MSc Architecture and the Sustainable Environment
Canterbury, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2027
TUITION FEES
GBP 19,300 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
* for international | UK: £10,000
Key Summary
About: The MSc Architecture and the Sustainable Environment is offered full-time or part-time and delivers a rigorous, challenging programme to advance professional and academic careers. It combines taught courses, research assignments and project work to give a systematic understanding of sustainable design. You’ll do technical and historical research and apply findings in design and technology, covering energy efficiency, building physics and urban sustainability.
Career Outcomes: You'll gain skills and networks for careers in architecture, environmental consultancy, sustainable design and urban planning. Possible roles include a sustainability consultant, building performance analyst, design researcher, urban designer, project manager, or further academic research.
The course, which can be studied full-time or part-time, offers an academically rigorous and intellectually challenging learning environment, which aims to enhance career development within the field for professionals and academics. The over-arching aim of the programme is to provide participants with a systematic understanding of core and advanced areas of sustainable design through a combination of taught courses, research assignments and project work. Students will be asked to conduct rigorous technical and historical research and to explore the practical application of their findings in the context of design and technology.
Stage 1
Compulsory modules currently include the following
- Principles of Environmental Design
- Rediscovery - Understanding Historic Buildings and Past Environmental Technologies
- Monitoring and Modelling of Environmental Performance
- Retrofit Design
- Sustainable Design
- Resilience in Cities
- Methods for Research in Academia or Practice
- Dissertation or Industry-based Project
Programme aims
This programme aims to:
- enable students to develop a systematic understanding of the effect of the built environment on the environmental performance and energy consumption of buildings, while optimising comfortable conditions for the occupants
- develop your understanding of the sustainability drivers for the built environment
- develop your in-depth knowledge of the theoretical principles of low-carbon design
- develop the ability to analyse the environmental behaviour of historic structures and the efficiency of past environmental technologies, using modern scientific methods
- promote creativity in the integration of sustainable solutions in the built environment at different scales
- enable you to develop skills for physical monitoring and digital modelling of the environmental and energy performance of buildings
- provide you with the ability to work in multidisciplinary design teams
- promote and support independent research skills.
- Enable you to develop the skills required for both autonomous practice and teamwork.
- Support you, so that you can fulfil your full potential in the programme.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You will gain knowledge and understanding of:
- the complexity of the energy performance of buildings and their occupants’ interactions
- impact of the physical environment on the environmental and energy performance of buildings
- fundamental concepts of building science and principles for low-energy design, about heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting
- a comprehensive, critical analysis of the environmental behaviour of historic buildings and the associated environmental technologies
- the range of techniques for analysing the environmental and energy performance of buildings
- A holistic approach that enables the development of design strategies for low-energy buildings, for both new as well as retrofitting developments, that are equally culturally and environmentally sustainable.
Intellectual skills
You develop intellectual skills in:
- The ability to apply the skills needed for academic study and enquiry
- the ability to develop analytical and critical skills in understanding the environmental and energy performance of buildings
- the ability to synthesise information from several sources to gain a coherent understanding of theory and application in the relevant framework
- the ability to resolve complex problems in developing low-energy buildings.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in:
- the ability to develop strategies for low-energy design for new and retrofitted building developments
- the ability to produce technical analytical reports for the development of sustainable buildings
- the ability to use appropriate monitoring techniques and software tools for evaluating the environmental and energy performance of buildings
- the ability to use visual, verbal and written communication to present the analysis of design proposals
- the ability to work in multidisciplinary design teams.
Transferable skills
You will gain the following transferable skills:
- the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of individuals using a variety of means
- the ability to generate, analyse, interpret and present data
- the ability to prepare critical arguments (written, visual and oral) based on thorough theoretical analysis and empirical research
- the ability to work effectively individually as well as in a team
- the ability to manage time and resources and prioritise workloads
- the ability to take responsibility for your personal and professional learning and development (personal development planning and CPD).
