Professionally oriented

Full-time study

2 years

doc. Ing. arch. Maxmilian Wittmann, Ph.D.

Chairman :
doc. Ing. arch. Maxmilian Wittmann, Ph.D.
Councillor internal :
Ing. arch. Radek Toman, Ph.D.
prof. Ing. arch. Vladimír Šlapeta, DrSc.
Ing. arch. Jan Foretník, Ph.D.
Ing. arch. Radek Suchánek, Ph.D.
doc. Ing. Monika Petříčková, Ph.D.
akad. mal. Milada Gabrielová

The aim of the study is to equip students with knowledge from the theoretical, technical, and related disciplines in the field of architecture and urban design, as well as an adequate set of professional competences and skills. The range and level of skills and knowledge is defined so that the graduate will be able to work as an independent certified architect. The graduates may also attain the position in the academic sector, research institutions, state administration, supranational authorities or in local government in the field of architecture and urban planning.

The graduates of the master’s study programme (MSP) Architecture and Urban Design have acquired the up-to-date knowledge in the field of architecture, urban planning, and construction industry. The programme focuses on mastering the technical and theoretical knowledge of architectural and urban planning disciplines in their complex coherence. This knowledge is complemented with the relevant human sciences that are the essential basis for the quality performance of architect’s practice. The graduates are able to interpret the architectural works and place them in the social context. The graduates are able to implement the knowledge gained in the individual courses into practice. The graduate has the ability to think critically. He is able to think and create in the context of the principles of sustainable development.

Professional Knowledge
The graduates of MSP will have the professional knowledge required for the field of study of Architecture and Urbanism. In terms of the prospective employment, the graduates will have the knowledge defined by the Czech Chamber of Architects (CCA), in the field of Architecture (CCA Certification Code §4), and for the field of Urban Planning CCA (Certification Code §5):
– knowledge of the history and theory of architecture,
– knowledge of the urban design and urban planning,
– knowledge of the methods of investigation and preparation of the brief for a design project,
– knowledge of the physical problems and technologies and the functions of buildings, so as to provide them with internal conditions of comfort and protection against the climate,
– knowledge of industries, organisations, regulations and procedures involved in integrating of partial designs into the overall project,
– knowledge of the history and theory of urban design (town development) and urban planning at local, regional, and national government level,
– knowledge of the related arts, technologies and human sciences,
– knowledge and understanding of the culture, as one of the fundamental influences on the quality of land-use planning documentation, land-use planning data, and/or urban design plans and projects,
– knowledge of the relationships between architecture and urban design, urban planning, and the process of designing buildings,
– knowledge of methods of investigation and analyses and preparation of the brief for the land-use planning documentation and land-use planning data, and/or urban design plans and projects,
– knowledge of the whole land-use planning process, and/or urban design process, and the competences and skills to deal with the natural, cultural, social, economic and technical problems of the area, and to protect its values,
– knowledge of the technology how to design built environment in relation to health care, protection of nature and landscape components of environment, with aim to improve the quality of life,
– knowledge of the relevant fields, branches, technologies, regulations, and methods that must be coordinated during land-use planning, and when applying the land-use planning documentation and the land-use planning data, as well as when developing and implementing the urban design plans and projects.
The range and level of knowledge is influenced by their importance in the Central European, national / Czech, or wider context.

Professional Skills
The graduates of the master´s study programme will gain all professional skills required for the field of study of Architecture and Urbanism at the level of master’s degree. The extent of skills is defined by the graduate’s prospective employment as certified architects in the field of Architecture and/or in the field of Urban Planning. Students may individually develop selected skills in specialized and module studios, seminars, and the related selective courses.
The graduates will acquire skills that comply with the requirements on the education in the field of Architecture (the CCA Certification Code, §4) and in the field of Urban Planning (the CCA Certification Code, §5):
– competences to create architectural projects that satisfy both aesthetic and technical requirements,
– competences to understand the relationship between people and architectural projects, and between architectural projects and their environment, and to understand the need to relate architectural projects and the spaces between them to human needs and scale,
– competences to understand the profession of architect and the role of the architect in society, in particular in preparing briefs that take account of social factors,
– competences to understand building design, and constructional and engineering problems associated with building design,
– the necessary design competences to meet building users’ requirements within the constraints imposed by cost factors and building regulations,
– competences to create land-use planning documentation and land-use planning data, as well as urban design projects that comply with the natural, cultural, social, economic, technical, and aesthetic requirements,
– competences to understand the relations between people and urban environment, and between urban environment and landscape, and the need to design various spaces and environment while respecting human needs and scales,
– competences to understand the profession of urban planner and the role of the urban planner in society, in particular in preparing briefs that take account of social factors,
– design competences and skills to meet local users’ requirements within the constraints imposed by cost factors and building regulations.

The master’s study programme at FA BUT prepares the graduates for the architectural practice in an architectural office lead by a certified architect where they can lead the design of simple buildings, and after passing the professional qualification exam they may become a certified architect. The MSP graduates will gain the recognised professional qualification which is one of the conditions to become a certified architect as specified in CCA Certification Code (§4 to §6). The CCA certification authorise the graduates to perform the practice in Czech Republic as well as in the EU.
With the acquired knowledge and skills, the MSP graduates may find employment also in academic sector, and in other institutions focusing on theory, science, research, development and innovations, e.g. in the National Heritage Institute, or the Czech Academy of Sciences. Further, they may become an employee at the heritage departments, nature conservation agencies. The MSP graduates may find employment in the procurers of land-use planning data, land-use planning documentation, delimitation of the developed area, spatial development policy, in representation of the investor, or the client in the land-use permission, building permission, or handover procedure, and to be an official in the bodies of public administration in the area of land-use planning and building code. Beyond the typical employment defined in the field of study (Government Regulation No. 275/2016), the graduates may also work as a lead architect in the local government, as a specialist in the urban planning department or strategic development. They will have enough knowledge to do technical journalism and architecture promotion.

The final state exam in MSP Architecture and Urban Design has two parts: the defence of the master’s thesis and the oral exam. Both parts are evaluated using A-F grading scale in accordance with the Study and Examination Rules of BUT.
The oral part of the final state exam verifies the graduates’ knowledge in the field of theory of architecture, and urban design (corresponding with the theoretical courses of the study programme profile: Theory and Aesthetics in Architecture, Theory of Urban Design, Landscape Design, Master Thesis Seminar), and in the field of legislation in architectural practice (corresponding with the courses of the study programme profile: Architect´s Practice, and Law in Architectural Practice).
The requirements on the defence, evaluation, and the overall evaluation of the final state exam are stated in the Study and Examination Rules of BUT, and the relevant internal guidelines of Faculty of Architecture.

The study programme is preceded by a bachelor’s study programme within the area of architecture, urbanism, and urban/land-use planning.
The graduates of the study programme may continue in the doctoral study programme Architecture and Urban Design at FA BUT. The graduates may also continue their studies in other doctoral study programmes in the field of study of Architecture and Urbanism at other universities.