2024-25

Degree of Bachelor of Architecture

RESOLUTION

The Degree of Bachelor of Architecture is governed by Resolution No. 551 of the University Court, the provisions of which are as follows.

1.   The Degree of Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) at The Glasgow School of Art may be awarded by the University of Glasgow either as an Ordinary Degree (on a full-time or a part-time basis) or as a Degree with Honours (full-time or part-time with a final full-time year) in such designations as may be prescribed by Regulation.

2.   The Senate may make Regulations, which are subject to the approval of the University Court, governing the award of the Degree - these shall be stated in the section entitled 'Regulations'.

3.   The Senate recognises The Glasgow School of Art, through its Academic Council, as being corporately responsible for the administration and development of the courses leading to the Degree of Bachelor of Architecture.

4.   It shall be the duty of the Academic Council of The Glasgow School of Art to consider annually the curriculum for the Degree of Bachelor of Architecture and such other matters, including the admission and progress of students, as may be remitted to it by the Senate and to report to the Senate thereon. It shall be competent for the Academic Council to make recommendations to the Senate, with regard to the appointment of Examiners for the Degree.

5.   It shall be competent for the University Court, on the recommendation of the Senate, to recognise as teachers of the University for the purpose of the Degree, such lecturers and other officers of The Glasgow School of Art having responsibility for courses qualifying for the Degree, as may be proposed for such recognition by the Academic Council.

6.   The Senate may appoint as an Examiner for the Degree, but not as an External Examiner, any teacher recognised in accordance with §5.

7.   The External Examiners for the Degree shall be appointed by the Academic Council of The Glasgow School of Art.

REGULATIONS

Duration of Degree Study

The minimum and maximum periods of study, expressed as academic sessions, are as below:

Type of award

Full-time

Part-time

 

Minimum

Maximum

Minimum

Maximum

Honours degree

4

7[1]

5

7

Ordinary degree

3

5

4

6

Diploma of Higher Education

2

3

2

4

Certificate of Higher Education

1

2

1

2

1.1   a)   The curriculum for the Ordinary Degree shall extend over no fewer than three sessions full-time or four sessions part-time. The curriculum for the Degree with Honours shall extend over no fewer than four sessions full-time, or four sessions part-time and the honours year undertaken in full-time mode.

b)   Candidates engaged in part-time study will be required to spend no fewer than one and a half days per week in attendance on courses or in supervised study. The remaining time will be spent employed in a recognised architect’s practice approved by the Head of the Mackintosh School of Architecture.

c)   The Academic Council of The Glasgow School of Art may recognise attendance given and examinations passed in another institution; provided always that every candidate whose attendance and examinations are thus recognised shall attend qualifying courses for at least two academic years (including the final year of the curriculum) at The Glasgow School of Art.

1.2   Every candidate for the Degree of Bachelor of Architecture must attend, for the minimum period of study stipulated in the Regulations, courses of instruction in The Glasgow School of Art, except that the Academic Council may recognise attendance given and examinations passed in another institution specially recognised by the University Court on the recommendation of the Senate; provided always that every candidate whose attendance or examinations are thus recognised, shall normally attend qualifying courses for at least two academic years full-time or three academic years part-time for the Ordinary Degree or three academic years full-time for the Degree with Honours or, in the case of part-time candidates, three academic years part-time and one academic year full-time for the Degree with Honours (in each case including the final year of the curriculum) in The Glasgow School of Art and shall pass the Degree examinations appropriate to these courses.

2.   General Structure and Assessment of Degree

2.1   Courses taught within The Mackintosh School of Architecture will bear the following credits:

Stage 1 Full-time and Part-time routes 120 credits per academic year
Stage 2 Full-time and Part-time routes 120 credits per academic year
Stage 3 Full-time route 120 credits per academic year
or    
Stage 3 Part-time over two years (3a and 3b) 60 credits per academic year
Stage 4 Full-time routes only 120 credits per academic year

2.2   The Degree of Bachelor of Architecture follows a prescribed curriculum.

2.3   The minimum requirement for the award of credits is the submission of at least 75% by weight of the course’s summative assessment. Further requirements may include monitored attendance at classes and examinations. All such requirements shall be specified by the Mackintosh School of Architecture, and made available to candidates in writing at the beginning of the course. Normally no grade or credits shall be awarded to a candidate who has not met these requirements.

2.4   Regulations for assessment can be found in the Programme Specification.

3.   Progress of Students

3.1   a)   The curriculum for Stage 1, 2 and 3 may be undertaken by full-time or part-time study. The curriculum for the Honours Year, Stage 4 must be undertaken by full-time study.

