The Master of Architecture (Design) [MArch (Design)] is a three-year full-time self-financed programme* offered by the Department of Architecture. Built on the existing two-year MArch, the three-year MArch (Design) offers a path for qualified students from undergraduate programmes outside of architecture to pursue an architectural education.

To be eligible for admission to the degree of MArch (Design), a candidate shall:

shall comply with the General Regulations and the Regulations for Taught Postgraduate Curricula;
shall possess a bachelor’s degree with honours of this University; or another equivalent qualification from another university or comparable institution accepted for this purpose* ;
shall possess a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering, or Bachelor of Arts degree or equivalent;
for a candidate who is seeking admission on the basis of a qualification from a university or comparable institution outside Hong Kong of which the language of teaching and/or examination is not English, shall satisfy the University English language requirement applicable to high degrees as prescribed under General Regulation G2(b);
shall satisfy the examiners in qualifying examination if required.

Preference will be given to applicants with professional experience that has shaped their practical and intellectual capacity in a positive manner.

*The MArch (Design) programme is accredited by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) and the Architects Registration Board (ARB) ); and via the Canberra Accord the programmes have substantial equivalency with the accreditation/validation systems of the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA), NAAB in USA, CACB-CCCA in Canada, NBAA in China, JABEE in Japan, KAAB in Korea, ANPADEH in Mexico, and SACAP in South Africa.

Application Submission Requirements

After submitting the online application via the University’s online application system ( https://aal.hku.hk/tpg/programme-list-2324 ), within one day, applicants will receive an email from the Faculty with login ID and password to access the Faculty’s MArch(Design) Application Documents Submission System (https://admission.arch.hku.hk). Please upload the below list of supporting documents to the MArch(Design) Application Documents Submission System. Please do not encrypt the supporting documents.

1.

1. Curriculum vitae (inclusive of publications and academic awards, if any)
2. Official transcripts
3. Graduation certificate (if any)
4. Test Report of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (non-home edition), or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (if you have not been studying in the university in which the courses are taught in English).
5. A portfolio with no more than 20 pages of creative work related to landscape orientation in PDF format. Proper credit and context must be given for all work related to author, collaborators, and professional office in which the work was completed or academic course and instructor for which the work was completed, where appropriate. The maximum file size is 30MB.
6. A written statement of interest (500 words maximum). you should
  1. describe why you want to attend the Master of Architecture (Design) Programme at HKU and identify specific aspects of the programme or the context of Hong Kong that have influenced your decision to apply;
  2. describe an academic project or professional experience that has shaped the way you approach architecture or urbanism; and
  3. identify a topic or architecture or urbanism that you would like to explore in greater depth in your graduate studies at HKU.

Applicants will only be requested to submit hard copies of supporting documents when they receive an admission offer. Therefore, please do not submit hard copies to the Faculty Office before you receive the offer.

2. Applicants have to appoint 2 referees, preferably one previous teacher and one professional employer, via the University’s online application system ( https://aal.hku.hk/tpg/programme-list-2324). At least one academic reference is required. Both of the referees will be requested to complete an online referee report and upload a reference letter via a separate email sent by the Faculty.

- Application submission is open until 12:00 noon (GMT+8), 31 May 2023 (non-local applicants)/ 12:00 noon (GMT+8), 16 June 2023 (local applicants).
- Deadline for submitting of all supporting documents to complete the application is 12:00 noon (GMT+8), 31 May 2023 (non-local applicants)/ 12:00 noon (GMT+8), 16 June 2023 (local applicants).

FAQ MArch(Design)

Accreditation Status Statement
The Programme	Master of Architecture (Design) degree programme A three-year professional architectural programme
The Delivering Unit	Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture
The Degree Conferring Body	The University of Hong Kong
Accreditation Status*	HKIA/ARB accredited since 2022 Current HKIA/ARB Accreditation will expire on 31 December 2024 Next HKIA/ARB visit for continuing accreditation is scheduled in 2024
*The Architects Registration Board HKSAR (“ARB”), established under the Architects Registration Ordinance (Chapter 408), is the authorized organization for the registration of architects in Hong Kong. One of the prerequisites for registration as a registered architect requires a degree from a professional degree programme in architecture recognised by ARB, or jointly accredited by ARB and The Hong Kong Institute of Architects (“HKIA”). A pre-professional architectural undergraduate degree shall require an additional professional degree in architecture accepted by ARB as the education qualification appropriate for registration as a registered architect in Hong Kong. A programme accredited by HKIA/ARB may be granted a five-year term of continuing accreditation, or not more than a three-year term with conditions, depending on the extent of its conformance with the established accreditation criteria.

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