Design, BA (Hons) and MDes

Teaching

Most teaching will take place in the design studio. Your design projects will be exhibited at the end of each year.

The rest of the curriculum will include lectures, seminars, workshops, and supervisions to build on the practical and professional skills which can be used in your design projects.

Please check the department website for updates on the course outline for 2026 entry.

Assessment

You are assessed on studio work at the end of each term through a combination of lab work, a portfolio, presentations and coursework. These will account for 50% of your overall marks each year.

With the exception of mathematics and programming (which is examined by a formal written examination), the rest of the curriculum is examined by assessments of submitted work and verbal presentations. These will account for the remaining 50% of marks each year.

Year 1 (Part IA)

The first year is an introductory course establishing the groundwork and is mostly taught jointly with Architecture. You begin studio work with design projects which introduce you to the core skills of design.

As well as studio work, you take five compulsory papers:

• Professional Skills I
• Materials and Fabrication I
• History and Theory of Design
• Form and Forces I
• Mathematics and Programming I
• Environmental Design I

Year 2 (Part IB)

Second year studio projects cover geotechnics, water and timber engineering. Each is accompanied by lectures and lab work.

As well as studio work, you take 5 compulsory papers:

• Professional Skills II
• Materials and Fabrication II
• Environmental Design II
• Form and Forces II
• Mathematics and Programming II

A land surveying course is undertaken during the year, usually at the end of Lent Term.

You also choose 3 further papers from a range of topics, one of which must be a history and theory course. The others can be technical courses.

Examples of options may include:

• Sound and architecture
• Architecture and Gender
• History of Construction
• Current Topics in Urbanism
• Sustainable Housing and Climate Change
• Inclusive design an interdisciplinary approach
• Design by Making
• Techniques in Materials Science
• Modelling natural ventilation systems
• Human-centred design and neurodiversity
• Robotics and manufacturing

Year 3 (Part IIA)

Third year studio projects cover concrete, steel, and sustainable materials and design. Each is accompanied by lectures and lab work.

As well as studio work, you take one compulsory paper:

• Professional Skills III

You also choose 5 further papers from a range of topics including those listed in Year 2 (at least 2 of which should be in History and Theory).

Year 4 (Part IIB)

You will work in the studio on a full-year design project.

You will also complete a dissertation project of your choice. This is a major independent project and an opportunity for you to show creativity and mastery in design. You will also focus on at least one of the fundamental design disciplines, using theoretical, experimental and/or computational methods.

Your studio and dissertation projects will allow you to make use of the knowledge and skills developed in Parts I and IIA.

You also take one compulsory paper:

• Professional Skills IV

For further information about this course and the papers you can take see the Department of Architecture website.

Changing course

Students can change to the Architecture course after Year 1.

In rare cases, it may be possible to change to another course once you’ve joined the University. You will usually have to get agreement from your College and the relevant departments. It’s not guaranteed that your course change will be approved.

You might also have to:

• take part in an interview
• complete an admissions test
• produce some written work
• achieve a particular grade in your current studies
• do some catch-up work
• start your new course from the beginning 

For more information visit the Department website.

You can also apply to change to:

• Management Studies at the Judge Business School

You can't apply to this course until you're at Cambridge. You would usually apply when you have completed 1 year or more of your original Cambridge course.

You should contact your College’s Admissions Office if you’re thinking of changing your course. They will be able to give you advice and explain how changing courses works.