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Anyone need advice on anything Manchester or Architecture related?

Hello

I just finished my second year at MSA (Manchester school of Architecture) and I know I found this website really useful two/three years ago so just thought I would offer to answer any questions anyone has. Ask me anything you like about architecture, University of Manchester or both. I'm 21, took a gap year to travel and did A levels in Maths, Physics and Geography if that helps to know.

I also have experience applying to UCL, Nottingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Liverpool (I know that makes 7 uni's but I applied before my gap year, rejected all my offers and then applied during my gap year, swapping Newcastle for Manchester).

Hope I can help,
Jodie

Reply 1

nynarx

I'd like adviceeeee! Im applying to Manchester next year :smile:

Im currently taking the IB. Does Manchester prefer the IB to the A Levels or is that just a myth?

I was wondering, do they generally lower the grade boundaries for international students? Im from Brunei Darussalam.

What was your first year of uni like anyway? Course-wise? Was it what you expected?

Reply 2

pritesh_m89

wud u say the course is more technical or arty?

Reply 3

Hulagurl16

Hey could you tell me how intense the architecture course is at Manchester? I heard in UCL its really really intense - also what percentage does the 1st year grade count towards the final grade you get for your degree?

Reply 4

Goldy

Jeck

Hello

I just finished my second year at MSA (Manchester school of Architecture) and I know I found this website really useful two/three years ago so just thought I would offer to answer any questions anyone has. Ask me anything you like about architecture, University of Manchester or both. I'm 21, took a gap year to travel and did A levels in Maths, Physics and Geography if that helps to know.

I also have experience applying to UCL, Nottingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Liverpool (I know that makes 7 uni's but I applied before my gap year, rejected all my offers and then applied during my gap year, swapping Newcastle for Manchester).

Hope I can help,
Jodie

Hey I'am a member of bannatynes gym was wondering if you have experience of their manchester branch and also if there will be much time for this while studying architecture? cheers

Reply 5

drawmeamonkey

1

Hulagurl16

Hey could you tell me how intense the architecture course is at Manchester? I heard in UCL its really really intense - also what percentage does the 1st year grade count towards the final grade you get for your degree?

1st year counts for NOTHING! (degree grade wise) 2nd year can count for 25%, with 75% 3rd year, or if it works out better your 3rd year counts for 100% of the grade.

ALL architecture courses are intense. Vast majority of your degree is coursework based, design is subjective, you can work on things forever and never get them perfect - good practice for the real world.

MSA is slightly more arts oriented, although there are technology exams and assignments in addition to studio work.

Reply 6

Wedgie

1

explain to me why the architecture building is so ugly?? Irony anyone...

Reply 7

chi190

I applied to manchester and got a conditional offer (31pts in my IB final). I'm waiting for an offer from sheffield and i'm a bit torn in terms of which to pick as my firm, thats if i get into sheffield. any advice?

Reply 8

drawmeamonkey

1

Wedgie

explain to me why the architecture building is so ugly?? Irony anyone...

the inside is fairly pleasant though. undergrads spend very little time in humanities bridgeford street, or kantorowich building as it was called before the removal of any individual identity and the application of corporate university branding. you'll have a few lectures in there and use the modelmaking workshop, but most studio time is in the beautiful chatham building at MMU.

Reply 9

drawmeamonkey

1

chi190

I applied to manchester and got a conditional offer (31pts in my IB final). I'm waiting for an offer from sheffield and i'm a bit torn in terms of which to pick as my firm, thats if i get into sheffield. any advice?

they are both supposedly very good schools. can't comment on sheffield personally, never even visited (but i am hoping to go to one of their centenary lectures)

if you're struggling between schools, maybe look into what each city has to offer, which one you'd prefer - sheffield is a much smaller city than manchester, manchester is very urban in the centre, sheffield is a bit leafier. do some googling for city guides.

they are both very good cities for wider architectural education, a lot going on in both. sheffield has the phenomenal park hill, which with hindsight, should have edged me towards it :biggrin:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hippie/sets/216780/

i should probably get back to working on my own degree now...

