Architecture

The Bachelor of Arts in Architecture study program at the Technische Universität München provides a sound foundation in the knowledge and techniques that are required for the fields in which modern architects work today.

The study program is project-oriented and takes the form of research-oriented lessons. Accordingly, the education program is able to respond to areas of current research. The overall aim is to provide students with a comprehensive university education that communicates fundamental business skills while simultaneously instilling a sense of responsibility towards the built environment for the tasks in the planning process that they undertake.

Through instruction in each focus area at the Faculty of Architecture – (Architectural Design / Integrated Building Technologies / Urban and Landscape Transformation / Cultural Heritage, History and Criticism) – students will be educated in holistic approaches to dealing with complex systems from the theoretical concept and its cultural context to the development, arrangement and dimensioning of technical and spatial components as well as the usability and appearance of the large technical objects we know as buildings. The energy efficiency and life cycle of buildings as well as the development and design of building elements and systems are further fields that are becoming increasingly important. Issues of sustainability in the social realm and urban and regional planning are also examined at successive levels from the building itself to more fundamental aspects such as climatology, mobility and energy life cycles.

For a comprehensive description of the program, please refer to the degree program documentation:

• Degree program documentation for the bachelor's program in Architecture (PDF, German) 

Completion of the Bachelor of Arts in Architecture study program at the TU München equips graduates to work in all fields of architectural planning and construction. The program provides a level of education that allows students to qualify for professional practice as an architect in accordance with the rules of the Free State of Bavaria Architect’s Law and the EU architectural directives. After a minimum of two years of practical experience, graduates can apply to become a member of the Chamber of Architects, permitting them to submit planning applications and to bear the professional title of architect. In addition, the four-year study course also qualifies students to undertake a master’s study pro-gram with at least 120 credits, which in turn is a requirement for students to register as a licensed architect around the world in accordance with the International Union of Architects (UIA).

After completion of the study program in architecture, graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in Architecture study program at the TU München will have a good understanding of the comprehensive range of aspects covered by the discipline of architecture, and the variety and complexity of the work of an architect, as reflected in the interlinked phases (see the HOAI fee scales for architects and engineers) of a building project. 

The changing social conditions are placing new demands on the architectural profession throughout the world. Graduates of the study programs at the Faculty of Architecture at the Technische Universität München have the necessary skills to assume a leading role in the planning processes of future global markets.
The national and international fields of activity lie in regionally active architectural offices as well as in architecture firms operating globally, in product and materials development, in the fields of architectural technology, business consulting, in public as well as private administrations and in positions in the building industry.

While the traditional profile of the architect as a designing architect will in future become less and less widespread, the training of architects as designers of social and spatial transformation processes will continue to be useful and relevant in a range of related fields and occupations.
Students should, therefore, take the opportunity to pursue an individual specialization as part of their studies at the TUM and through accompanying periods of practical experience. Students can choose to focus on topics that will be growth areas in the coming decades: energy-efficiency and urban infrastructure, renovation and conversion of existing buildings, architectural informatics or transformation processes in megacities.
Architecture schools in Germany are training more students than the respective local job markets will in future be able to sustain. This is neither a negative nor unwanted development: at present, more than fifty percent of architecture graduates bring their skills to bear in other suitable and related professional vocations.

Architectural studies at the TUM trains architects as generalists. Students learn technical, design and social science competences. The 8-semester regular duration of the bachelor’s study program confers students, after a suitable period of practical experience, the right to apply to be registered as a licensed architect with a Chamber of Architects in the European Union. This freedom allows students to pursue a specialization of their own choosing in their master’s studies, for example in management, humanities or engineering – or in architecture. The TU München offers a variety of suitable study programs. The fact that the bachelor’s degree program confers the possibility to work as a qualified architect enables students to specialize in a direction of their choosing in their later studies, offering a potentially broader range of career opportunities.

International orientation and a willingness to be mobile are increasingly important factors for working as an architect. There is growing demand for spatial designers around the world which will shift as growth regions change in future. The integral period of study abroad in the Bachelor of Architecture study program is a first step in this direction. At the university’s center for innovation and business creation, UnternehmerTUM, students are given the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills and business perspective. Founding a company of one’s own based on a service or technology of one’s own making liberates one from the fluctuations of the job market. Architects have always been entrepreneurs.

The Bachelor of Arts in Architecture degree program is an 8-semester long full-time study course. The first four semesters aim to establish a common basis through the training of perceptive and creative design faculties, the methodology of architectural design as well as education in the basic principles of natural sciences and technology and in the disciplines of the social sciences and humanities. These semesters therefore consist predominantly of mandatory courses.

