Architecture

The first semester starts with architecture courses dedicated to an Architectural Design Studio (10 EC in Q1 and Q2) and a Building Engineering Studio (10 EC in Q1 and Q2). Further, Q1 offers an Architectural Design and Research Methods lecture series (5 EC) and Q2 offers an Architectural History and Theory lecture series (5 EC).

For detailed information on all courses, please visit the study guide.

Choose one of the available MSc1 studios.

Please note: You may do your full Master course programme at one and the same studio if so desired; you can also switch design studios from MSc 1 to MSc 2, and then again choose a different combined MSc 3 & 4 studio.

The second semester starts with two Architecture electives (2 x 5 EC) and Thesis writing (5 EC) in Q3. Check the study guide for the Q3 track specific electives. The various elective information flyers can be downloaded here.

The final quarter (Q4) is reserved for either an intensive Architectural Research and Design course or a so-called (Intra)disciplinary elective of 15 EC, where students of Architecture, Urbanism, Landscape Architecture and Building Technology in different combinations are challenged to work together on overarching themes. 

• Check the study guide for a full overview of the intradisciplinary electives available to Architecture track students.
• To see how the different tracks within the Master AUBS work together, check the list of (intra)disciplinary Q4 electives of all tracks here.

Please note: You may do your full Master course programme at one and the same studio if so desired; you can also switch design studios from MSc 1 to MSc 2, and then again choose a different combined MSc 3 & 4 studio.

From September 2025 the fifth quarter (Q5) allows you to choose electives offered by or in collaboration with other TU Delft faculties, or with public or private partners. This new Q5 offers students the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience from collaborating in projects with other disciplines or challenges found outside the walls of our own faculty. More information on the electives offered in Q5 is available as from April 2025.

The final three quarters of the second year (Q6, Q7, Q8) are reserved for the Graduation Studio and form a coherent whole (40 EC). In Q6, parallel to the Graduation Studio, a methodology course is offered, in which the theoretical foundation of the individual graduation project is developed (5 EC).

Within the Department of Architecture several groups offer both MSc 1 Design Studios and Graduation Studios. These studios have developed their own design approach and way of working over the years. Depending on your preference you can choose to take your MSc 1 Design Studio and Graduation Studio within the same group, but this is not mandatory. 

Overview Graduation Studios

Cross-domain graduation studios
Master students Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences can, instead of the regular studios or graduation themes, choose for one of the cross-domain graduation studios during their second year. Students from the Architecture track can choose for:

• Explore Lab
• City of the Future

Choose one of the available MSc1 studios.

The MSc2 semester of the Architecture track consists of 5 credits of compulsory courses and 25 credits of electives. A significant part of these electives must be completed with an elective research and design studio offered by the Architecture track or an approved (by the Board of Examiners) design project at one of the international partner universities.

Visit the study guide for a full overview of research and design projects offered by the Architecture track.

The remaining part of the MSc2 electives (10 EC) can be completed with:

• Electives offered by the track Architecture. Visit the Study Guide for a full overview of electives (5EC)
• A MSc (elective) course offered by one of the other tracks or TU Delft programmes.
• A MSc course taken and completed at another Dutch or foreign university*

* Only courses taken and completed with a valid enrolment as a TU Delft student for our MSc AUBS can be accepted. Also, the content of the course should not overlap with the content of the compulsory MSc1 and MSc2 courses. 

Registration of electives

To include electives offered by our faculty or other TU Delft programmes in your Study Progress Overview in Osiris, you have to submit the Master Electives list form. You can do this in advance, if you want to be sure that your courses will be accepted, or after completion.

If no request is submitted, the results will be registered as “other” in Osiris. This means that they will not be part of your required study programme and will not be listed on your diploma supplement.

For elective courses (to be) completed at other universities you must use the Certificate of incorporation to submit your request for approval by the Board of Examiners to include them in your study programme. 

* Please note: The Architecture Design Studio and Building Engineering Studios are integrated and taught during the 1st and 2nd quarter. Only students who choose the MSc 1 studio of The Why Factory will follow the Architecture Design Studio in the 1st quarter and Building Engineering Studios in the 2nd quarter. 

* Please also note that due to the limited capacity of the studios there is no guarantee you can be placed at the studio of your preference. 

During the second year, students choose one of the different graduation studios. 

The programme consists of a graduation studio of two linked semesters. MSc3 consists primarily of research, in which the subject matter of the course is examined in greater depth. In MSc4 a design assignment is worked out in detail, either theoretically or in a practical sense. The two semesters comprise a whole in which students develop their design instruments and enhance their skills to contribute to architectural design and research in relation to social and technical issues.

* Please note that due to the limited capacity of the studios there is no guarantee you can be placed at the studio of your preference.

Overview graduation studios

Cross-domain graduation studios
Master students Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences can, instead of the regular studio’s or graduation themes, choose one of the cross-domain graduation studios during their second year. Students from the Architecture track can choose:

• Explore Lab
• City of the Future

More graduation information can be found here.