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Pioneering, innovative and creative – these are words often used to describe the Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment at Ulster University. Located in the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, the school has a long and distinguished legacy — including offering the country’s first, original architecture programme.
With decades of experience, the school makes for a great place for anyone seeking an education that’ll ready them for the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century. For those seeking to achieve this, plus to find a platform to advance their careers, choose one of the school’s postgraduate programmes. They cover architecture, civil and energy engineering, real estate, and more. Whichever you choose, you’ll gain the know-how to become innovators, problem solvers and risk takers.
It’s little surprise that the school produces students who go on to become experts in their fields. The Belfast School is ranked eighth in the UK overall for research power, with 91% of research being judged as world-leading or internationally excellent. This excellence is seen in both research impact and research environment, with both areas scoring 100%.
Strong research adds crucial new knowledge to the field — and brings an inimitable vitality to teaching. It helps that classes at the Belfast School are kept small and paired with a range of workshops, learning centres and studios, as well as tools and resources. In these diverse settings, facilitators and professors have several avenues to not only share their breakthroughs and latest findings but to engage students better as well.
Want to work closer with researchers and get a feel of academia? You can do so at the school’s five research centres: Centre for Sustainable Technologies, Centre for Research on Property and Planning, Fire Safety Engineering Research and Technology Centre, Hydrogen Safety Engineering and Research, and Studies Allied to Built Environment Research. These centres have produced research that has attracted funding from a wide variety of sources, such as the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the European Union and other governmental and charity organisations.
The Belfast School of Architecture and The Built Environment at Ulster University Source: Shutterstock
Highly employable graduates
Beyond the pursuit of a PhD or a research career, the Belfast School prepares students for various professional options. Many programmes include real-world learning opportunities, such as placements — a detail that’s contributed to over 85% of graduates landing professional employment. In some courses, 100% of graduates find work.
MSc Civil and Infrastructure Engineering graduate Feras Freag chose his programme because he believed it provided knowledge about the technical abilities needed in the current sector. “The programme helped me to get a chartered placement as soon as possible,” says Freag from Palestine. “It was also very enjoyable despite being technical and helped me in my professional studies.”
Another graduate, Diego Ataide Ortins Pacheco from Brazil, wanted to expand his network and career opportunities beyond his home country. “I came here for a master’s to open doors for me in Europe – to England, Scotland and more,” he says. “It’s been a huge pleasure for me to study in Ulster, and I recommend people who are interested to come here. The way the students here think and behave is different from what I’m familiar with, so it’s been a really good, mind-opening experience for me.”
There are many international students like Freag and Pacheco who lived and studied in Belfast for the very first time during their programme. They are in good hands – the university provides great student well-being services, such as mental health support, counselling and even disability aid. There is no shortage of things to do in Ulster, as the campus is in the vibrant Cathedral Quarter in Belfast. There is so much to do and see around every corner.
The Belfast School of Architecture and The Built Environment at Ulster University Source: Shutterstock
Programmes that take you to the next level
The school offers a wide range of professionally-accredited programmes at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. There are short courses and e-learning options as well.
While the school is popular for their undergraduate programmes, its postgraduate programmes are where students truly shine. These programmes offered include Architecture – MArch, Civil and Infrastructure Engineering – PgDip/MSc, Construction Management – PgCert/PgDip/MSc, Digital Construction Analytics and BIM – MSc, Energy Storage – MSc, Fire Safety Engineering – PgDip/MSc, Global Strategy in Environmental Health and Sustainability – MSc, Planning and City Resilience – MSc, and Real Estate – PgCert/PgDip/MSc. Regardless of programme choice, you will learn about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and see how you can contribute to the good of people and planet.
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