First Year Architecture @ Cardiff University

OP

Original post by SeanFM

Heya,

One question I've seen asked on here is when did you start on your portfolio and what kind of things did you include in it?

Are you enjoying your degree? :smile:

I never really started one on my own I just used my works from A level DT and Art but it's handy if you have work outside of school too. Just start as soon as you can seriously it doesn't have to be architectural just be creative and that's what got me in.

Honestly, best experience so far the people in the course including all of the undergraduate and postgraduate are well integrated... You'll find yourself in the studio all the time socialising and working with people 😁😁😁

Reply 3

sarahhunter06398

3

Hiya, what archi programs do you use on your own laptop? I'm looking to buy one soon and I need to make sure I get one with a good enough spec for the programs I'll be using on it 😀😀

Thank you!

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Reply 4

OP

Original post by sarahhunter06398

Hiya, what archi programs do you use on your own laptop? I'm looking to buy one soon and I need to make sure I get one with a good enough spec for the programs I'll be using on it 😀😀

Thank you!

Posted from TSR Mobile

To be honest during first year you are not heavily reliant on programmes it's mostly hand made such as drawings etc. But most people use SketchUp, Photoshop, InDesign and AutoCad. Make sure your laptop has a big display perhaps 15inch, a solid state drive, 8 to 16gb ram, preferably i7 if not i5 and don't splash so much money on laptops since I made that mistake and it turns out I didn't even use my laptop so much but it will come in handy during 2nd year +. Hope that helped 😁

Reply 5

sarahhunter06398

3

Thank you so much! Yes it did 😀😀

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Reply 6

hanapjm

6

hello!
i am thinking of studying architecture but after reading and researching, the experiences that i've read from architecture students online puts me off from studying it and it makes me doubt my uni choice. so i was wondering, is architecture really as bad as people say it is? I understand that its tough but do architecture students really have no time outside of their degree e.g. for leisure? i just don't want to go to uni if all i'm gonna be doing is stressing myself out and not allowing myself to have the 'real uni experience'.

Reply 7

OP

Original post by hanapjm

hello!
i am thinking of studying architecture but after reading and researching, the experiences that i've read from architecture students online puts me off from studying it and it makes me doubt my uni choice. so i was wondering, is architecture really as bad as people say it is? I understand that its tough but do architecture students really have no time outside of their degree e.g. for leisure? i just don't want to go to uni if all i'm gonna be doing is stressing myself out and not allowing myself to have the 'real uni experience'.

If you are a coursework type of person then Architecture is the right degree for you. If you ask me I bloody love studying architecture yes it's stressful at times but that only depends on you and how you handle your time... If you leave your coursework last minute then you will be stressed out but if you manage it well then you can have all the leisure time you want. Well at least in Cardiff University I've had a really great first year experience because I've travelled to Barcelona and Italy as part of the architecture course, met some great friends and have had an amazing experiences because of studying architecture. If you want my honest opinion... First year was piss, I didn't give my 100% but still cruised through because first year you only need 40% to pass and the first year doesn't even count to your final degree but I'm telling you architecture is the most social degree out there. My flat mates were jealous that I didn't have exams, spent most of my time in the studio pissing around whilst trying to do work and travelling the world. It's ****ing lit. It's worth the stress if you ask me.

Reply 8

hanapjm

6

Original post by galanacci

If you are a coursework type of person then Architecture is the right degree for you. If you ask me I bloody love studying architecture yes it's stressful at times but that only depends on you and how you handle your time... If you leave your coursework last minute then you will be stressed out but if you manage it well then you can have all the leisure time you want. Well at least in Cardiff University I've had a really great first year experience because I've travelled to Barcelona and Italy as part of the architecture course, met some great friends and have had an amazing experiences because of studying architecture. If you want my honest opinion... First year was piss, I didn't give my 100% but still cruised through because first year you only need 40% to pass and the first year doesn't even count to your final degree but I'm telling you architecture is the most social degree out there. My flat mates were jealous that I didn't have exams, spent most of my time in the studio pissing around whilst trying to do work and travelling the world. It's ****ing lit. It's worth the stress if you ask me.

how would you rate the workload on a scale of 1-10 (1 being barely any and 10 being really intense)? Also what would you say is the most stressful aspect of the course?

ps: sorry for asking so many questions -- my revised uni and course choices are due soon but im still not 100% sure on architecture. i was so set on studying architecture in the beginning of sixth form as well as during my gcses that after seeing that people feel unhappy and, in some cases, depressed, worried me abit and i wasn't (and am not) sure if i could cope with the demands of the course :frown:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 9

OP

Original post by hanapjm

how would you rate the workload on a scale of 1-10 (1 being barely any and 10 being really intense)? Also what would you say is the most stressful aspect of the course?

ps: sorry for asking so many questions -- my revised uni and course choices are due soon but im still not 100% sure on architecture. i was so set on studying architecture in the beginning of sixth form as well as during my gcses that after seeing that people feel unhappy and, in some cases, depressed, worried me abit and i wasn't (and am not) sure if i could cope with the demands of the course :frown:

Workload during first year I'd say 5/10 they're pretty spread out throughout the year and manageable you'll only stress out if you leave the work last minute. The most stressful aspect would be the essays... Because I enjoy all the coursework but essays aren't my thing and I usually leave it to the last minute which isn't the best thing to do but hey it's first year so who gives 😂

I can tell you right now that I was more stressed in sixth form rather than in uni because when you do architecture you do what you like especially when you like to create and solve problems and so on. Honestly go for it. Don't be put off by other people saying how stressful architecture is... That's just part of life man like you ain't gonna find a course without stress. But trust me architecture is a great course to do. I highly recommend you pursue it 👍 btw where are you planning to apply to?

