The Architectural History MA course focuses on the historical, theoretical, and critical interpretation of architecture, cities, urban spaces, and creative practices. This long-running master’s has consistently evolved, emphasising the exploration of both new and existing methods and critical theories that shape the study of architecture and urban environments.
You will learn beyond traditional architectural histories that centre on celebrated individuals, iconic buildings, or stylistic classifications. The course positions architecture within broader social, political, material, technological, ideological, environmental, and urban processes, and has led the way in introducing innovative, interdisciplinary perspectives – from feminist and ecological thought to critical disability, decolonial and digital theories, alongside inclusive pedagogies and creative methods.
Through this expanded interdisciplinary lens, you will gain the critical tools to interpret buildings, cities, texts, architects, and visual and spatial representations from the early modern period to the contemporary, enabling you to develop an advanced capacity for critical analysis and interpretation across architectural and urban forms, practices, and representations.
Upon graduating, you will have developed key employability skills and be equipped to define, develop, and execute a substantial independent research project, and select appropriate formats for investigating and presenting architectural historical and critical work.
You will have developed your understanding of how architecture intersects with wider cultural and societal forces. You will also have developed an advanced capacity for critical analysis and interpretation across architectural and urban forms, practices, and representations. You will have rigorous research skills for academic or professional futures in architecture, history, or related disciplines. You will also develop effective communication methods and presentation skills suited to a wide range of audiences.
Our graduates are highly sought after across various fields. Some continue academic research or teaching, while others pursue careers in architecture, the visual arts, education, publishing, curatorship, heritage, design, research, and beyond.
Graduates have gone on to job roles including architects, academics, heritage consultants, journalists and television presenters, curators, public events programmers, and researchers for architectural practices. They work in organisations including Foster and Partners, Donald Insall Architects, the Architectural Association, the Barbican and the RIBA.*
Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of graduates in the 2018–2024 cohorts, LinkedIn profiles