Studies & Degrees in Architectural Design
Architectural Design Study Programs
Architectural design is the part of architecture concerned with giving form to buildings and spaces: turning a client's needs, a site and a budget into drawings and models that can be built. Students learn to draw by hand and with computer-aided design software, to build models, to understand structures, materials and construction methods, and to place their work in the history and theory of architecture. Most of the teaching happens in design studios, where projects are developed and criticised step by step.
The subject is taught in two settings. Schools of architecture teach it as the core of the degree that leads to the profession of architect. Design schools teach it as interior architecture, spatial design or architectural technology, which lead to design and construction careers but not to the title of architect.
Qualifications and levels
- Architecture degrees in Spain. Architect is a regulated profession in Spain. It requires an official bachelor's degree of 300 ECTS credits followed by an official master's degree of 60 ECTS credits. Other bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits.
- Design degrees in Spain. ESNE in Madrid, whose website now presents the institution as UDIT, lists a Grado en Diseño de Interiores among its design degrees. It states that its qualifications are official university studies and that bachelor's degrees take four years of 60 ECTS credits each.
- British degrees taught in Spain. Marbella Design Academy, in Monda (Málaga), teaches a three-year, full-time programme in Interior Architecture & Design in English. According to the school, graduates are awarded a UK Bachelor of Arts with Honours degree by its partner, the University of Bedfordshire. The next intakes it lists are 7 January 2027 and 20 September 2027.
- Professional bachelor's degrees. VIA University College in Horsens, Denmark, offers Architectural Technology and Construction Management, a professional bachelor's degree of three and a half years (210 ECTS credits) with a 20-week internship and study starts in August and February. Students learn to plan, design and execute construction projects from the first sketch to the finished building. The programme is accredited by CIAT, and applicants with foreign diplomas must apply by 15 March.
- Architecture degrees in the United States. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, most architects earn their degree through a five-year Bachelor of Architecture programme, and about two-thirds of states require a degree from an accredited programme. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) runs the accreditation system for professional architecture degrees.
- Short and non-degree courses. Accademia Riaci in Florence lists architecture and interior design among its design majors, as one-year, semester, master and short courses. For courses of this kind, ask the school what recognition the qualification has.
Becoming an architect
A course in architectural design is not the same as a licence to practise. In Spain the route is the bachelor's and master's degrees described above. In the United States there are typically three steps: a degree in architecture, relevant experience through a paid internship, and passing the Architect Registration Examination. Anyone who wants to sign building projects should check, before enrolling, whether the programme is part of the route to the profession in the country where they plan to work.
Where to study it
SpainExchange lists 12 active schools for architectural design. Five are in Spain and two in the United States; France, Denmark, Italy, Ecuador and Thailand have one each. In Spain the schools are in Madrid (ESNE, ARTENEO Formación en Artes Visuales and IE Business School, part of IE University), Seville (Escuela de Diseño CEADE Leonardo) and Monda, near Marbella (Marbella Design Academy). Abroad the list includes VIA University College, Accademia Riaci, Parsons Paris, the Universidad Espíritu Santo (UEES) in Guayaquil and King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi in Bangkok.
Languages vary. Marbella Design Academy teaches in English, as does VIA University College on this programme. Spanish universities and design schools teach mainly in Spanish. Check the language of each programme and the portfolio or entrance test it requires.
Careers
Graduates work in architecture studios, interior design firms, construction and engineering companies, real estate developers and public planning offices, or set up their own practice. VIA University College names architectural companies, construction and consulting companies, the public sector, manufacturers and housing associations as places where its students do internships.
In the United States, architects held about 124,600 jobs in 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics; 74 percent worked in architectural, engineering and related services and 14 percent were self-employed. The Bureau projects employment of architects to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035.
Frequently asked questions
Is architectural design the same as architecture?
Not always. In a school of architecture it is the core of the degree that leads to the profession. In a design school the name usually covers interior architecture or architectural technology, which do not give the title of architect.
How long does it take to become an architect in Spain?
The official route is a bachelor's degree of 300 ECTS credits followed by a master's degree of 60 ECTS credits.
Can I study architectural design in English?
Yes. Marbella Design Academy teaches Interior Architecture & Design in English in Spain, and VIA University College teaches Architectural Technology and Construction Management in English in Denmark.
Do I need a portfolio to apply?
It depends on the school. Design schools often ask for a portfolio or an entrance test; VIA University College assesses a motivational video and school results. Check the admission page of each school.