Aligning the Pedagogy of Postgraduate Professional Practice Courses to Develop the Meta-competencies Required of Architects Today

Abstract

The architectural profession can be seen as a developing and multidisciplinary career, which has evolved from the Vitruvian sole master to the need for specialisation and collaboration in multidisciplinary teams. As a regulated profession, postgraduate professional practice courses in Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK) play a critical role in the registration process for Architects. However, there is little research published on the pedagogy of these courses nor their suitability to the evolving demands on the multifaceted role required of Architects today. As a result, there is a need to reassess professional practice courses considering the competencies required in Architect’s diverse ways of practice. Over the past two decades, the number of Irish institutions offering Bachelor and Master of Architecture courses has increased significantly. Therefore, the demand for developing a new postgraduate course to meet the increased number of graduates is acknowledged. This presents an opportunity to address the research gap identified and to explore innovative approaches to curriculum design, delivery and assessment that can enhance learning while adapting to the changing societal, environmental, technological and professional challenges of architectural practice. In a desktop study, courses in Ireland and the UK were systematically examined to reveal fundamental similarities, with some significant variances. The study highlights the importance of reflective practice and multidisciplinary learning in preparation for the global challenges of the built environment. The complex nature of the architecture profession requires a diverse range of skill sets, knowledge and competencies as well as meta-competencies.