Bachelor of Architectural Studies (Pathway to Master of Architecture)
Degree Level Undergraduate
Year 2025
You're viewing degree information for International students
You're considered an International student if you are:
- NOT an Australian or New Zealand citizen
- NOT an Australian Permanent Resident (including Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders)
Program Code
DBAE
Prerequisites
None
Assumed Knowledge
None
Fees
AUD$ 39,400 per annum (per 1.0 EFTSL) for students enrolled in 2025
Admissions
Student Profile
English Language Requirements
- IELTS total [6.0]
- IELTS reading [6.0]
- IELTS writing [6.0]
International Admission by Country
See full entry requirements
CRICOS Code
060207K
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Entry requirements
Admission criteria
The admission criteria have been grouped to assist you to easily find the information most relevant to your circumstances. However, you may fit into more than one and the university will consider applicants against each of the relevant criteria.
Certain conditions apply. For more information refer to Appendix 4 of the University's Selection and Entry policy.
Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with a competitive result, and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite requirements and essential requirements for admission:
Recent secondary education
Meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent
AND- Qualify for the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), and achieved a competitive Selection Rank (ATAR), or
- Complete secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE, or
- Complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum score of 24 points
Applicants who have not achieved the Selection Rank required for automatic selection may be selected for any remaining places based on the grades of their year 12 subjects.
OR
Higher education study- Complete or partly complete a recognised higher education program at a recognised higher education institution, or
- Complete at least four Open Universities Australia (OUA) courses at undergraduate level or above
OR
Vocational Education and Training (VET)- Complete an award from a registered training organisation at Diploma level or above
OR
Work and life experience- Qualify for Special Entry, or
- Complete a 12-month UniSA Foundation Studies program or equivalent, or
- Hold completed secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE obtained more than 2 years in the past
Essential requirements for admission
Prerequisites
NoneAssumed Knowledge
NoneEnglish language entry requirements
In addition to meeting academic entry requirements, international students who speak English as a second or additional language must also meet the University's English language entry requirements. The minimum language requirements for this program are:English language testPlease access the following link for a comprehensive list of English language tests accepted by UniSA and other important information in relation to meeting the University’s language requirements: English Language Equivalence Table (PDF)- IELTS total [6.0]
- IELTS reading [6.0]
- IELTS writing [6.0]
Admission Requirements by Country
USA SAT (1600) 1110 India (best 4) State Board 75 India (best 4) Central Board 65 HKDSE 15 Nepal NEB 2.61 Bangladesh HSC 4 Canada High School (OSSD) 65 Eynesbury FSP 330 German Abitur 3.5 Kenya KCSE (average) B+ Malaysia STPM (best 3) 6 Malaysia UEC 30 Norway GPA 3 Pakistan HSSC 85 Sri Lanka A Levels (best 3) 7 Sweden GPA 13 UK Board GCE A Levels/HK Board 7 Vietnam 7.5 Australia 70 IB (best 6) 26
Degree overview
- The Bachelor of Architectural Studies provides a strong practical grounding in architecture that is industry and career focused.
- Complete a Bachelor of Architectural Studies and a professionally accredited Master of Architecture in five years of full-time study and graduate with the qualifications necessary to seek future registration as an ‘architect’.
- Learn from internationally-renowned and experienced teachers with industry-leading expertise and experience and world-class leaders in research - UniSA's research in design is ranked world-class1
- Benefit from our strong relationships with local, national and international architectural practices through experienced practitioner teachers and professional placement learning experiences. Study at the No.1 university in South Australia for Graduate Careers in Architecture2
- Work in award-winning, purpose-designed facilities including dedicated design studios and workshops.
- Engage in real-life projects through our unique award-winning student courses, where you will collaborate in designing and building real-world projects across Australia - the longest-running and largest practice-based teaching of its type in Australia.
- UniSA is home to Australia’s only architecture museum filled with over 200,000 items, including records, drawings, and photographs of Australian architecture.
- UniSA is No.1 in SA for graduate skills in Architecture3.
