Structure
The programme structure is organised around a full-time, two-year interdisciplinary curriculum with the final semester dedicated to a semester-long thesis project. The programme combines a traditional, studio-based model of architectural education with an interdisciplinary environment of design and scholarly research. Before the start of the third semester, students are required to provide evidence that they have completed a minimum of two-months internship in an architectural practice. The estimated student workload of the MARCH programme corresponds to 120 ECTS. The programme is divided into four semesters and structured around eight modules:
- Modules 1 to 3: Each module consists of a semester-long design exercise (design studio). Each design studio emphasises a different aspect of design, moving from the development of analytical and research tools for working with territorial and regional scales, to urban and landscape planning, and finally, design at the scale of the building. Throughout this process, students learn to conceptualise programmes and to design both strategies and projects while working in interdisciplinary teams.
- Module 4: In this module, students examine the economic, political, and ecological aspects of urbanisation and the production of the built environment in the context of global circulation of goods. Students acquire skills in geographic information systems (GIS) and are introduced to major theories and methodologies of geospatial analysis and data.
- Module 5: This module focuses on urbanisation, understood as a complex process of shaping cities, territories, rural areas, and natural sites.
- Module 6: Students study the history and theory of architecture, especially in relation to city-landscapes. They explore cultural and visual studies, along with research methods for architecture and urbanism. The module also offers courses connected to the engineering disciplines, dealing with issues of energy, structural and material performance of buildings, as well as technologies and methodologies for reconstruction.
- Module 7: In this module, students can orientate their curriculum according to their personal interests and choose from seven different seminars, each focusing on a different area — including design, urban studies, environmental studies, technology, and management or administrative aspects of the discipline.
- Module 8: The final module is dedicated exclusively to a final Master thesis. Prior to commencing their thesis, students need to have successfully completed all other coursework in all other modules. The thesis is conceptualised as a research-based design project.
EU citizens benefit from the automatic recognition of their diploma in architecture provided by University of Luxembourg within all EU Member States since the diploma is listed in annex 5.7.1. of the Directive 2005/36/EC. For more details refer to the following links:
EU Automatic Recognition
EU Regulated Professions
Non-EU citizens are advised to check the national laws of their home country to assess the conditions of recognition of their diploma in architecture provided by the University of Luxembourg.
