Architectural Association School of Architecture

The AA is the oldest school of architecture in the UK. It was founded in 1847 as a student-centred collective that aspired to radically transform architectural education. Since then, it has fostered an environment that encourages students to speculate without limitations, take risks with confidence and cultivate individual, ambitious research.

Today, the AA comprises approximately 800 full-time students from over 80 nationalities, 290 tutors and 130 administrative staff across London and Dorset, along with over 8,500 members and an international network of alumni. Students are supported by the Student Forum, who organise events, clubs and activities for students to engage in and the AA prides itself on providing a high ration of staff to students with much higher contact time with tutors than other universities.

The school offers a Foundation Programme in Architecture, Art and Design, the BA (Hons) Architecture Intermediate Programme (RIBA Part 1) and Master of Architecture Diploma Programmes (ARB/RIBA Part 2) which form the five-year course in architecture, and ten Taught Postgraduate Programmes as well as a PhD Programme. The AA also offers the RIBA Part 3 course to qualify as an architect and a range of  short courses and workshops that take place at the AA and around the world as part of the Visiting School. The AA also operates a Summer School held in London and other locations around the world each Summer. Together, these courses, programmes and initiatives allow students from different backgrounds and with varied interests and ambitions to find their own path through the school.

The AA curriculum is enhanced by our Public Programme of lectures, exhibitions, workshops, symposia and book launches, which is free and open to the general public, as well as students and staff. The school engages with digital and print-based initiatives including the creation of new publications that disseminate architectural discourse to a global audience; AA Files, the school’s journal of record; the student-led AArchitecture magazine; and AirAA, a podcast and media platform.