- UniSA is an unstoppable university for unstoppable people. As one of the World’s Top Young Universities4, we’ll ensure you get the experience your future profession demands so it’ll feel like you’re studying one minute and in a career the next.
1Results in Design Practice and Management - 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)
2ComparED (QILT) Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020-22, Architecture and Built Environment – Full-time Employment Indicator (Domestic Undergraduate and Postgraduate). SA public universities.
3ComparED (QILT) Student Experience Survey 2021-22, Architecture and Built Environment – Skills Development Indicator (Undergraduate and Postgraduate). SA public universities.
4UNSTOPPABLE® is a Kellogg Company trade mark used under licence. Ranked #43, 2024 THE Young University Rankings.
Snapshot
Guarantee* your future place in postgraduate studies in architecture through our Pathway to Masters package. Study a Bachelor of Architectural Studies and a professional accredited Master of Architecture, and graduate in five years of full-time study and with the qualifications necessary to seek future registration as an ‘architect’.
As part of this packaged program, you will:
- Learn from highly-respected and skilled educators with real-world experience that will teach you the critical foundational skills and knowledge necessary to shape the sustainable environments of tomorrow.
- Study a globally competitive undergraduate degree focusing on the relationship between architecture, communication, technology, culture, and the natural and built environments.
- Complete the professionally accredited Master of Architecture and gain advanced skills and knowledge in architecture design and professional architectural practice in the contemporary workplace.
- Master your technical and communication skills and solve increasingly complex design problems focusing on the environment, construction, and cultural, ethical, and regulatory contexts.
- Specialise in a specific area of interest through your choice of electives streams, from Sustainable Design, Design Construct, Planning and Urban Design, or Construction and Project Management, or choose electives focusing on research, national and international study tours, and industry experience.
- Learn in the project-based architectural design studio where your skills and knowledge are applied to real and speculative design projects drawn from industry, developing your relevant real-world learning experiences and enabling you to productively transition into your professional working careers after graduation.
- A career in architecture is immensely rewarding and gives you the opportunity to shape and transform the built environment around you. Our highly successful graduates work across the globe, from award-winning local architectural practices to international practices with offices around the world.
- Want to look at other options available to you? UniSA offers a wide range of Fast-track to Masters programs.
*Academic criteria apply.
What you'll learn
Your undergraduate degree will provide you with the skills and knowledge to understand design principles and methods; building structures and construction systems; digital design and communication methods; sustainable design strategies; and the social and cultural histories that shape our world.
You’ll gain the skills needed to design architectural environments that range in scale and complexity and develop:
- Research methods and skills to integrate theoretical, behavioural, environmental, and ethical issues within your architectural projects
- Understanding of the social and political context of architecture
- Verbal, written, and graphic communication skills, including traditional drawing methods and 2D and 3D computer-based representation skills that will enable you to explore your designs using Virtual and Augmented Reality and game engine environments such as Epic’s Unreal.
- Conceptual and technical skills to demonstrate a broad understanding of knowledge in contemporary design culture.
The Master of Architecture will advance the skills and knowledge you gain in the undergraduate degree and provide you with the opportunity to develop specific areas of interest. Specialise in a specific area of interest through your choice of electives streams; from Sustainable Design, Design Construct, Planning and Urban Design, or Construction and Project Management, or choose electives focusing on research, national and international study tours, and industry experience, or research-focused elective studies.
Both degrees have a strong practical focus – in design studio classes you will:
- Design complex projects informed by contemporary architectural practice and construction
- Undertake research and hands-on learning through industry-led and practically focused coursework.
To successfully graduate from the Master degree, you must complete a total of eight core courses (54 units) and four electives (18 units); including advanced design studios that focus on the Environment, Construction, Context, and Integration in addition to research and professional practice coursework that ensures you are career ready.
Complete both degrees to graduate with the qualifications necessary to seek future registration as an ‘architect.’
Study hours
For each course you study, you will need to allocate time for various classes such as lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Plus you will need additional hours to study in your own time to complete assignments, readings and projects, as well as to contribute to online discussion forums (independent study). So as a general rule, if you are studying full-time you would need to allocate 12–26 hours of study when at university and 14–28 hours of independent study per week.