 

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Professional Practice Year Out

Stage 4 (hons)

Full time mode

F1

F2

F3

PPYO

F4

Part time mode

P1

P2

P3

P4

N/A

F4

b)   A part-time candidate so eligible, if intending to graduate with Honours, must enter Stage 4 of the full-time Honours programme. Alternatively, a part-time candidate who has completed the full Ordinary Degree curriculum after four years of part-time study and who has graduated may be permitted to enter the First Year of the Diploma programme.

c)   A candidate may be refused admission if previous performance does not offer a reasonable prospect of reaching the standard required but a candidate so refused admission will have the right of appeal to the Sub-Committee for Student Progress, submitting for its consideration any relevant special circumstances.

d)   A full-time or part-time candidate, at the end of each year, will satisfy the examiners and be eligible to pass to the next year of the programme if:

i)    they have achieved a grade of at least D3 for all courses in the year’s work.

3.2   a)   A candidate in Stage 1, 2 or 3 will be offered reassessment in August for any course in which they fail to achieve at least grade D3 at the first attempt. Following reassessment, a Stage 1 or 2 or a part-time Stage 3 (P3 only) candidate may, in line with GSA’s Code of Assessment, carry forward one course (maximum of 20 credits) at grade E1 or below and must achieve at least grade D3 in this course in the subsequent session. Where, following reassessment, a Stage 1 or 2 or a part-time Stage 3 (P3 only) candidate has more than 20 credits at E1 or below; or where a full-time Stage 3 candidate has any credits at E1 or below, they will not be allowed to progress but may be offered the opportunity to repeat the course(s) in the following session at the discretion of the GSA Final Examination Board, on the recommendation of the Sub-Committee for Student Progress. This may be offered with or without attendance.

b)   A Stage 4 Honours candidate, in order to complete the Year’s work successfully, must:

i)    attain a grade of at least D3 in each of the following subjects:

Studio Work 4

Architectural Technology 4

Research Project 4

Professional Studio 4

3.3   a)   Where, in accordance with §3.2.a), a candidate in Stage 1, 2 or 3 of the programme is not offered the opportunity to repeat the course(s) in the following session, they will be excluded from further study for the relevant degree.

b)   A full-time or part-time candidate on the Ordinary Degree programme, or a Stage 3 on the Honours Degree programme, will be excluded from further study if after a repeat year of study they have failed to complete satisfactorily the progress requirements.

c)   A Stage 4 candidate on the Honours Degree programme will be excluded from further study if at the end of that year they have not completed satisfactorily all the requirements set out above.

3.4   Decisions on progress, including the exclusion of a candidate for any of the reasons given above, shall be taken by the Sub-Committee for Student Progress. A candidate shall have the right of appeal in accordance with the Code of Appeals which is set out in later pages of this section.

4.     Specific Structure of the Degree and the Awards Associated with it

4.1   a)   A candidate for the Degree with Honours will undertake a self-directed Research Project 4 as part of their programme of study in the Honours year, under the supervision of a member of staff from the appropriate subject area. The candidate must maintain regular and frequent contact with their appointed supervisor.

b)   Before the end of each session the schemes of examinations for the Ordinary Degree for the next session shall be submitted by the Board of Studies for approval by the Academic Council and by the Senate. Each scheme of examination must include in addition to the number and duration of written papers required as degree examinations at the regular diets of examination, a statement of the conditions under which these papers are to be taken, any other work to be taken into consideration by the examiners in assessment of the candidates, and the relative weight to be attached by the examiners to such other work and to the several parts of the degree examinations.

c)   A scheme of examinations at the Honours standard shall be approved by the Academic Council and by the Senate not less than two years before the diet of examination to which it applies; but the Academic Council and the Senate may, in special circumstances and not later than one year before the diet of examination, allow modifications which shall be notified to all candidates for Honours.

d)   All written degree examinations and final assessments for the Degree with Honours shall be taken within one session. A candidate who has presented themself for examination at the Honours standard may not present themself at a subsequent session, except with the approval of the Academic Council and Senate on special cause shown.

e)   There shall be four classes of Honours in which the candidates shall be arranged on the merit of the performances in the whole examination as defined in GSA's Code of Assessment. The classes of Honours are first, upper second, lower second and third.

f)   If a candidate, having duly completed the work in their Honours subject or subjects, is prevented by illness medically certified or other good cause from presenting themself for the Honours examination, or, having begun it, from completing it, assessment will be conducted in accordance with GSA’s Code of Assessment.

g)   A candidate who has completed the curriculum for the Degree with Honours but who has failed to reach the standard required for the award of Honours may, if in the opinion of the GSA Final Examination Board they have has given evidence of sufficient attainment, be exempted in whole or in part from the examination prescribed for the Ordinary Degree.

4.2   Full time candidates are recommended to undertake a year of practical experience (Professional Practice Year Out) at the end of Stage 3. For further details see the Programme Specification.

4.3   A graduate of this University or of another University or institution of tertiary education recognised for this purpose by the Senate may be permitted in consultation with the Professor of Architecture to enrol on the programme, complete the assessment elements of the programme and receive certification of the outcome of the assessment.


[1] A full-time candidate for the Degree of Bachelor of Architecture (Honours) shall normally complete the programme in no more than seven academic sessions, including the Professional Practice Year-Out (PPYO). If a student does not undertake the PPYO they will be required to complete the programme in no more than six academic sessions.

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