Cardiff University Architecture Entry Requirements/Failure rates RIBA Part 1

Cardiff University, Wales - Entrance Requirement/Failure rates for BSc in Architectural Studies, RIBA Part 1

Following a FOI (Freedom of Information Request) to the department of architecture at Cardiff University, this the number of students who were failed at the end of third year from 2006-2013.

Year       Resit      Repeat Year   Passed    Withdrawn    Required to withdraw after resit 
2006-07       4                0                 61               15               0 
2007-08       5                0                105               6                1 
2008-09       1                1                127              11               0 
2009-10       4                0                122              22               0 
2010-11       3                0                135              22               0 
2011-12       3                1                114              10               1 
2012-13       4                0                113              12               0 

In 2013, the minimum entrance requirements for the BSc in Architectural Studies (Architecture) at Cardiff were:

Qualification	Grade
SQA Advanced Higher	AAA
Other	The typical offer for the BSc in Architectural Studies is AAA in three Advanced level qualifications

These figures show that a worryingly high number of academically gifted students "withdraw" from their course during third year. During a seven year period 104 students, who gained 36 points in the International Baccalaureate or equivalent qualifications upon leaving school, did not obtain an undergraduate Degree. Conclusion: despite having possibly the highest minimum entry requirements in the country the drop out rate in 3rd year is massive.

Kingston University Architecture Entry Requirements / Failure rates RIBA Part 1

Kingston University, London - Entrance Requirement/Failure rates for BA in Architecture, RIBA Part 1

Following a FOI (Freedom of Information Request) to the department of architecture at Kingston University, this the number of students who were failed at the end of third year from 2006-2013.

In 2013, the minimum entrance requirements for the BA in Architecture at Kingston were:

Qualification	Grade
GCE A-Level	320 tarriff points - to include at least two A-levels or recognised equivalent (General Studies not accepted)

The above figure do not include students who were offered the opportunity to repeat the year, or those who voluntarily withdrew. We intend to write again to Kingston to find out how many students "voluntarily" withdrew and who were "offered the opportunity to repeat the year".

Queens University Architecture Entry Requirements / Failure rates RIBA Part 1

Queens University, Ireland - Entrance Requirement/Failure rates for BSc in Architecture, RIBA Part 1

Following a FOI (Freedom of Information Request) to the department of architecture at Queens University, this the number of students who were failed at the end of their third year from 2006-2013.

YEAR            NUMBERS FAILED TO GAIN A DEGREE

2006/2007       1 Failed 3rd year  at Queens University
2007/2008       1 Failed 3rd year  "        "               " 

2008/2009       0 Failed 3rd year  "        "               " 
2009/2010       0 Failed 3rd year  "        "               "
2010/2011       2 Failed 3rd year  "        "               "
2011/2012       0 Failed 3rd year  "        "               "
2012/2013       0 Failed 3rd year  "        "               " 

In 2013, the minimum entrance requirements for the BSc in Architecture at Queens University were:

Qualification	Grade
GCE A-Level	ABB - to include GCSE Maths

These figures show that Queens University is one of the safest places to study architecture in the uk. However, the same crazy, unfair system of marking project work will be in operation at Queens as thinking up a number is the system that the RIBA has "validated".

Edinburgh University Architecture Entry Requirements / Failure rates RIBA Part 1

Edinburgh University - Entrance Requirement/Failure rates for BA in Architecture, RIBA Part 1

Following a FOI (Freedom of Information Request) to the department of architecture at Edinburgh University, this the number of students who were failed at the end of their third year from 2006-2013.

YEAR            NUMBERS FAILED TO GAIN AN ORDINARY DEGREE

2006/2007       0 Failed 3rd year  at Edinburgh University
2007/2008       0 Failed 3rd year  "        "               " 

2008/2009       0 Failed 3rd year  "        "               " 
2009/2010       0 Failed 3rd year  "        "               "
2010/2011     <5 Failed 3rd year  "        "               "
2011/2012       0 Failed 3rd year  "        "               "
2012/2013       0 Failed 3rd year  "        "               " 

In 2013, the minimum entrance requirements for the BA in Architecture at Edinburgh were:

Qualification	Grade
SQA Higher	BBBB
GCE A-Level	BBB

Of the Scottish Universities, from our findings, it would be safest to study architecture at Edinburgh University followed by the Glasgow School of Art.

Glasgow School of Art (GSA) Architecture Entry Requirements / Failure rates RIBA Part 1

Glasgow School of Art (GSA) - Entrance Requirement/Failure rates for BSc in Architectural Studies, RIBA Part 1

Following a FOI (Freedom of Information Request) to the department of architecture at Glasgow School of Art (GSA), this the number of students who were failed at the end of their third year from 2006-2013.