Assessment
Your studies will incorporate assessment through both speculative and practical learning activities that are designed to provide you with professional agility to respond to any challenge your career in Architecture throw at you, primarily in the form of:
- Design-based architectural and urban projects of varying scales and complexities presented and assessed through design portfolios and oral presentations
- Research and analysis into architecture and cultural history and design precedent, including Aboriginal and First Nations, presented and assessed through essays, reports, and oral presentations
- Research and analysis into contemporary architectural practice and the professional regulations that impact its effective operation through reports and assignments
- Demonstrating 2D and 3D skills in composing digital and analogue drawings and models, including Virtual & Augmented Reality and game engine environments.
Global opportunities
Enrich your studies and your life – make overseas study part of your qualification. You may have the option to undertake an exchange, short-term program or study tour overseas while you study. We have links with universities worldwide, as well as a range of travel grants available to make going overseas much more accessible.
You can choose short-term or semester-long study from a range of universities and countries depending on your area of study and cultural interests.
Take a look at the global opportunities available.
Why Bachelor of Architectural Studies (Pathway to Master of Architecture)
This Pathway to Masters package guarantees* your future place in postgraduate studies in architecture.
Both degrees balance design thinking and practicality, and have a widely recognised industry focus on graduate employability.
You’ll develop your advanced skills and knowledge of architecture through architectural design studios that teach you how to apply complex concepts and design methods to the design of architectural buildings of varying functions, scales, and complexities. You’ll take part in national and international study tours with multi-disciplinary design collaborations with other students, and learn from industry-led workshops, masterclasses, and professional placements in the best architectural offices across South Australia.
You’ll also have the opportunity to take part in unique award-winning Design Construct coursework, where you’ll collaborate, design, and build projects in locations across Australia and overseas with students from other design disciplines. Some of the projects students have designed and built include the visitor accommodation at Port Resolution (Tanna Island, Vanuatu); Aboriginal ranger accommodation and research facilities in Fish River (Northern Territory, Australia); and accommodation and research facilities at Witchelina Station (South Australia, Australia).
*Academic criteria apply.
Study Architecture at UniSA
Hear from UniSA graduates and Co-Founders/Directors of Studio Gram, Dave Bickmore and Graham Charbonneau, about their experiences studying Architecture at UniSA and how it has helped them reach their career goals.
Your career
Architects are creative problem solvers by nature. They immerse themselves in new design technologies and construction materials, and push boundaries of what is possible. They work collaboratively with their clients and other planning, design, and construction-related professionals to realise their client’s design imagination. A career in architecture is rewarding because you get the opportunity to shape and transform the world around you.
Careers to consider:
• *Architect: combine creative design with technical knowledge to create sustainable solutions for the built environment
• Urban designer: design at the urban scale and participate in educating civic leaders and the public about shaping our streets, suburbs, and cities
• Heritage consultant: develop sustainable re-use practices in design to protect and maintain heritage projects and sites of important ongoing cultural value
• Project or construction manager: involves initiating, planning, and managing a team to deliver projects of varying scales and complexities
* The Bachelor of Architectural Studies (DBAE) is a recognised pathway program to professionally accredited Master of Architecture qualifications (or equivalent) across Australia and New Zealand. The Master of Architecture qualification (or equivalent) is required under the Architectural Practice Act (SA, 2009) to seek future registration as an ‘architect’ in South Australia. Only those practitioners registered with architectural registration boards in each State and Territory in Australia, including the Architectural Practice Board of South Australia, are entitled to use the title ‘architect’ by law.
How to apply for international students will give you helpful information about the application process at the University of South Australia. When you are ready, apply through our International Application System. If you would like to talk to someone near you about studying at the University of South Australia, we have agents all over the world who can assist you. Find an Education Agent in your country.
