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Architecture

What’s on offer for postgraduates?

Architecture postgraduate student profile

Architecture is a very small field of study at postgraduate level. Many postgraduate coursework programs offer those working as architects a chance to broaden some area of their knowledge, or to upgrade or gain specialist skills in some area of practice.

A number of other postgraduate programs give graduates the chance to qualify and enter the architecture profession. However, these postgraduate programs are usually not designed to allow a full career change by themselves, but are generally the second part of an integrated two-part program structure. First, as an undergraduate you will complete a general degree in design, applied science or arts and then move on to study architecture at postgraduate level.

The experience and rewards

Visit the University Ratings section for architecture course ratings or to see how architecture rates in the Fields of Study Compared table.

According to the national Course Experience Questionnaire survey, recent architecture postgraduates are quite satisfied with the teaching quality of their program and the generic skills they gain, but the overall satisfaction rate is poor. Job prospects are below average, with 22 per cent of graduates still seeking work at the time of the survey. Starting salaries remain well below average, but keep in mind that graduates of qualifying programs are not yet fully qualified architects, and can expect to earn more once they have completed their accreditation requirements.

For more information

If you are interested in postgraduate study in architecture you should also browse through the built environment profile. Some specialisations within engineering and perhaps even environmental studies, and the humanities and social sciences, may also be of interest.

Kath Gibbeson — Master of Architecture

How did you balance your study and other commitments?
Balancing everything just seems to happen whilst studying something that you love. I remember always being busy running from work to the computer labs at uni and then home late at night (if I wasn't doing an all-nighter). I always got everything that I needed to get done, and I quickly learnt how to prioritise.

Are postgraduate classes a requirement in your chosen field?
Architecture is a masters course now. The final (fifth) year is the masters year, and without it you would only obtain a design degree.

How did your postgraduate qualifications assist you in getting a job?
The fact that a thesis (based on a practical design) is mandatory to completing and attaining a masters of architecture means that it is very important to finish. It illustrates that you know how to research, formulate and communicate your ideas, which is very important in the industry. It also means that you have a pretty amazing portfolio to take to job interviews.

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