can you mix degrees and degree apprenticeships for architecture
After calculating the potential debt I'd be in if I pursued a bachelor's and master's degree in architecture, I decided it may be best to do a bachelor's degree and then a degree apprenticeship (the equivalent of my master's + part III). Not many universities offer Level 6 degree apprenticeships anyway so I'm assuming you can mix them. Still, after talking to an architect who was a bit weary, I'm not sure if it's a path that is appropriate.
Any help is appreciated!
Any help is appreciated!
I wouldn't worry about the "debt" anyway for the undergraduate degree portion. Undergraduate student loans (also masters loans) are not like a bank loan, you won't have bailiffs knocking down your door for repayments as they're automatically sorted and deducted from your paycheque by your company's payroll staff if you're a PAYE worker (i.e. most kinds of jobs), and the only way to actually default on it is if you are a self-employed worker and misrepresent your earnings (also known as tax fraud) or if you move abroad and don't tell SFE. After 40 years the whole debt gets written off anyway, and it also does not affect your credit rating. Finally you also only make repayments when earning over the threshold and only proportional to your income, so you never pay more than you can afford.
There are plenty of reasons to choose a degree apprenticeship over a degree, but the "debt" is not a good one. Earning money for the duration of the degree apprenticeship while also gaining work experience is a much bigger factor relative to the potential earnings "loss" of having limited opportunity to work in a full time undergraduate degree. There may also be preferences to get the "uni experience" that swing you towards that side. The debt factor is a non-factor.
That said masters degrees are expensive in terms of tuition costs and there is much less funding for them, although I think architecture has some specifically different funding schemes for it. But on that front the apprenticeship may be valuable to mitigate the immediate out of pocket costs, rather than any concerns with long term debt.
In terms of the apprenticeships I can't say exactly although in principle if they're all RIBA and ARB approved/accredited/prescribed then it should in principle meet the requirements. Also I believe the Part III is completed while in employment anyway - also I believe there are mandatory periods of work required at certain points between Part I and Part II and Part II and Part III regardless so no matter what the postgraduate stage will involve a fair bit of working between study periods anyway.
For clarity I'd suggest just getting in touch with RIBA and/or the ARB to ask how mixing of apprenticeship and traditional degree training works (or doesn't) in terms of qualifying as an architect.
There are plenty of reasons to choose a degree apprenticeship over a degree, but the "debt" is not a good one. Earning money for the duration of the degree apprenticeship while also gaining work experience is a much bigger factor relative to the potential earnings "loss" of having limited opportunity to work in a full time undergraduate degree. There may also be preferences to get the "uni experience" that swing you towards that side. The debt factor is a non-factor.
That said masters degrees are expensive in terms of tuition costs and there is much less funding for them, although I think architecture has some specifically different funding schemes for it. But on that front the apprenticeship may be valuable to mitigate the immediate out of pocket costs, rather than any concerns with long term debt.
In terms of the apprenticeships I can't say exactly although in principle if they're all RIBA and ARB approved/accredited/prescribed then it should in principle meet the requirements. Also I believe the Part III is completed while in employment anyway - also I believe there are mandatory periods of work required at certain points between Part I and Part II and Part II and Part III regardless so no matter what the postgraduate stage will involve a fair bit of working between study periods anyway.
For clarity I'd suggest just getting in touch with RIBA and/or the ARB to ask how mixing of apprenticeship and traditional degree training works (or doesn't) in terms of qualifying as an architect.
Reply 2
13
Original post
by Lydia_Mal...After calculating the potential debt I'd be in if I pursued a bachelor's and master's degree in architecture, I decided it may be best to do a bachelor's degree and then a degree apprenticeship (the equivalent of my master's + part III). Not many universities offer Level 6 degree apprenticeships anyway so I'm assuming you can mix them. Still, after talking to an architect who was a bit weary, I'm not sure if it's a path that is appropriate.
Any help is appreciated!
Any help is appreciated!
Yes you can do Part 1 at uni and switch to L7 apprenticeship for Part 2 and 3
I personally know of several people who have done this, some of whom have now completed Part 3 via the apprenticeship route and are now chartered architectsQuick Reply
Related discussions
- architecture apprenticeship vs uni course
- Course recommendations
- Applying to uni soon, haven’t decided what for
- Like Grand Designs? These uni courses might be worth a look
- Any year 12's confused for what they want to do after A-level?
- Learn and earn with a degree apprenticeship
- Architecture degree without a creative subject
- Aerospace Engineering or Architecture?
- A level choices
- What should I do for my Alevels?
- Degree apprenticeships engineering
- unsure about the career path i want to do
- Cambridge Design 2024 offer-holders
- What uni courses can i do with my A levels?
- Software engineering or user experience design
- Should I choose Art or Math for A-levels to pursue architecture or game design?
- Can I do an optometry degree with only a level 3 optical assistant qualification?
- ADVICE? - London Metropolitan University and Kingston University
- Loreto or Trafford college?
- What accounting courses should I pick in Scotland?
Latest
Trending
Last reply 5 months ago
Architecture at the University of York [UPDATE]Last reply 9 months ago
UWE Bristol VS Oxford Brookes for Urban/Spatial Planning?Last reply 9 months ago
Which university is better when we compare LSBU with UELLast reply 9 months ago
Is there chance i get into the bartlett with these?Last reply 10 months ago
Cardiff, Edinburgh, Sheffield or Manchester for architecture 2025?Last reply 10 months ago
Would i get accepted into the universities i chose with these grades?Last reply 10 months ago
Worth self-funding for a second degree (Architecture)/going back to uni at 25?Last reply 10 months ago
Is it realistic to study architecture in london and have a part time job??Last reply 11 months ago
UCL, UAL or Liverpool for architecture 2025Last reply 11 months ago
UCL Bartlett vs UAL CSM for Architecture – Which One?Articles for you
How The Student Room is moderated
To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.
