BA (Hons) Architecture

The B.A(Hons) Architecture programme at the Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus was launched in 2015. Since then, the programme has rapidly grown to a community of more than 100 students, creating a unique niche within the vibrant design community of Dubai and the UAE. Strategically placed within the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS), the programme draws expertise from multiple disciplines associated with the built environment. 

The programme aims to educate students in addressing current challenges faced worldwide, including climate change, resource depletion, sustainability and energy efficiency. Students will work on authoring projects to create a positive impact through diverse design practices and innovative solutions that resonate with the industry during their undergraduate studies.

Graduates from the B.A Architecture(Hons) programme will be:

The B.A(Hons) Architecture course curriculum aligns with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) graduate criteria, providing students with a well-rounded and internationally recognized curriculum. The core spine of the curriculum is the architectural design courses taught across the four years of undergraduate studies. In the larger context of UAE and Dubai, each independent studio led by year leads undertakes the design of various building typologies at varying scales and levels of complexity. The synergy of courses with supporting dedicated studio facilities offers architecture students a rich architectural education experience at our state of art Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus at Knowledge Park. The core design studios are supported by additional streams of courses in Histories and Theories, Environment and Technology, Professional Practice and Design Representation.

The BA (Hons) Architecture programme at Heriot-Watt University Dubai is accredited by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). RIBA is an international professional body for architects based in the United Kingdom. In addition to promoting and making architecture accessible to everyone, RIBA has undertaken the development of various international architectural programmes. The RIBA Part 1 accreditation gives Heriot-Watt University, Dubai students the opportunity to join RIBA Part 2 Masters programmes in the UK and internationally. The programme accreditation reinforces our vision of contextually driven architecture that addresses global challenges.

Read more about the UAE Federal Accreditation.

We have research-active faculty leading the programme. Ongoing research themes include the phenomenological experience of space, redefining public spaces and social infrastructure,  intelligent facades and net-zero buildings, and smart and sustainable cities. The research themes are integrated into the curriculum through core design studios and architecture dissertations. Some of the key programme research initiatives are:

The D6 architecture programme has several platforms that the team uses to engage with the community. Community interaction is essential to the ethos of the programme: