilliant - and 80 min out of london [£10 return].  Students on the MArchD [2 year part II] opt for AAD [its still called that] in their first year [there are 6 option routes for the first year of the MArchD] so the group is mixed about half and half with UK Part I student /International students[works great for both].  Most UK Masters end up with just international students which is a shock to those who come from afar to experience the UK -

If you write the course leader, he can put you in touch directly with students presently on the course.

Thanks a lot!! :D

I am finishing my degree in Spain, but I spent my 4th yr on Erasmus in Bath and the experience mixing with UK students was fabulous, so that's a great point!

The campus and namely the architecture department looks impressive!!

I was wondering wether the job prospects are as good as other schools like AA ;) (not everyone can pay such high fees, haha)

It all depends where you are going to work and if the type of firm you're planning to work at wants name recognition. But in the end its your individual skills that get you a job - I know equal number of unemployed/underemployed AA grads to Bartlett to the GSD and any where else. It's much about self-confidence. Brookes actively connects to employers in all the undergrad and postgrad - has mentoring agreements in place, doing live projects[including this symposium http://architecture.brookes.ac.uk/events/240512.html next week - we have U-Montana students here now working with Brookes students on pavaillon] and is setting up something next year that is secret at this time but is for grads who wish to start off directly on their own.

Thanks a lot for the info!! :)))))

i think the program is not too bad, but if you are planning to work in the UK, good luck finding a job quickly after Brookes. At least that was the experience of about 3 of my friends...

¬¬ well, I'm planning to work afterwards, I'd prefer in the UK, if unable, elsewhere in Europe, if unable, anywhere actually. Job prospects in my home country are under zero at the moment. I suppose that, in terms of getting a job, it's not only the Masters what counts, but also your previous experience, skills and education, am I right? ;)

Yes, you are right, but from what I have heard, in the UK, more so than other places, the name of the college is a pretty big deal...

I think its hard to make generalisations one way or another on school leading directly to a job[this is a common debate all over archinect]. If your dream job is Zaha then, yes go to the AA however I think that is a tale of the past - as the DRL now takes in +100ish students[used to be 30-40ish only 4 years ago] every year and Patrick S. has limited teaching role/contact in the course.  In fact many say that students at the AA pay high fees to learn the Rhino/Maya for Zaha [I disagree with this as the AA is a great school all across the board].  Having gone to the AA, I think architecture is much more than digital skills [has anyone looked out the window and see the mess the world is in?]

And if you need a visa it is harder to get a job now in the UK as the UK government [as of April] removed the practical training visa for new Master level grad - you need to be sponsored by a practice -

UK announced in the last couple weeks a double dip recession although all indications are that architecture/construction is on the rise - and UK has great number of international practices [because of finance sector here] still remained busy during the recession as long as they were diversified where they practiced[not just Dubia or China].

Thanks for your always useful comments, TED.

To be clear, I'm spanish and educated in Spain (that means professional qualification after a 6years degree). Job prospects for architects (young and old) are under zero here. The most optimistic forecast says the building sector will be frozen for at least 5 more years. Some people say up to 10 or 20. I'm 23 now, so I still got loads to learn and as a Spanish national I can work wherever in the UK without applying for a visa.

After my master I would love to find a Job in the UK. If unable to do so, I don't mind working wherever else in the EU or outside. I completely agree with you. I see no point in spending a 5 digit sum at the AA only as a means to learn rhino and maya to work at Zaha's. In fact I know people extraordinarily skilled in Rhino, Maya, processing and Grasshopper without going to the AA. University, as I see it, is not for getting some fancy skills. You need to get those while at uni, but what I want a Uni for is to help me at a more intellectual level, become a better thinker, a better designer. Not just someone who knows the ins and outs of Maya.

I DO waffle a lot. Sorry and thanks again.

LIke TED said though, the idea that people go to the AA to learn Rhino and Maya is a misconception. Intimidation of software can stifle ones growth.

Also DRL this year is around 50, I don't think it ever got to 100.

My view, if willing to learn Rhino, MCNeel guys give very good courses which students can attend for free if spaces available... xD

Dan,
RIght but that doesn't mean AA has nothing intellectual to offer.

I would just go to Oxford Brookes if i were you, or apply to less computationally-driven programs at AA/UCL

I'm not saying AA has anything intellectual to offer. In fact, if I had the money, what interests me more about the AA is the thinking background they give to computationally-driven architecture.But I insist, if anyone wants to learn just how to use a few computer tools, you can do it almost for free ;).

My choices are now between OB AAD (unconditional) and Bartlett GAD (conditional). None of them seems to be very computationally-driven... I really like what TED comments on OB about being mixed with part 2 UK students, because what frightened me the most about Bartlett was maybe ending up among only international students (nothing against them, but that'd be pretty much a bubble)

Just to point out that there are several other really good masters programs at the AA that are NOT DRL (Emtech, SED, Landscape Urbanism, Housing and Urbanism....). They all have a different focus, but what I think the name says to people is that you went through a very rigorous program with some of the toughest critics in the world and survived and therefor are probably both smart and talented. Whether thats true or not is a whole different story, but I have found that it does help you get interviews which in itself is a huge battle. 

