Sustainable Building Design

Entry requirements

An honours degree at 2:2 or higher in a related discipline

• Applicants with relevant industry experience may be considered.
• Applicants may also be required to send a portfolio and may be contacted for an interview either face to face or through Skype.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Solent’s MSc Sustainable Building Design course is the ideal way for students from a wide range of academic backgrounds to pursue a career in this exciting and important sector. By providing you with a thorough understanding of both theory based and practical skills, you’ll graduate from this course as a specialist designer with the education and vision required to help create a sustainable future for the construction industry.

Throughout the course, you’ll be encouraged to develop a holistic approach to reducing the carbon footprint created by buildings. Learning is centred around social, economic, and environmental aspects of design, otherwise known as the three pillars of sustainability. The curriculum introduces the essential academic theory that underpins each of these areas and explores the technical tools required to successfully plan performance-based building projects.

You’ll also be introduced to Building Information Modelling (BIM), working with an expert course team on a range of practical projects that simulate real workplace practices. These projects will help you to build a portfolio of practical work and introduce you to the essential tools and software packages used by the industry. You’ll also develop an understanding of globally renowned energy assessment methods such as BREEAM, LEED and Passivhaus.

The BRE Academy recognises the high level of real-world teaching at Solent. This means students on this course will be eligible to be fast-tracked to take the BREEAM AP qualification, and at a reduced fee. The qualifying period of three years’ work experience will also be waived.

The course benefits from extensive links with industry, formed over many years of delivering accredited courses with professional organisations (eg, CIAT, CIOB, SBID and CABE). Practitioners from a cross-section of the built environment industry contribute regularly to the academic process by providing real-world projects, guest lectures, site visits and informal mentoring sessions.

Information for international students

Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:

• IELTS minimum 6.5 overall with no component score below 5.5
• TOEFL IBT 92 with a minimum of 22 in writing and a minimum of 20 in reading, listening and speaking
• Duolingo English Language Test - 110 overall with minimum of 90 in each componen or equivalent.

Fees and funding

Bursaries and scholarships

Southampton Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria.