Architecture and Built Environment Foundation Year
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Please note: From September 2026, Foundation Years at Northumbria are changing and will become integrated 'Extended Degrees'. Register your interest to be kept in the loop about 2026 entry.
This hands-on course ensures you gain relevant academic knowledge and practical skills from the outset using our high-quality, current technology and on-site laboratories.
At Northumbria you will experience first hand knowledge of the built environment and the wider environmental context. The programme will focus on all the appropriate elements for the initial stages of developing you as a Northumbria Graduate and ultimately as an undergraduate degree student. The learning outcomes for the Built Environment programme and the modules have been mapped against the professional development requirements and the competencies required by this industry.
Northumbria foundation year students have a mature, intellectual curiosity through an examination and understanding of professional practice, current theories, policy and real-life practice. As a result, you will be able to develop and apply your academic knowledge and experience of research skills to your chosen degree programme.
You will be taught by a diverse group of built environment related professionals. Their background, knowledge and experience in both practice and academia, and the emphasis and support of a research rich learning environment, will allow you to develop a research rich, practice based experience and encourage you to carry on your studies in an undergraduate programme.
Architecture at Northumbria is ranked top 15 in the UK for Teaching Quality & Student Experience. (Times Good University Guide, 2025).
There is a set of modules to follow if you want to go onto further study in Built Environment.
On successful completion of the foundation year, you can go on to study a range of courses including:
UCAS Code
K441
Level of Study
Undergraduate
Mode of Study
1 year Full Time followed by a further 3 years Full Time or 4 years with a placement (sandwich)/study abroad
Department
Architecture and Built Environment
Location
City Campus, Northumbria University
City
Newcastle
Fees
Fee Information
Architecture and Built Environment encompasses all of our teaching, research and enterprise in Architecture, Interior Architecture, Quantity and Building Surveying, Real Estate and Housing.
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Our Architecture department is located in a modern state-of-the-art development in central Newcastle.
You can boost your CV and develop your experience whilst studying at Northumbria.
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Careers and Employment Services
Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study at Northumbria. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.
80 UCAS Tariff points
From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.
Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator: www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator
Northumbria University is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details www.northumbria.ac.uk/entryrequirementsinfo
Subject Requirements:
There are no specific subject requirements for this course.
GCSE Requirements:
Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.
Additional Requirements:
There are no additional requirements for this course.
International Qualifications:
We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.
If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English Language Requirements:
International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades in our English Language section: www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
UK Fee in Year 1: £9,535
* This is the tuition fee for your first year of study. You should expect to pay tuition fees for every year of study. The University may increase fees in the second and subsequent years of your course at our discretion in line with any inflationary or other uplift, as decided by the UK Government, up to the maximum amount for fees permitted by UK law or regulation for that academic year. To give students an indication of the likely scale of any future increase, the UK government has recently suggested that increases may be linked to RPIX ( Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments) * Fees subject to annual increases over the course of the period of study. Students will be liable for payment of any/all tuition fees which are not sponsored by their employer or other third party.
International Fee in Year 1:
ADDITIONAL COSTS
There are no Additional Costs
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
Please use the Apply Now button at the top of this page to submit your application.
Certain applications may need to be submitted via an external application system, such as UCAS, Lawcabs or DfE Apply.
The Apply Now button will redirect you to the relevant website if this is the case.
You can find further application advice, such as what to include in your application and what happens after you apply, on our Admissions Hub Admissions | Northumbria University
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To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.
Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help. They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
Northumbria University is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.
We are proud to work in partnership with AccessAble to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.
You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need.
We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:
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