Bachelor of Architectural Design
Combine your creative vision and technical expertise to shape the future of society, through great design in the built environment.
You’ll learn to think beyond the building to create inspiring and sustainable solutions that transform the way we live, and spaces, places, and communities that improve our quality of life.
Career possibilities
The Bachelor of Architectural Design is the first step on the journey to becoming an architect, and forms part of a five‐year specialist degree with the Master of Architecture. Graduates from Monash have gone on to work in private practices and for government, as urban designers, planning consultants, policy advisors, project managers, town planners, and more.
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How the course works
You’ll study every aspect of architecture in this hands-on, studio-based degree. There is no need to have previously studied any design subjects as our first year has been developed to ensure all students gain the necessary foundation skills in freehand and computer-aided drawing to be successful in the degree and within architectural practice.
In Year 1 Foundation Studios, you’ll learn how to use the architectural design processes of investigation and experimentation, exploring materials, crafts, space and unexpected environments. You’ll learn how to question design propositions and explore architectural design-thinking through the making of architectural objects.
Drawing and modelling skills are vital to an architect. Also in Year 1, we’ll teach you how to use computer-aided drafting (CAD) software and develop CAD modelling and drawing skills in both two and three dimensions.
In Year 2, you’ll be introduced to architects and designers from across Melbourne and around the world as they pitch ideas for Design Studio projects you can work on together. You’ll choose two in Year 2 – which ones are up to you! The Studio is a collaborative environment – you’ll be working in small groups to develop a range of creative interventions and responses to a wide variety of social and spatial issues, just like you would in an actual architecture firm.
You’ll choose two more Design Studios in Year 3. Through your choices, you’ll build your skills in specific areas, expand your understanding of architectural possibilities, and gain experience aligning with your interests and career aspirations.
Year 3 is also the point where you’ll want to consider your next steps. To become a practising architect, you’ll need to continue your studies with the two-year Master of Architecture – as a Bachelor graduate, you’re guaranteed entry into the course.
It’s not the only path, though. You could choose to graduate after Year 3 and apply your knowledge and skills as an urban designer, property developer or consultant. Or you could take the two-year Master of Urban Planning and Design to make your mark on the world by helping cities of the future respond to the challenges of accommodating growing populations, adapting to climate change, and more.
Professional recognition
Monash University’s Bachelor of Architectural Design is accredited by the Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV), under the national program jointly owned by the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) and the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA).
Meet our graduates
Monash grads seek to make a positive difference in the world by taking on global problems and solving them with innovative design solutions. We’d like to introduce you to some of them. More graduates...
Dan McKenna
My time at Monash was pivotal in reshaping how I looked at the built environment.
Jamie Danino
Monash architecture offers so many amazing opportunities to learn beyond the classroom.
