MASTER IN Architecture
Our master’s in architecture (MArch) combines the rigorous training required to achieve professional licensure in Spain and the European Union with an international, entrepreneurial, and sustainable approach. We help you gain professional licensure, and then redefine the profession. On your own terms.
The program consists of three elements: the Thesis Project module, led by world-renowned architect, educator, and entrepreneur Ben Van Berkel, of Amsterdam based UNStudio; an intensive architectural design and building construction studio based on sustainable technologies and architectural strategies; and the Design Management Module,which builds on our legacy of excellence in entrepreneurial thinking and business training, as applied to the fields of architecture and design.
The master’s in architecture program, held in our new Madrid vertical campus, as well as in Amsterdam, prepares graduates to become leaders in the architectural profession as well as in related design fields. With our rigorous, innovative approach, small class sizes, and access to IE’s international network of partners and alumni, you’ll not only be ready to join the profession. You’ll be ready to lead. On day one..
ABOUT OUR MASTER IN ARCHITECTURE
Our Dean, David Goodman, introduces our groundbreaking Master in Architecture Habilitante program, the key to becoming an architect in Spain and the EU.
This program offers international practice and networking opportunities, with a unique entrepreneurial approach. Dean Goodman also explains that individuals from outside Spain can access the program through the Professional Access Path.
- Saul NuñezSenior Manager of Global Recruitment
ANY DOUBTS?
Please contact our program specialist for personalized advice on your specific case.
WHO SHOULD JOIN THIS PROGRAM?
This program is intended for students looking to complete their professional architectural licensure requirements in Spain, and who want an international, innovative approach to the profession.
The MARCH is open to:
Students who...
Have graduated with the Spanish 5-year non-license-granting undergraduate architectural studies (“fundamentos de arquitectura” or “estudios de arquitectura”) degree, from any accredited Spanish university.
Students who...
Have graduated with a minimum 5-year degree from other countries and have demonstrated a record of academic excellence may be eligible for our intensive Professional Acesss Path (PAP) option, which can provide access to the MArch program for those who have not completed their undergraduate studies in Spain.
- 01.
PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE
- Achieve professional licensure in Spain, with eligibility for professional recognition in all EU member states. Our program is also accredited in Singapore, with other international accreditations currently in process. You’ll also work closely with a range of international professionals, including Thesis Chair Ben van Berkel.
- 02.
SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY & STRATEGIES
- You’ll combine design studio with advanced technical coursework to learn how to integrate the latest sustainable technologies and strategies, under the instruction of internationally recognized leaders in the field.
- 03.
DESIGN MANAGEMENT
Our intensive Design Management Module will not only teach you how to run your firm and position yourself as a successful professional, but also how to structure your future business around your abilities and interests, and how to rethink what it means to work as an architect. Building on IE’s tradition of excellence in management education, we’ll give you the management training necessary to chart your own course.
OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY, APPLY TO THE MASTER IN ARCHITECTURE AND WIN THE UNSTUDIO MERIT SCHOLARHIP + INTERNSHIP AT UNSTUDIO
IE School of Architecture and Design has signed an agreement with UNStudio to create an innovative academic framework for a new Master in Architecture (MArch).
In recognition of the strategic importance of this agreement and in honor of UNStudio’s extensive record of innovation and excellence, IE will grant the UNStudio Merit Scholarship, to be awarded to one incoming student of the Master in Architecture, per year.
This scholarship of up to 30% of the full tuition cost for the Master in Architecture program, will be awarded to an outstanding applicant who show special promise as student and future professional in architecture and related fields.
And there is a lot more to it!
UNStudio, after graduation, if the grantee remain in good academic standing and meet UNStudio’s professional standards, will offer an internship (paid at the firm’s standard rate for a position of this level) of not less than 3 months in duration to the scholarship recipient!
To participate, fill out the online form and follow the instructions for next steps.
HIGHLIGHTS
DIGITAL FABRICATION
Our MIT-certified FabLab will play a fundamental role in your time at IE. You’ll have direct access to the latest digital fabrication tools, and will be able to integrate them into your work every step of the way.
NETWORK
When you join IE, you’re not just enrolling in a school. You’re joining an international network of alumni, partners, and fellow students. Wherever your work or your life may take you, our international network will be there to help.
INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION
At IE, you’re not just a face in the crowd. We’re highly selective and we like to keep our groups small enough so that we know each and every one of our students, and can help challenge, guide, and encourage them individually as they move along their path.
LEARNING INNOVATION
Architecture education has been around for a while. We appreciate what’s been done in the past but are always looking for new ways to address the challenges of the future. The world’s changing fast. We think architecture education needs to change too.
NAAB INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION
The Bachelor in Architectural Studies and Master in Architecture offered by the IE School of Architecture and Design at IE University (Madrid & Segovia), as well as the former Bachelor in Architecture are being assessed by the NAAB’s International Certification program.
“International Certification” identifies a program as comparable in educational outcomes in all significant aspects to a U.S.-based program and indicates that it provides an educational experience meeting acceptable standards, even though such program may differ in format or method of delivery. While International Certification is not accreditation, ICert recognition by the NAAB represents that a program of architecture has achieved the highest standard of quality assurance in professional architecture education.
The ICert process consists of three visits by a NAAB team to a program over a minimum of three years. A NAAB assessment team conducted a virtual visit to the IE School of Architecture and Design on 27–29 October 2020. The NAAB Board of Directors voted to advance the program to visit two, which took place in spring 2022. A decision on whether the program will receive the ICert designation is anticipated in 2024.
The following ICert documents are available for download:
AMSTERDAM LAB IMMERSION WEEKS
The Amsterdam trip for the Master in Architecture is an incredibly enriching experience for our students. It's very intense, but absolutely worth it.
They are fully immersed in the reality of an architecture studio, spending three weeks at UN Studio, an internationally renowned architecture firm.
During this time, they visit various projects, addressing themes that they integrate into their own designs.
They also conduct site visits to the project sites, have multiple tutorial presentations with professors from UN Studio and the school, and finally present their progress to the jury at the end of this period.
This jury includes Ben van Berkel as the Thesis Chair of the Capstone Project and David Goodman as the Dean of IE School of Architecture and Design, among others professors.
Curious about student life?
Engage with our student ambassadors to ask any questions you may have about IE's student experience. Our dedicated students and staff are here to share their insights and address any doubts you might have. Feel free to reach out whenever it suits you.
OFFICIAL DEGREE
Students must fulfill the following requirements to be able to request the issuance of the Official University Degree upon completion of the Master Program. If educational prerequisites are not provided and/or if the requirements are not met on time, the student will not be able to request the official university degree as issued by the Spanish government. In this case, the studies will not be official under Spanish educational regulations.
MEET OUR FACULTY
Meet our esteemed faculty and hear what they have to say about our Master in Architecture Habilitante.
Marcela Aragüez, the program director, brings her wealth of experience to shape the curriculum.
Ben van Berkel, renowned architect and founder of UNStudio, serves as the thesis chair for the capstone project, providing invaluable guidance and expertise, amongst others.
Capstone Projects
Join Franka Ducic and Martina de Prosperi Blanco, recent graduates of the Master in Architecture program at IE University, as they share their insights from their final presentation for the Capstone Project.
Discover how the Capstone Projects serve as a platform for students to showcase their creativity and problem-solving skills, pushing the boundaries of architecture and design from insights from Ben van Berkel, Chair, and David Goodman, Dean.
UNSURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT PROGRAM TO HELP YOU ON YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY?
Discover the Master in Architecture related programs:
Learn more about our regulations and educational quality in Madrid and Segovia.