Reply 10

hanapjm

6

Original post by galanacci

Workload during first year I'd say 5/10 they're pretty spread out throughout the year and manageable you'll only stress out if you leave the work last minute. The most stressful aspect would be the essays... Because I enjoy all the coursework but essays aren't my thing and I usually leave it to the last minute which isn't the best thing to do but hey it's first year so who gives 😂

I can tell you right now that I was more stressed in sixth form rather than in uni because when you do architecture you do what you like especially when you like to create and solve problems and so on. Honestly go for it. Don't be put off by other people saying how stressful architecture is... That's just part of life man like you ain't gonna find a course without stress. But trust me architecture is a great course to do. I highly recommend you pursue it 👍 btw where are you planning to apply to?

Ahh -- I think I'm just going to go for it!! Im really interested in Cardiff, Kent, Manchester, Brighton and Nottingham. Do you know if Cardiff offers a study abroad program for Architecture?

Reply 11

OP

Original post by hanapjm

Ahh -- I think I'm just going to go for it!! Im really interested in Cardiff, Kent, Manchester, Brighton and Nottingham. Do you know if Cardiff offers a study abroad program for Architecture?

I think there is because one of my coursemate is going to Madrid for the first term of our architecture course so yeah defo go for it Cardiff is top 5 archi unis in the UK and the uni experience is fuego so definitely go for it!

Reply 12

itsjesslouise

5

Hi,
I'm really interested in architecture but I'm not really studying 'architecture' related a-levels (i'm doing business, biology, sociology, and philosophy) are all uni's very picky over subjects or do they think the portfolio is more important? Also what would you recommend in the portfolio? :smile:

Reply 13

OP

Original post by itsjesslouise

Hi,
I'm really interested in architecture but I'm not really studying 'architecture' related a-levels (i'm doing business, biology, sociology, and philosophy) are all uni's very picky over subjects or do they think the portfolio is more important? Also what would you recommend in the portfolio? :smile:

Cardiff Uni isn't picky with the A Level subjects as long as your grades aren't lower than a C then you're fine. They base it more on the portfolio and long as you can show you can draw, make things or be able to communicate ideas through visual representation then you're sorted. My best advice is toss everything creative in that portfolio it could be school work from ages ago or it could be work you did on your own time as long as it's visual 👍👍👍

Reply 14

Original post by hanapjm

hello!
i am thinking of studying architecture but after reading and researching, the experiences that i've read from architecture students online puts me off from studying it and it makes me doubt my uni choice. so i was wondering, is architecture really as bad as people say it is? I understand that its tough but do architecture students really have no time outside of their degree e.g. for leisure? i just don't want to go to uni if all i'm gonna be doing is stressing myself out and not allowing myself to have the 'real uni experience'.

You are right to avoid this healthy 100% subjective course. Read my blog
theappealofarchitecture.blogspot.co.uk/ or read Architecture "Education" by Moira M. Malcolm. There are serious reasons why it is not safe to study architecture ANYWHERE.

Reply 15

Original post by hanapjm

Ahh -- I think I'm just going to go for it!! Im really interested in Cardiff, Kent, Manchester, Brighton and Nottingham. Do you know if Cardiff offers a study abroad program for Architecture?

Don't do it! Some students pass with flying colours while others struggle from day 1. Tutors give good marks to the students they like and poor marks (or fail) students they don't. It is a very personal course and totally subjective. There are no exams and the injustice can cause chronic stress. Students are NEVER even tested that they do their own drawings. Cheating is rife. Students can pass 5 years of architecture handing in someone elses work. Some even pay qualified architects and submit this work as their own. If this type of thing doesn't bother you then go ahead, but it you are an intelligent, logical person who needs to earn a living stay well clear.

theappealofarchitecture.blogspot.co.uk/

Reply 16

OP

Original post by freya24

You are right to avoid this healthy 100% subjective course. Read my blog
theappealofarchitecture.blogspot.co.uk/ or read Architecture "Education" by Moira M. Malcolm. There are serious reasons why it is not safe to study architecture ANYWHERE.

Yup because I'm really dying from studying architecture 😂, Don't listen to this guy

Reply 17

Original post by galanacci

Yup because I'm really dying from studying architecture 😂, Don't listen to this guy

I'm talking about mental health, why do you belittle this?

Reply 18

OP

Original post by freya24

I'm talking about mental health, why do you belittle this?

Man Cardiff University is solid, The Architecture course is great 2nd years are willing to help you with the first year of architecture because of how well integrated our years are. I don't belittle mental health and every course has stress and all that so don't come here scaring people fam. If they want to do the course let them if they don't like it they can always drop it. Yeah you lose out on a year but its life. It happens. Smh

Reply 19