Architectural and Interdisciplinary Studies BSc at the Bartlett School of Architecture

Unlike a conventional degree in architecture, where all students follow the same curriculum, the Architectural and Interdisciplinary Studies course, known as AIS, offers an alternative form of architectural education. Pioneering in the UK and established for well over a decade, AIS students customised their studies through taking a wide choice of optional modules, both inside and outside architecture. The opportunity to engage with architectural thinking while having the freedom to explore connections with other disciplines was a huge appeal and I wanted to be at an institution constantly questioning what architecture could be. The course has helped me to develop a broad understanding of topics from various angles, tackling topics such as surveillance from engineering, geography and fine arts across different modules. The course affords lots of freedoms for students to experiment with mediums in design and research practices. I've been able to tailor the degree to my own needs by choosing modules from the Barlet and across the UCL curriculum, including anthropology and economics, which has helped me to build a better understanding of the working world and how they intersect and support my studies. I chose the study abroad option after hearing how formative the experience was from the people around me. I studied architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and it was amazing to live in a new city and immerse myself in a new culture and language. One point I find fascinating about our course is that because we are a very, very small cohort, we are very connected, not just between the peers but also with the teachers and with the course leaders. So we are actually actively shaping how the course develops and what pathway we're going to take in the future. I think this is the opportunity that you really do not get most conventional courses. The field trip this year took us to Lisbon, Portugal. We were able to work alongside and collaborate with a couple architects based there and really a good chance for all the years to connect. Hands-on making is a key part of the course and we're really supported in that area through the Be Made workshops. The staff have deep material and professional knowledge and they're always open to helping students explore detailed and innovative approaches to physical making and prototyping. Our students have gone on to explore a wide range of exciting careers and further study at a master's and doctoral level at some of the most prestigious design and research institutions in the world. I think AIS as a very socially and publicly engaged course prepared me well for this kind of convergence between academic and practical work. Careers also extend beyond the built environment including human rights and public health, demonstrating the breadth and possibilities of the programme. These varied routes in and outside the built environment after AIS are enabled by the unique opportunity our degree offers to acquire specialist skills and expertise in other disciplines across the university, to develop deep knowledge of key topics and to bring this interdisciplinary knowledge and learning back into the design studio and the practice of architectural research.