Master in Architecture

1 Introduction The School of Architecture at Tsinghua University is the first in China to offer an accredited Master degree to foreign students. The purpose of the program is to develop a major new platform of architectural education in response to the rapid urbanization of China.

The program offers a nationally-accredited professional Master degree, Master in Architecture (M. Arch II). With a particular focus on the architecture and design in China, the School of Architecture gives graduate students, preferably professional Bachelor degree holders, the opportunity to pursue advanced learning in professional knowledge and independent design research. The program adopts the credit system. A total of 27 credits, earned through courses and studios, are required for the students.

2 Courses Courses can be divided into 5 main categories: 1) studios, 2) theory, 3) seminars, 4) site visits, and 5) optional public courses. The course menu also covers different academic fields, including architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning and design, and profession-related knowledge in China.

The standard language for all courses is English.

Students are required to take the following studios and complete 18 credits: Architectural Design, Landscape Planning and Design, Urban Design, and Final Thesis.

Each studio is co-instructed by one internationally established professor and two coordinating Chinese professors. Design critics are selected from a pool established foreign and domestic architects currently active in China. Studio topics are often real projects in some of China’s most architecture "hot spots", including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Suzhou, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Lijiang and Qingdao, etc. In these studios, students are challenged to tackle difficult and sometimes controversial social, political, economic, ethnic and religious issues that are unique to contemporary China.

Students are required to complete 4 credits in seminars focusing on important issues in contemporary Chinese architecture, contemporary Chinese urban development, and heritage preservation. Each seminar is co-instructed by 2-3 professors and features guest panelists, including senior government officials, distinguished scholars, and developers.

Students are also required to complete courses on theory. These courses cover a wide range of fields: history, design theory, urban theory, contemporary practice, building technology, landscape and Chinese gardening, etc. These courses feature lectures by leading figures in different fields from inside and outside of China.

In addition, there is one required credit for a “site visit” which provides students with exposure to fresh Chinese cultural and professional perspectives. The destination places are chosen from influential sites and cities of great interests of history and contemporary practice.

Optional public courses are provided by Tsinghua University, offering training in Chinese language and learning in Chinese history and culture, 4 credits in total.

3 Semesters 1st Semester (Fall) 6 Credits in design studios (Space Design & Urban Design)

2 Credits in seminars (Theory and Practice of Regional Architecture & Contemporary Urban Planning and Design)

2 Credits in optional public courses

2nd Semester (Spring) 6 Credits in design studios (Green Building Design)

2 Credits in seminars (History of Chinese Architecture & Theory and Practice of Regional Architecture)

2 Credits in optional public courses

Summer 1 Credit in Architecture and City Visiting Study

3rd Semester (Fall) 6 Credits in design studios (Final Design)

4 Admission Requirements
Enrollment will be limited to ca 25-30 students.

Pre-requisite: an accredited professional Bachelor degree in architecture or equivalent.

5 Application Procedure Please find the latest information on how to apply at our university website, via this link. 

Application time is from Nov. 1st till Feb. 28th.

Step 1: Online Application Complete Online Application on the website of International Student Office, Tsinghua University (http://is.tsinghua.edu.cn/EN/online-application/application.html). Print and sign the Application Form produced by the system after the application status changes to "verified". For scholarship application documents, please refer section "Tuition and Scholarship" below.

Step 2: Documents Submission Submit the application documents listed above to the address indicated below by post mail or in person.

Step 3: Application Fee Payment Two ways to pay application fee:

1. Pay online using credit card; After your online application form is verified or the materials are received by Tsinghua University, the staff will make you the online payment draft, and at the same time, an email will be automatically sent out to remind you to pay the application fee via the online application system.

2. Pay in cash at the International Student Office (Room 120,Zijing Building 22) of Tsinghua University.

6 Application Schedule Both the Online Application and a complete set of Application documents should be completed and the package should be received by February 28th.

Please note that for the Government or University scholarship applicants, online application and all the application documents should be submitted before January 15th.

7 Tuition and Scholarship Tuition for the whole program is RMB 120,000.

Accidental Injury and Hospitalization Insurance: RMB 600/year.

A limited number of R.A Position are available.

For those who wish to apply for this scholarship, the hardcopies of application documents should be received by Feb.28th. Due to the limited number of this scholarship, we encourage applicants to apply for other kinds of scholarships at the same time. Please visit http://is.tsinghua.edu.cn/EN/scholarship/intro.html for more information.

9. Contact Information Admission Office International Program, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University

Beijing 100084, P. R. China Tel: (8610) 62785693 Fax: (8610) 62770314

Email: [email protected]

Website: arch.tsinghua.edu.cn