Scholarship value
The award covers tuition fees, return airfares and living costs for a one-year taught Master's programme.
Deadline
Deadline for Commonwealth application: - 12 December 2024.
Hold an unconditional offer (with the only outstanding condition, international fee deposit) of a programme of study from the University of Kent - 31 January 2025
Criteria
To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, candidates must:
- Hold an undergraduate degree at UK first-class level equivalent.
- Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by one of the eligible Commonwealth countries listed or be a British Protected Person.
- Be a permanent resident in one of the eligible Commonwealth countries listed above.
- To be committed to the University of Kent, you can apply for more than one course and/or to more than one University, but you may only accept one offer of a Shared Scholarship.
- Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a high-income country.
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
- Return to their home country as soon as their period of study is complete. In some circumstances, a student may be permitted to remain in the UK if seeing doctoral study and satisfy certain strict conditions.
- Hold an offer by the deadline for a full-time postgraduate taught degree on one of the eligible courses at the University of Kent:
- MSc Artificial Intelligence
- MSc Infectious Diseases
- MSc Cyber Security
- MA International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
- MSc Applied Actuarial Science
- MSc Conservation Science
- MA English and American Literature
Further details
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, set up by DFID in 1986, represent a unique partnership between the United Kingdom government and UK Universities.
Funded by the UK Department of International Development (DFID), Commonwealth Shared Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development. They are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.
These scholarships are offered under six themes:
- Science and technology for development
- Strengthening health systems and capacity
- Promoting global prosperity
- Strengthening global peace, security and governance
- Strengthening resilience and response to crises - Access, inclusion and opportunity.
How to apply
To be considered for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship you must:
- Make a formal application for a postgraduate degree at the University of Kent commencing September 2025/26. This can be done online here.
- Complete the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) online application process. For information on how to do that and full details of the application process please go directly to the Commonwealth Scholarships webpages.
- Applications will be considered based on Academic Excellence and a completed application.
- The Commonwealth will accept applications until 12th December 2024 (closing at 16:00 GMT).
This course gives you the knowledge, skills, and professional networks you need to launch a successful career in the sustainable built environment. You’ll be well-prepared for roles in both industry and research, with opportunities spanning architecture, environmental consultancy, sustainable design, and urban planning.
Our focus is on professional development, which is embedded in both classroom learning and real-world projects. You’ll engage with live projects, collaborate with industry professionals, and build strong networks that extend beyond university. Modules integrate fieldwork, placements, and practical assignments, giving you the hands-on experience employers are looking for.
Throughout the programme, you gain exposure to key industry players through guest lectures, workshops, and employer networking events, all of which contribute to your professional growth. End-of-year shows, and employer days provide platforms for you to show off your best work to the public and potential employers, demonstrating your skills and insight.
By the end of the course, you’ll have developed the expertise and network to become an expert, ready to lead in the sustainable development of the built environment.
for postgraduate updates
Teaching and assessment
Assessment is mostly based on coursework, with presentations, case-study analyses, design proposals, essays and the dissertation.
Study support
Postgraduate resources
Our studios include a dedicated computing suite with a range of environmental construction software, and a Digital Crit Space. There is a fully equipped architectural model-making workshop for constructing models and large-scale prototypes.
Professional links
The School has excellent contacts with businesses and culture in the local area, including regional organisations such as the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Kent County Council and European Association of Architectural Education (EAAE). The Sustainable Communities Plan is particularly strong in south-east England, making the region the ideal place in which to debate innovative solutions to architectural issues.
Kent also has excellent links with schools of architecture in Lille, Istanbul, Rome, Tokyo, and, in the USA, Virginia.
Academic study is complemented by a mentoring scheme organised in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and involving students in events with local practices.
Dynamic publishing culture
Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Architectural Research Quarterly; Architectural Review; Building and Environment; The Journal of Architecture; The World of Interiors. Details of recently published books can be found within our staff research interests.