Architecture degree advice

Hi,
I am considering doing an architecture degree, but my subjects are English Lit, English Lang and Bio. I have a few questions and I would appreciate any advice anyone has
Does the degree contain a lot of maths because it's my weak point?
What is a career in it like and can you use the skills for any other careers?
Which universities have good courses for architecture?
Do I have the right A Levels to take the course?

Thank you in advance

Hi,
I am considering doing an architecture degree, but my subjects are English Lit, English Lang and Bio. I have a few questions and I would appreciate any advice anyone has
Does the degree contain a lot of maths because it's my weak point?
What is a career in it like and can you use the skills for any other careers?
Which universities have good courses for architecture?
Do I have the right A Levels to take the course?

Thank you in advance

There's an odd one that asks for English Lit - I don't get it either, but you have Lit anyway.

I don't do architecture (and hence don't work in the field), but I should be able to answer a couple of your questions.

Does the degree contain a lot of maths because it's my weak point?
Architecture is more of a design degree than an engineering degree (which I think is what you're thinking). Unless it's a BEng or the degree explicitly states that it requires A Level Maths (there are only a couple of architecture degrees in the country that requires it), then you might encounter a lot of maths.
The level of maths you would require would not likely exceed GCSE i.e. a few geometrical questions here and there. Otherwise, it's more art than anything else.

Which universities have good courses for architecture?
I don't have specific recommendations, but what you need to be aware of is that the degree needs to be RIBA accredited. There are roughly 60 courses in the country that meets this criteria at undergrad level. See:
https://arb.org.uk/student-information/schools-institutions-architecture/
https://www.architecture.com/education-cpd-and-careers/riba-validation/riba-validated-schools-uk

Do I have the right A Levels to take the course?
For about 55 degree courses in the country, you are accepted with A Levels in any 3 subjects i.e. you're fine so long you get the grades.
A couple of them require A Level Maths because they focus more on the engineering aspects i.e. the ones you wan to avoid.
There's an odd one that asks for English Lit - I don't get it either, but you have Lit anyway.
If memory serves, there's an odd degree that asks for Art and Design A Level, but you don't have to do this degree since you have a plethora of other choices.

When you make your application for the degree, you would need to prepare a portfolio to show you have the artisitic capabilities to do the course i.e. stick drawings won't cut it. This is usually where the art and design students have an upper hand since they can prepare their portfolio alongside their studies well. You on the other hand would require to go out of your own way to prepare it.

can you use the skills for any other careers?
As a design degree, you can use the design skills in other design occupations. Having said that, most art and design careers don't have specific entry requirements i.e. you can have next to no qualifications and still get into the job so long you have the skills to prove it (i.e. you need a relevant portfolio).
Outside of design, you can go into any role that either asks for a degree in any subject all the way down to asking for no prior qualifications. There are roughly 600 careers that meet this criteria, and I am not going to list all of them out in detail.
In my personal experience though, I have come across architecture graduates who just finished at undergrad level; one became a catering manager, the other works as a paralegal. If you don't finish the final exam, then it's not necessarily something you can easily use to pivot to do something else easily. Having said that, there is no rule saying that you can't do anything else after your degree e.g. work in finance, become an accountant, work in law, go into education, do a postgrad, go into psychology, go into economics, etc.

Note, to at least qualify as an architect, you would need to spend at least 7 years in the field; 3 years for your undergrad, 1 year training, 2 year master's (RIBA accredited of course), another year training, and a final exam. See: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/architect

Your A levels are fine for the majority of courses - have a look at this A levels for Architecture thread. However, did you do art or dt at GCSE, and do you draw/paint etc. in your free time? The degree comprises around 50% design modules and the majority of unis will require a portfolio of creative work as part of the application process.

If you don't wish to do the full seven years of training, as with any undergraduate degree, you could apply for most graduate employment schemes. Architecture graduates can also work in urban design and town planning, interior design, building conservation, film/theatre production and visual effects, etc.

All the unis on the A levels for Architecture thread are RIBA approved or have candidate status. Architecture courses that are ARB/RIBA accredited/validated are very similar in content – they all have modules in design, history, architectural technology, etc. However, how these modules are delivered and the overall focus of a programme varies from uni to uni and this will depend on the strengths and specialisms of the staff and the facilities provided. You need to visit as many unis as you can and talk to staff and students to get a sense of the programme and whether it will be right for you. Look at staff experience and specialisms, and to see the type of work students are producing, look out for the annual end-of-year shows that you can visit or view on-line around June/July. And if you can't see yourself living there for three years, then it's likely not the right place for you.

Thank you for your answer. Yes, I did art and design at gcse and I am quite creative (though not as much now because my schedules a bit hectic) so I think thats partly why I was drawn to the course. I just feel like I might be out of place as I have only recently though about architecture as a degree and I dont have any work experience/ volunteering that relates and I heard that is important. Do you think it is too late to make a portfolio and get experience before the deadline?

Work/volunteering experience isn't required for architecture so you don't need to worry about that. If you are in year 13, you have until January to submit your application (unless you want to apply to Cambridge). Is that long enough for you? Also, have you managed to do any uni open days for architecture as I think that's really important for you to get a better understanding of the course.

Another option to consider is to take a year after A levels to complete an Art & Design Foundation Diploma. It's a further education course that can be taken at a local college and is looked upon favourably by unis for design-based subjects. More info here:

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5017684

Also, take a look at the following thread where there is a lot of good advice on developing a portfolio:

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=96239577

Hi, Thank you for answering my questions in detail. I didnt consider or know about half of these factors, so its been really useful. Just a follow up question on the portfolio, I did art and design at gcse and I still have my files. Could I reuse the same artwork in my portfolio or is that not allowed? I just want to say thank you again, I really appreciate it