Reply 10

misshawaii

as an architecture student would it be better to live in the city, so its closer to the studio/lectures?
fallowfield appeals to me more but im just trying to work out if its actually practical if we pend alot of time in the city studio
thanks

Reply 11

drawmeamonkey

1

i've replied to your PM but for everyone else's benefit - makes little difference to practicalities whether you live in the city or fallowfield, go for whichever accommodation you think suits you best!

just be prepared for folio and model carrying on buses!

Reply 12

Jeck

OP

Hey guys

So turns out Manchester is not so great after all, in fact it's terrible and I would not recommend anyone to go there. I left after my second year and I'm actually starting at Sheffield in September instead.

drawmeamonky seems to have answered everyones questions so far, but my offer still stands if anyone has any general questions about any of the stuff I mentioned before.

Reply 13

Quoz

Jeck

Hey guys

So turns out Manchester is not so great after all, in fact it's terrible and I would not recommend anyone to go there. I left after my second year and I'm actually starting at Sheffield in September instead.

drawmeamonky seems to have answered everyones questions so far, but my offer still stands if anyone has any general questions about any of the stuff I mentioned before.

Why the sudden change of heart?

Reply 14

Jeck

OP

It was loads of stuff, that I probably shouldn't go in to on a public board, but it involved many problems they had with organisation, marking, tutors, not following RIBA regulations etc. It's a very long story really, that spans months and months, and affected a lot of people. I wasn't the only one that left and more are leaving after 3rd year and not continuing with part 2 there.

Reply 15

Quoz

You just said, you just finished your second year, and all is good. Then you say you hate it and you left after your second year. PM me with what can change so drastically in such a short time. Im intrigued as to the problems of where im meant to be going in september!

Reply 16

drawmeamonkey

1

I've just finished the BA at MSA.

I wouldn't worry Quoz, I'm also quite interested in what has gone wrong for Jeck, but the RIBA visited this year and gave unconditional validation, I've not encountered any major problems at all!

Visit the degree show if you haven't already, see the work that's been done and what the place is really like.

http://www.artdes.mmu.ac.uk/degreeshow/

also see the year books at http://www.msa.ac.uk/publications/
and look out for my page in the 08 one :smile:

Reply 17

Jeck

OP

There were/are problems (like I said, I won't discuss them on a public board) that you may not be aware of or are only slightly aware of, as only about 1/3 of the students in the year were affected by the majority of them, so you were probably one of the lucky ones who weren't affected.

Plenty of students do complete great work, as shown by those who are included in the books (yourself included). What was your hybrid programme by the way? Your design reminds me of the residential buildings proposed for the New Islington site we used in 2nd year.

The only reason I updated this thread on my personal situation was because I had included a lot of very positive information about the school previously (in a similar thread http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=12900360#post12900360) and I did not want to be responsible in any way (even though it might be very small) for providing encouragement to anyone deciding which school to attend, in case they did find themselves affected by any of the problems later on and regretted their decision.

Of course there is every chance they would not be affected at all and would finish their degree with a positive opinion of the school, like you have.

I personally (just speaking for myself) would not want to take the risk, which is why I said I would not recommended it.

Reply 18

Ellie0809

im studying architecture next year & dont know whether to go catered or self catered- not sure how much time i'll get for meals etc. i definitely want to live in fallowfield, does anyone have any advice about this?

Reply 19

LouisianaPuuurchase

1

drawmeamonkey

the inside is fairly pleasant though. undergrads spend very little time in humanities bridgeford street, or kantorowich building as it was called before the removal of any individual identity and the application of corporate university branding. you'll have a few lectures in there and use the modelmaking workshop, but most studio time is in the beautiful chatham building at MMU.

Yeesh, I always thought that building was vile, lived right next to it for a while.

Anyone need advice on anything Manchester or Architecture related?

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