YEAR            NUMBERS FAILED TO GAIN AN ORDINARY DEGREE

2003/2004       0 Failed 3rd year at the Glasgow School of Art (GSA)
2004/2005       1 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2005/2006       1 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2006/2007       2 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2007/2008       0 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 

2008/2009       0 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2009/2010       2 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2010/2011       6 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2011/2012       2 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        "
2012/2013       0 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        "

In 2013, the minimum entrance requirements for the BA in Architecture at GSA were:

Qualification	Grade
SQA Higher	ABBB  - to include English and Maths or Physics, and preferably Art
GCE A-Level	ABB - to include Maths or Physics, AND GCSE English at Grade A

Strathclyde University Architecture Entry Requirements / Failure rates RIBA Part 1

Strathclyde University - Entrance Requirement/Failure rates for BSc in Architectural Studies, RIBA Part 1

Following a FOI (Freedom of Information Request) to the department of architecture at Strathclyde University, this the number of students who were failed at the end of their third year from 2006-2013.

YEAR            NUMBERS FAILED TO GAIN AN ORDINARY DEGREE

2006/2007       4 Failed 3rd year at the University of Strathclyde
2007/2008       8 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 

2008/2009     13 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2009/2010     19 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2010/2011     14 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2011/2012       5 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        "
2012/2013       8 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        "

In 2013, the minimum entrance requirements for the BSc in Architectural Studies (Architecture) at Strathclyde were:

Qualification	Grade
SQA Higher	AAAB  - required subjects: English, Art, and Maths or Physics
GCE A-Level	ABB - required subjects: Maths or Physics and GCSE English Literature or Language (A)

Dundee University Architecture Entry Requirements / Failure rates RIBA Part 1

Dundee University - Entrance Requirement/Failure rates for BA (Arch) Architecture, RIBA Part 1

Following a FOI (Freedom of Information Request) to the department of architecture at Dundee University, this the number of students who were failed at the end of their third year from 2005-2013.

YEAR            NUMBERS FAILED TO GAIN AN ORDINARY DEGREE

2005/2006      14 Failed 3rd year at the university of Dundee

2006/2007      15 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        "
2007/2008      14 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 

2008/2009      <5 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2009/2010        7 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2010/2011        8 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 
2011/2012      <5 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        "
2012/2013        5 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        "

In 2013, the minimum entrance requirements for the BA Arch (Architecture) course at Dundee are:

Qualification	Grade
SQA Higher	AABB/ABBBB
GCE A-Level	BBB/ABC (excluding General Studies)

In the last eight academic years at Dundee University least 70 young peoples lives have been shattered, all because their markers didn't like them or their designs.

For the same academic period (2005 - 2013) just 12 students of Economics failed third year. This subject was chosen as a comparison as it has the same minimum entrance requirements as architecture. Therefore, at the University of Dundee an architecture student is more than five times more likely to fail to be awarded a degree than a student of Economics.

Robert Gordon University Architecture Entry Requirements / Failure rates RIBA Part 1

Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen - Entrance Requirements/Failure rates in Architecture (RIBA Part 1)

Following a FOI (Freedom of Information Request) to the department of architecture at Robert Gordon University, this the number of students who were failed at the end of third year; it seems they have no records prior to 2010.

The university’s response, signed off by the Head of The Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment. "Our number of failures after re-sit boards of August in each of the following years are as follows":

YEAR            NUMBERS FAILED TO GAIN AN ORDINARY DEGREE

2010/2011      16 Failed 3rd year at Robert Gordon University

2011/2012      17 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        "
2012/2013        8 Failed 3rd year  "   "           "         "        " 

The entrance requirements to study architecture at Robert Gordon University in 2013 were:

Qualification	Grade
SQA Higher	ABBB to include English (or a subject requiring the use of English) , Maths or a Science and preferably Art.
GCE A-Level	BBC - to include, Maths or a Science and preferably Art.English (or a subject requiring the use of English) at GCSE Grade  B if not held at A Level.

Their reason for only supplying figures for three years was because that was when the course changed. Prior to that a student received no qualification until the end of fourth year, when they might or might not be awarded an honours degree.

We've written to them again asking for figures going back to 2005 so that we can measure the figures against the other architecture schools.

Why do so many students fail Architecture?

Why do so many students fail Architecture?

In high school, teachers are blamed/questioned if students fail their exams, but at architecture school (university) it seems to be the other way round; it is the students who are blamed, every time. How is it possible, if the teaching is to a high standard, that students are unable to pass third year of architecture?

We're in the process of sending FOI (Freedom of Information) requests to all 44 schools of architecture in the uk to find out the number of casualties who fail their final degree year (RIBA Part 1). The findings will be reported here.

Goto the individual blog posts to read the exact number of students failed at each institution and the entrance requirements in order to gain entry.

The next step in our research is to compare these figures with another university course which has the same entrance requirements. The results will be interesting, but we think we already know the answer, since failing a final year is almost unheard of in any other university subject, unless something seriously bad happens in a student's life during the course of the year. Yet the brightest students are failed on the architecture course every year because their designs (or they) are not favoured.