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Architecture

On the Joint Master in Architecture, you will reflect on socially sustainable values and develop your own architectural and social attitude.

This degree is run as a cooperation master’s programme with HES-SO Fribourg and HES-SO Genève. You will benefit from the different specialisations of the three partner universities and the cultural exchange between the 150 students.

Master’s thesis on the topic of “15-Minuten-Stadt-Universität Bern – Eine städtebauliche Vision” for the Länggasse district in Bern

Start your degree programme in the autumn or spring semester.

Factsheet

  • Title/Degree Master of Arts (MA) in Architecture
  • Specialisations «Regenerative architecture & wood»
    «Cooperative architecture of the open city»
  • Mode of study Full-time (4 semesters), Part-time (7 semesters)
  • Start date Spring semester: week 8
    Autumn semester: week 38
  • Application deadline Spring semester: 31 October
    Autumn semester: 31 May
  • ECTS credits 120 ECTS
  • Teaching language German (English, French)
    Common modules with students from Fribourg and Geneva are taught in English and French. All written work can be submitted in German, English or French.
  • Location Biel city lab, individual seminars in Fribourg and Geneva
  • School School of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering

Contact

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Focus areas

You will gain in-depth specialist knowledge in conceptual and constructional design in the two focus areas of ‘Architecture & Wood’ and ‘Architecture & Area. You will gain an insight into applied research and innovative practice, opening up your prospects.

What you will gain from your degree

As an architect with a master’s degree, you will acquire the professional tools required for the integral implementation of complex architectural and planning tasks – from strategic planning to competitive tender projects through to actual development. You are willing to work as a project manager in Switzerland or abroad, to engage in networking activities and to assume responsibility in independent projects.

You will get plenty of opportunity and time to develop your own visions during the programme. You choose your own master’s thesis topic, profiling yourself as an architect.

Programme overview

The specialisations

Choose your preferred focus area and design your studies according to your interests.

Regenerative construction methods improve the indoor and urban climate and contribute to climate-friendly cities and settlements.

The Regenerative architecture & wood focus area will provide you extensive expertise in timber building culture and wood as a material. You will combine wood with other resource-conserving, bio-based building materials such as clay, natural fibres and natural stone to generate sustainable building concepts while adopting a holistic approach of ecosystems, energy and material cycles. You will learn to improve traditional Baukultur and combine it with modern planning and production methods with the aim of making resource-conserving construction sustainable and competitive.

schwerpunkt regenerative architektur

The Cooperative architecture of the open city focus area will provide you the skills to grasp the complex social, economic, and ecological correlations pertaining to neighborhood and urban development. You will learn how to operate successfully in today’s dynamic urban and settlement development using cooperative and interdisciplinary practices. In close, creative collaboration with local actors, the population, public authorities and experts from various disciplines, you will design meaningful and sustainable development processes that improve the quality of our built environment in the long term.

schwerpunkt kooperative stadtentwicklung

Joint Master: highlights + admission

The Master of Arts in Architecture at Bern University of Applied Sciences is a Joint Master. Created in 2005, it is organised jointly by Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO).

1 Master – 2 universities – 3 sites

The courses take place at three different sites: at the School of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering of Bern University of Applied Sciences in Biel, at the Fribourg School of Engineering and Architecture, and at the Geneva School of Landscape, Engineering and Architecture.

Benefits of the Joint Master of Architecture (JMA)

To become a JMA student, you have to register either with BFH or HES-SO. You can then enrol in any the modules offered by the partner sites within the framework of the programme. The wide range of courses allows you to design your studies according to your personal interests and the skills you wish to develop.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to the Joint Master of Architecture (JMA), you must have one of the following qualifications:

  • A bachelor’s degree in architecture from a Swiss university of applied sciences
  • A bachelor’s degree in architecture from a Swiss university, plus a practical work placement
  • Other qualifications and programmes abroad: bachelor’s degree in architecture or equivalent training recognised by the guidelines of the European Union or the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE) and professional internship.

Detailed information on admission requirements and applications can be found on the website of the Joint Master of Arts in Architecture.

JMA - Joint Master of Architecutre

Advice + information

Do you have any questions about the degree programme? The head of programme, lecturers and students will answer your questions at our info events.

Advice

Your choice of education or continuing education programme is a major decision. We would be pleased to offer you a personal consultation to answer your questions and explain the requirements for the programme you are interested in.

Prof. Stanislas Zimmermann

  • Studiengangsleiter Master Architektur
  • +41 34 426 41 16
  • Show e-mail
Beratung Studiengänge

Personal advice

Study advice in a few clicks: Stanislas Zimmermann will be happy to answer all your questions about your studies.

Simply book an appointment online or on site!

Sekretariat Master Architektur

  • +41 34 426 41 01
  • Show e-mail

Info event

Our online info events tell you all you need to know about our programme, our admission requirements and your subsequent career prospects. Our students give you their personal take on daily life on campus and share their experiences.

In addition, you can visit us at an Open Atelier day at the Biel city lab.

Next dates

The registration option and all information on the upcoming info events and Open Ateliers 2024/25 will be published here at the end of August.

Location + facilities

You will study for the Master in Architecture at the Biel city lab in the heart of the city. This is also home to the Dencity research competence area, which focuses on spatial development topics. The city lab is an initiative of the Biel professional and interest associations, the City of Biel and Bern University of Applied Sciences.

Location

The Biel city lab can be reached in around 3 minutes on foot from the railway station.

No parking spaces are available at the Biel city lab. Parking is available at the “Bahnhofparking” car park.

Biel/Bienne, Aarbergstrasse 112

Infrastructure

As a student you will get a personal workplace on the ground floor. The large window provides great views of vibrant city life. There are also a library and workspaces for lecturers and employees on the ground floor.

On the basement level, you have access to a small workshop for model construction as well as plotters and printers for your presentations.

Aarbergstrasse 112, Biel/Bienne

Bern University of Applied Sciences

School of Architecture, wood, civil engineering
Stadtlabor Biel
Aarbergstrasse 112
CH-2502 Biel/Bienne

+41 34 426 42 33

masterarchitektur.ahb@bfh.ch