Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

BA Architecture Part Time Course in London

I am now working as a structure engineer in one of London-based engineering consultant but planning to change the professional into Architecture since I have long been interested in it. There are couple of the questions that I d like to ask for advice. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
1. I am applying for part-time BA course and working at the same time. In this case, schools in London like AA, Bartlett, Westminster, etc. would not be in my list since they don’t offer part-time programme. In the end, there are three choices available: London Southbank, London Met, and Greenwich. My first question is: which one is better academic-wise and career development-wise?
2. Also, there are two other unis which have part-time, Oxford Brooks and Birmingham City. Is it worth it travelling all the way along from London, where I live, to these two? Is it absolute indispensible to go to the studio?
3. As far as I am concerned, many people would prefer to study Architecture in London rather that anywhere else. What is the different between London and other cities? Why is it so special about London?
4. Since I have got a MSc in Civil Engineering and working as a Civil engineer at the moment, would it be possible if I started from Year-2? What is included in Year-1’s study? Is it crucial and important to experience the year-1 in order to set up a foundation for further development?
Thanks!

Reply 1

jrhartley

1. London Met
2. Probably not, certainly not to Birmingham, its not got any rep for architecture. Brookes is good, but its a way when you're working.
3. Not in my experience. Its overcrowded, expensive, oppressive, exactly what I don't need when I've got the stress of an architecture degree. So for every student who thinks London is hte place to be, there are plenty who don't. Nothing is particularly special about London. its a capital city, there are more firms there, there are good galleries, but if you're good, you're good. london doesn't change that.
4. no, i wouldn't have thought so. you need year 1 as civil engineering and first year architecture MA / MSc probably couldn't be more diametrically opposed. you definitely need year 1. if you went in as year 2, i think you'd be at a big disadvantage to the other second years who had the experience of first year.

Reply 2

flynottingham

Thanks for your reply, how would you compare London Met with Oxford Brookes?

Reply 3

jrhartley

hard to say. Brookes has a lot of Part IIIs going through it part time, its a popular course for people at that stage. They've got some good tutors (one recently from the WSA in Cardiff). I don't know much about London Met other than its the best of the ones you've listed reputation wise and the work at their show seems a decent standard. Its hard to quantify the difference between schools as their style and ethos vary so much.

Reply 4

Monte

Looks like you're going the same route as I've been! I spent 4 years in a huge global consultancy in London before seeing that architecture was the route that I wanted to follow. Is there an architectural side to your consultancy?

I chose Greenwich. It was a good course and had some great tutors. I don't think I would have wanted to go anywhere else in London for my part 1 - especially from a technical view. They were not too arty farty that I would have got frustrated with my background, yet allowed my creative side to flourish. That, with experience, let me step up and over other people at more prestigeous universitys.

There was a great part-time set at Greenwich too, with everyone in a similar boat.

When I went for the interview, I was offered the oppurtunity of jumping into year 2 directly but I chose to start from year 1. It really was the right choice and I would advise anyone to do the first year to get settled in. Most people joining in year 2 blew out after that year.

One thing you may come up against is the old "you're either an engineer or an architect". You have to be very strong-minded to convince them that you're making the right move.

As you're in such a similar position I was, feel free to pm or email me to chat more.

Good luck :smile:

Reply 5

flynottingham

Thank you for the advice!!!

Sadly the firm I am working for has not got architecture dept.

how did you prepare for the portfolio before the interview? what kinds of stuff involed?

BTW, can I have your email address? it's good to know someone with the same background.............

Thanks!

Reply 6

Monte

Looking back at my portfolio, it was quite an embarrassing one. I had never put one together so I went for a monster A1 format with images cut out and stuck on with prit-stic! Most of it was of stuff that I had done at work - construction drawings, renderings etc. Also put in some free-hand drawings and photos of a car that I had restored (to attempt to show off some craft). Bit of a mish-mash but it seemed to do the trick.

I've sent you a pm with my email. Would be happy to let you know more of my experiences.

Reply 7

fret

Monte

Just curious, how did you find the workload when studying part-time?

Reply 8

Monte

In short, it was pretty tough but manageable. It was easier to cope with it when I had a job that I could just turn my brain off to do, but when I got a more intense job that required me to put all my effort in, that was when it got a bit painful.

Thankfully I had an understanding girlfriend who had been through the course full-time, so it didn't put too much strain on our relationship.

If I could do the BA again, I would still do it part-time. The pros outweigh the cons by miles.

The workload was only slightly less than full-time but part-timers seemed to be more efficient workers and beneffited hugely from being in a practice at the same time.

Reply 9

orie2409

Hello,

I know this is a really old post, but fingers crossed for a reply! I've been seriously considering studying for a part time Architecture degree in London, but financially I need to continue working. If you maintained typical 9-5 Mon-Fri working hours whilst doing the degree, how did you find it? If not, do you think this would be possible, or would I need to switch a job with more flexible working hours?

Cheers!