UK job prospects are pretty terrible at the moment too. One friend just told me a firm replied to him to say they have 600+ replies to one job posting..and this wasn't at a place like Foster's or Zaha.. just your run of the mill firm....Where the AA comes in handy is that it connects you with people who might be able to help you get your foot in the door... yes I have a lot of debt to pay off.. but I also have a job...

I went to a relatively no name school for undergrad and got a great education, but definitely realized a while other level I wasn't even aware of until I went to the AA.. so I guess it all depends on what you are looking for.

best of luck!

I have nothing against DRl. On the contrary I did apply for the programme and got in, but without a good source of funding is very difficult to attend.

Anyway, I insist, job prospects in Spain for architects are dramatic. I can't count how many first line studios have closed or fired all their employees and survive with the owner or owners (not more than 3) working on their own. I literally don't know anyone from my school who has graduated and is working in Spain right now. Those with a job are overseas, those in Spain are unemployed.

I would like to revive this post and put the focus back to Oxford Brookes.

I am thinking about doing my Part 2 there, but this programme seems to be different to other unis in several ways. So DRL and job prospects aside - I am interested to know something about the course content.

The course is called 'Applied Design in Architecture'  (MArchD title) - why is this different to other unis that are usually MArch?

Also, there are these 6 'design specializations'. Anybody with any experience of those? For example, 'Advanced Architectural Design' seems a very general topic for a studio. In other unis that I have seen, the studio's focus seems to be a bit more defined. Any ideas on that?

Thanks!

Hi @majkeecek 

Brookes has both a MArch [12 month] and MArchD [24 month RIBA Part II]. The award titles are defined by universities.  Most Part II courses in the UK just changed the titles when they moved from DipArch to MArch but Brookes redesigned the course.  Some Part II's course are MPhil or even MEng - its the detail of the programme and the professional validation that is important.

While most Part II courses just do 2 years of general design studio, with the MArchD you take 80 credits of the first year in one of 6 design specialisation taught through Master Courses in the School of Architecture and synthesis the specialisation during design studio year 2 -

So Advanced Architectural Design is part of the MArch Course with David Green [archigram] and Andrew Holmes [AA] - Other specialisations are Sustainability, Development and Emergency Practice, International Architecture Regeneration + Development, Urban Design and Research Led Design.  So rather than getting general knowledge on culture, sustainability, technology etc. you take course delivered by academic staff who are specialist in those areas - such as lawyers teaching human rights, physicist on Sustainability, or anthropologist on Regeneration.  Each route is tied to a research unit in the University.  The idea is that the architect of the future[and the future is now] requires much more detailed knowledge and criticality then generalist knowledge often delivered at Part II.  What's also great is that intake for Part II courses are generally all UK/EU students so the mixing of year 1 with the Master route courses brings many more international students into your education.

If you're in the UK contact the administrator and come out and see the school, meet the staff and speak to the students - either on an open day or anytime that works.

Thanks for the info. I've also looked at their website (again), which they seem to have updated recently - now it makes much sense to me, what you are saying. It seems that in this way you acquire much knowledge in one area, rather than a wide scope - but maybe that's a good thing. Even though they apparently have a few minor units as well, such as Representation, which I thought are usually not taught at this level, anymore.

One thing I don't understand still - it seems that you make one choice of your research unit in the first year and then another one of your design studio, the following year. So are these connected? Or do the design studios follow the same specializations as the units you choose in Year 1?

It also mentions humanities, as one of the options - is this the 'Research-led Design'? I am quite interested in histories and theories, so I am wondering if I would be able to go that way. Yes, I am thinking about visiting at a later stage, but it is a bit complicated for me, as I am currently not in the UK. So it's great to hear some first-hand info like this. Thanks again!

Thank you TED  for the insightful comments! Anyone here with student experience of this program to share their thoughts? Also how many students are there in the course, are the majority from the UK or internationals?

Anybody joining M.arch 1 year program for the batch Sep 2020/21? or someone who already completed this course and can share his/her experience? What will be the basic things a joiner might require to get along well in the course? 

Hey , I've received an offer from Brookes University for March D . Please share any information u might have learnt about the course regarding job prospects, students etc. Would be helpful

TED,

I graduated in 2019 with a 2.2 from Uni of Kent. I have been unable to find work experience, so have now decided to try my luck at getting into Masters without the work experience.

What is your advice on this? I have already applied to Glasgow School of Art, Manchester, Brighton and Kent. I'm considering Brookes, UCL and others.

Look forward to your response,

Cheers,

Mab

Anybody who might have completed the course last year or so, what was your experience like and what job prospects were applicable for you?