The core subject areas of design, urbanism, building construction, history and theory, design and presentation, digital design, among others, constitute 20 weekly hours per semester respectively and 30 credits. The creative process of designing plays a central role: 6 weekly hours per semester are dedicated to project work in the form of a short design project. Related lectures and exercises complement the respective project.

In most cases, students spend the 5th and 6th semesters studying at a foreign partner university. The department of international relations at the Faculty of Architecture helps and supports students in selecting their partner university. Using a selection procedure, which considers students’ achievements, personal aptitude and motivation, each student is offered a placement at one of over 90 partner universities around the world.

To avoid overburdening students when they are abroad, students are asked to achieve a minimum of 20 credits per semester. Contractual agreements with partner universities set out the number of students admitted and the duration of their stay. In addition, the curricula of the partner universities are closely aligned through Learning Agreements with the curriculum of the Faculty of Architecture at the TU München.

The 7th and 8th semesters expand on and deepen the knowledge gained in the previous semesters. In the 7th semester, students can choose from a range of projects with different thematic areas of focus offered by different chairs of the faculty. The remaining subjects are compulsory elective modules to allow students to place greater emphasis on an area of their choosing. In the 8th semester, students undertake their bachelor’s thesis project, which is presented at a final colloquium, and counts for 12+3 credit points.

• Overview degree program structure

Required language skills for admission:

You need sufficient German language skills if you wish to apply for this program. Evidence of your language proficiency has to be submitted before the end of the application deadline. Learn more about recognized certificates and other ways to prove your German language skills.

This evidence of your language proficiency confirms that you comply with the minimum language requirements for admission to the program. Depending on the program and your individual background, it may be necessary for you to keep working on your language skills during your studies. Be sure to take a look at the services of our Language Center.   

Language of instruction:

The language of instruction for this program is German.

• Information on exams
• Contact Examination Board
• Information on studying abroad

The tuition fees for international students from third countries for this degree program are 2,000 euros per semester.

Many international students can have their fees waived or receive scholarships to finance them. You can find all information on waivers and scholarships here.

Please note: The semester fee as a contribution to the student union must be paid additionally. It varies depending on where you are studying. You can find all information on the semester fee here.

Admission requirements and the application procedure vary depending on the type of higher education entrance qualification you hold.

During the application period, you must apply through the TUMonline application portal and upload your application documents.

If you receive an offer of admission, you will additionally have to submit individual documents as notarized hardcopies by post to be enrolled.

Generally, applicants with an international higher education entrance qualification must have their documents reviewed in advance through uni-assist.

In detail:

• What are the steps of the application process?
• What admissions requirements do I need to fulfill?
• Important information about your application from the TUM school or department

• Higher Education Entrance Qualification
• Proof of German Language Proficiency
• Portfolio or Respective Completed Professional Education
• Letter of Motivation
• Complete and Current Résumé
• Passport
• if applicable: Proof of Internships or Professional Experience (optional)
• Preliminary Documentation (VPD) by uni-assist - for international applicants only

We may require additional documents depending on your educational background and your country of origin. Complete the online application to receive a comprehensive list of the required documents. 

• Application for Enrollment (signed)
• Higher Education Entrance Qualification (certified copy)
• Most Current Photo (as for ID)
• Digital notification of your health insurance status from a German public health insurance provider (requested by applicant)

We may require additional documents depending on the type of educational background you earned and your country of origin. After accepting an offer of admission in TUMonline, you will receive a list of documents you must submit to TUM in hardcopy for enrollment.

Application period for the winter semester: 15.05. – 15.07.

For information on applying for a higher semester, please contact the Departmental Student Advising.

During the application period, you must apply through the TUMonline application portal and upload your application documents. Please be aware that we can only process your application if you upload all required documents within the application period.

We will review your application as soon as it is complete. Please check your TUMonline account regularly, to see if we have any queries to your documents or if you have to amend one or more documents.

After receiving admission, you will see in TUMonline which documents you have to submit for enrollment, and in which form. Please note that you always have to send the signed application for enrollment and all notarized hardcopies by post.

We recommend that you submit the documents for enrollment as soon as possible after receiving admission. If individual documents are not available by then, you can submit them up to 5 weeks after the start of the lecture period. You will, however, only be enrolled once we have received all documents.

You can check the status of your application at any time in your TUMonline account.

Selection takes place through an aptitude assessment procedure. Aptitude assessment is a two-part procedure evaluating your ability to successfully manage the particular qualitative requirements of the bachelor’s program.

In the first stage, your overall secondary school grades, your grades in subject-specific courses, and any relevant practical experience or additional qualifications will be evaluated using a point system. Depending on the amount of points accumulated, applicants are either immediately admitted, rejected or invited to an admissions interview.

In detail:

• Aptitude Assessment for Bachelor
• Aptitude Assessment (German) (PDF 141 KB)