The Bio-Integrated Design MArch/MSc course at the Bartlett School of Architecture teaches students a combination of scientific methods and design experimentation to develop innovative bio-integrated systems.

Learn to integrate living systems directly into architectural design with the Bio-Integrated Design MArch and MSc courses at UCL's Bartlett School of Architecture.

The Bartlett is ranked number one in the world for Architecture and Built Environment (QS World University Ranking by Subject 2025) and number one in the UK for Architecture (The Guardian University Guide 2026).

The Bio-Integrated Design MArch and MSc courses take these life-changing phenomena as the foundation to explore radical, sophisticated, yet also critical, design solutions that will shape our future society.

Our students come from a range of backgrounds, including architecture, biology and bioscience, engineering, fine arts, graphic design, product design, fashion design, landscape architecture, urban planning, computer science and pharmacology.

You can choose from either a MArch or MSc degree, allowing you to specialise in scientific or architecture, design and art outputs.

School: The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
Course: Bio-Integrated Design MArch and Bio-Integrated Design MSc
Type: Postgraduate
Location: London, UK
Course dates: September 2026 to September 2027
Application deadline: 26 June 2026 for applicants who require a visa and 28 August 2026 for applicants who do not require a visa

Find out more about the course and apply ›

What will I learn during this course?

Students will learn skills in conceptual design thinking and laboratory-based experimentation. This combines iterative design processes with emerging techniques in synthetic biology, material science and computational modelling.

What are the requirements?

Bio-Integrated Design MArch – a minimum of a second-class UK degree in an appropriate subject or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. A design/creative portfolio is also expected.

Applicants will be asked to submit a portfolio of their design work along with a short piece of writing once their completed application has been received, and should not send or upload work until it has been requested.

Bio-Integrated Design MSc – a minimum of a second-class UK Bachelor's degree in an appropriate subject or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

Applicants will also be asked to submit two short pieces of writing. Details on this will be provided once the completed application has been received by the department.

What facilities and resources are available?

– Advanced labs and studios
– Close collaboration with industry
– Intimate, interdisciplinary environment
– Opportunity to be exhibited in the annual autumn show

What career prospects can I expect upon graduating?

Students will be prepared for a broad scope of jobs in teams of designers, architects or engineers and especially equipped to join companies and organisations with a focus on experimental and advanced design, computation and bio or environmental integration.

They will also be prepared to pursue research either in academia, such as PhD courses or laboratories, or industry in integrated research and development groups that develop innovative products or work for the built environment.

Who teaches this course?

– Marcos Cruz, programme director
– Brenda Parker, programme director

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