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Architecture M.Arch

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The two-year (120 ECTS credits) accredited professional master’s in architecture (MArch) at the Iceland University of the Arts is devoted to exploring of the meaning and scope of architecture and the multiple societal roles of architects. 

  • Opnað fyrir umsóknir

    6th of January 2025

  • Umsóknarfrestur

    8th of April 2025

  • Umsóknum svarað

    May / June 2025

  • Skrásetningargjald

    Skoða nánar

  • Nafn námsleiðar

    Architecture M.Arch

  • Nafn gráðu

    M.Arch

  • Einingar

    120 ETC

  • Lengd náms

    4 semesters – 2 years

Upplýsingar um nám eru á ensku hjá námsleiðum þar sem kennslutungumál er enska.

About the study

Architecture is a composite discipline committed to exploring, understanding and designing the relationships between humans and their environment. This requires a holistic action-oriented type of education capable of providing students with the pertinent knowledge, skills, and behaviours necessary to operate as architects. Architectural education is taught as a multidimensional project dedicated to the development of: 

  • Critical thinking (the ability to question everything) 
  • Awareness (the ability to understand what you see) 
  • Self-reflection (the ability to assess the impact of your design work on others) 
  • Imagination (the ability to conceive and represent what is not there yet) and  
  • Action (the ability to pursue your ideas beyond the school’s limits). 

We use Iceland as a unique laboratory for design exploration and for building a strong community of teachers and students in architecture who explore together the wondrous possibilities that the field of architectural research can generate.  

Course structure

The design studio is the backbone of architectural education, this is a dedicated space from which students conduct architectural research both individually and in teams. Each design studio lasts 15 weeks and leads to 30 ECTS. Each design studio is led by a distinguished local/international practitioner/s, who organizes, in dialogue with the faculty, an engaging, stimulating, and critical learning environment. Through the different stages of the programme, students will complete four design studio projects. The last design studio leads to the MArch Final Thesis which is an independent student-driven design work presented publicly and assessed by an external jury. Through the MArch, students are given the opportunity to show that they have acquired the knowledge, skills, traits, attitudes, and behaviors necessary for becoming ethical practitioners able to use the design process as a collaborative project aimed at living together harmoniously.   

After graduation

Graduates from the MArch can use their architectural education in multiple ways as building/urban designers in private architectural firms and the public sector, and in other sectors where creativity and care are strongly required. Graduates can also continue their education by enrolling in PhD studies. 

Application Process

IUA employs a standard electronic application form.
The application process is in two steps, first submit the application and then pay the application fee. Please note: It is possible to save the application while working on it.

Opnað fyrir umsóknir

6th of January 2025

Umsóknarfrestur

8th of April 2025

Umsóknum svarað

May / June 2025

Verðskrá

Skoða nánar

Admission requirements

An application is not valid until the applicant has submitted the application and paid the application fee. Applicants must submit the following documents:

  • 1. Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture (BArch)

    Required
    •  BA Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture (BArch) corresponding to 180 ECTS credits or equivalent.
    • Certificates of the applicant’s completed degree(s) must be officially issued by the Academic Registrar’s Office, the Examinations Office, or the equivalent office that issues official transcripts of records at the applicant’s university.

    Transcripts of completed courses and grades included in your degree. If you have had courses credited and/or transferred from previous studies, you must also submit official transcripts for those.

    Students in the final year of undergraduate studies are encouraged to apply and, if qualified, be conditionally admitted. In this case a student must submit an official document stating that you’re a currently enrolled student and participating in your last year of studies. The document must be issued through and signed by a representative of the Academic Registrar’s Office, the Examinations Office or equivalent.

  • 2. Proof of English Proficiency

    Required

    English language proficiency equivalent to the Icelandic upper secondary course English 6 is required. You can meet the requirement by achieving the minimum required score in the following internationally recognised English tests:

    • ELTS Academic or IELTS UKVI Online: Overall score of 6.5, no section lower than 5.5
    • TOEFL iBT, TOEFL iBT Home Edition or TOEFL iBT Paper Edition: Score of 20 (scale 0-30) in written test, total score of 90. We do not accept TOEFL ITP, TOEFL iBT MyBest, Institutional TOEFL, TOEFL Essentials, or the revised TOEFL Paper-delivered Test.
    • Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments: University of Michigan, Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
    • Pearson PTE Academic or PTE Academic Online: Score of 62 (writing 61)
    • Cambridge ESOL: C1 Advanced (CAE), minimum overall score 180 (points awarded since 2015), or Cambridge English certificate level C1, minimum score 180, or Cambridge English: Advanced
  • 3. References

    Required

    Applicants must submit two references, at least one of them academic. Each reference should not exceed 250 words. Each reference must contain the referee’s contact information (including email address) and relevant credentials and clearly indicate how they relate to the applicant.

  • 4. Statement

    Required

    Applicants must write no more than 500 words about their decision to apply for the MArch at the Iceland University of the Arts.

  • 5. Curriculum Vitae

    Required

    Applicants must submit a CV of relevant education and professional experience, including general information about the applicant.

  • 6. Portfolio

    Required

    Applicants must present an original portfolio that gathers prime examples of their work. The work should reflect the applicant’s character, shed light on main interests, demonstrate skills and competences, and make it accessible to comprehensively read the applicant’s ability for original creation and communication of ideas. The portfolio should be designed and made by the applicant.

    Please follow these instructions when crafting your portfolio:

    • Format: PDF
    • Size: maximum size of 10 MB, no more than 20 pages. Please keep in mind that each page must be readable on a laptop screen.

    Content: The portfolio should clearly state whether the presented projects come from education or other sources. In addition, please:

      1. State your home university or office.
      2. State during which year of the studies the project was done or the length of time.
      3. Indicate if the work has been produced by the applicant alone or in collaboration.
  • Selection Criteria

    In assessing applications, the intake committee evaluates the above six deliverables. They then conduct interviews with selected applicants, evaluating how well the respective applicant is likely to absorb the teaching and the methodology of architecture practiced at the Iceland University of the Arts.

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