Alternative Pathways
Australian
There are other pathways you can follow to study this degree, including:
International
There are other pathways you can follow to study this degree, including:
Scholarships
Every year, over 2,500 UniSA students are supported in their studies through scholarships and grants worth millions of dollars. Check out the scholarships below. One of them may be perfect for you. Visit our scholarships page for more.
Vice Chancellor's International Excellence Scholarship
Recipients can get a 50% reduction on tuition fees for up to four years of full-time study for selected degrees.
International Merit Scholarship
Recipients can get a 15% reduction on tuition fees for the duration of their chosen degree.
Your study experience and support
As a UniSA student, you will have unique access to work placement opportunities, overseas study tours and exchanges, networking events, internships, guest speakers and more.
Our campuses are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops and laboratories, as well as spaces that simulate real work environments. These are all supported by the latest technologies and a 24/7 online learning platform. We have health services on campus, gymnasiums, technology zones and great student lounges. You will also gain access to a range of community clinics, which provide professional and cost effective services in areas of health, business, law and psychology. There are campus sport activities to keep you active, and if you are keen to explore the social side of university life, there are movies, cooking demonstrations, parties and lots more.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation and private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages, or explore our student accommodation by Scape on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, an ideal location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.
Student services
Our international student services provide you with all the support you need at university. We want you to succeed, and if you need help, we're here to assist. You can access a full range of support services, including:
- career advice and mentoring
- help with student visas and health cover
- personal counselling
- academic counselling
- fees and finance help
- common rooms
- prayer rooms
- security officers
- accommodation services
- as well as services offered through our student association, USASA.
We also offer study support from our Learning Advisers face-to-face or online. They are here to help you develop academically and professionally during your studies, and can offer help with the English language too. When you become a UniSA student, you can also contact Campus Central for help with anything related to your degree. They will help you with your enrolment, ID cards, fees, timetables and more.
24/7 digital environment
Our learnonline facilities include a personal learning environment with virtual classrooms, lecture recordings, emails, learning support, administration, library access and results. The environment is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can tailor your learning to your life. We are continually investing in innovative digital technologies for a high-quality student learning experience.
Your program director
Ask UniSA
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How do I apply?
There are a number of ways to apply to study UniSA's undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees.
You can access our online International Application System through our How to Apply page. The International Application System is an easy and secure online application and acceptance process. You will have visibility of your application through the secure online portal with the ability to download offer documents, submit your acceptance and make a payment.
Alternatively you can submit an application through one of the University's registered Education Agents.
If you are completing an Australian year 12 qualification in Australia or overseas, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme in Australia, you must apply through SATAC http://www.satac.edu.au/.
If you are applying for the UniSA Study Abroad or Study Abroad Plus program, you can submit your application online here.
Postgraduate study by research
For information on applying to do postgraduate study by research, including Masters by Research, PhDs or Doctorates, please visit http://unisa.edu.au/resdegrees. -
Is there a closing date for applications?
There is no closing date for submitting your application however the admissions process takes between one and three weeks from the date that we receive your application and all required supporting documentation.
If you are completing an Australian year 12 qualification in Australia or overseas, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme in Australia, you must apply through SATAC. Key dates for applications can be found here.
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What credit can I receive for previous studies?
You may be eligible to receive credit or advanced standing for your chosen UniSA degree based on your previous studies, if they are in a related area at an equivalent or higher level. Receiving credit will reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and may also reduce the overall duration of your degree.
The amount of credit you may be eligible to receive is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Admissions team.
The best way to determine your eligibility to receive credit or advanced standing is to apply using our International Application System which can be found on our How to Apply page. You will need to supply detailed syllabus documents with your application.
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Can I speak to someone regarding my study options?
UniSA welcomes the opportunity to speak with you regarding your study options. Our staff are able to talk to you about degree information, career outcomes and pathways, entry requirements, applications, and student life, so that you are able to make the best study decision for your future.
Click here to book a 1:1 appointment with one of our enquiries team.
We also have many events throughout the year in Australia and overseas where you can speak with UniSA representatives about your area of interest. View our calendar of events in your home country by selecting the 'International' filter.
