Postgraduate coursework

Overview

This section details the graduate coursework degrees available within the Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning, with the exception of the Master of Architecture professional degree, which is discussed in a separate section.

Courses

The following postgraduate coursework degrees are offered by the Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning at the graduate certificate, graduate diploma and master's level:

• Architectural Science
• Design
• Heritage Conservation
• Interaction Design and Electronic Arts
• Urban Design
• Urban and Regional Planning
• Urbanism

Streams

Some of the degrees require or allow streams to be completed. In order to complete a stream, a student must study a minimum set of prescribed core and optional units of study which build expertise in that area. The following degrees offer streams:

Master of Architectural Science

• Audio and Acoustics
• High Performance Buildings
• Illumination Design
• Sustainable Design
• Combination of any two Architectural Science streams

Master of Design

• Design Innovation
• Strategic Design
• Design Innovation and Strategic Design

Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts

• Audio and Acoustics
• Illumination Design
• Also available without specialisation

Master of Urban and Regional Planning

• Heritage Conservation
• Also available without specialisation

Master of Urbanism

• Heritage Conservation
• Urban Design
• Urban and Regional Planning

Admission

Applicants for master's degrees are normally expected to hold a bachelor's degree from this or another university. Where this degree is not directly relevant to the chosen field, applicants may be asked to furnish evidence that they are suitably qualified for the course.

Applicants for Urban Design must hold an undergraduate degree in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, town planning, urbanism, geography or a related field.

Applicants without a bachelor's degree may be admitted to the graduate certificate on a probationary basis. If they achieve an average mark in excess of 70 they may apply for admission to the graduate diploma or master's level.

Articulation from graduate certificate or diploma to master's

Students are encouraged to enrol into the degree and stream that they intend to complete. If you wish to complete a master's degree you should apply for the master's program. However, the postgraduate degrees are articulated, allowing easy progression (or regression) from the graduate certificate to the graduate diploma or master's degree, or vice versa. The main difference between the level of award is the total number of credit points required, as well as the number of core, optional and elective units of study required. A student who begins with a graduate certificate can easily upgrade to a higher award. A student who begins with a master's degree but decides not to continue may be able to graduate with a graduate diploma or graduate certificate.

Master's degrees requiring 72 and 96 credit points

Most of the master's degrees listed here require 72 credit points, or 1.5 years of full-time study. However, the following master's degrees require 96 credit points, or two years of full-time study, and allow the combination of two programs:

• Master of Architectural Science (combination of any two Architectural Science streams)
• Master of Design (Design Innovation) (Strategic Design)
• Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts (Audio and Acoustics)
• Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts (Illumination Design)
• Master of Urbanism (Heritage Conservation)
• Master of Urbanism (Urban Design)
• Master of Urbanism (Urban and Regional Planning)

The same principles of articulation apply: a candidate enrolled in a 72 credit point master's can upgrade to an appropriate 96 credit point master's, and vice-versa.

However, students intending to complete a 96 credit point master's degree are advised to plan this carefully from the beginning of their candidature to ensure they can complete all requirements in a timely fashion.

Graduation

Students who choose to articulate their program will only graduate with the highest qualification they achieve. Candidates should note that the Master of Urbanism with two streams, the Master of Design with two streams, and the Master of Architectural Science with two streams, leads to the award of one master's degree only.

Degree requirements summary

The following summary is subordinate to the full set of resolutions of the school and the resolutions specific to each program. It does not contain all of the terms of candidature. Students are strongly advised to read the full resolutions and monitor their progress through their course.

Master's degrees 72 credit points selected from the relevant degree table, comprising core and elective units to the number specified in the following table of requirements. A full-time student will finish the program in three semesters, except:

Master of Architectural Science (two streams) 96 credit points selected from the relevant degree table. The candidate must decide which of the two streams is primary, and meet the core and optional requirements for that stream as specified in the 'Table of Requirements'. The candidate must decide which of the two streams is secondary, and meet the core requirements for that stream as specified in the 'Table of requirements'. A unit that is common to the requirements of both streams may count towards the requirements for both streams, but may only count once in the total credit points for the degree. A full-time student will finish the program in four semesters.

Graduate diplomas 48 credit points from the relevant degree table, comprising core and elective units to the number specified in the following 'Table of Requirements'. A full-time student will finish the program in two semesters.

Graduate certificates 24 credit points from the relevant degree table, comprising of core and elective units to the number specified in the following 'Table of Requirements'. A full-time student will finish the program in one semester.

Study in other faculties

Students in the graduate diploma or master's programs may request permission to substitute up to 18 credit points worth of units of study with graduate units from other programs in the University or from other universities. Permission must be requested in advance.