Bachelor in Architecture

The Architecture program at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Clermont-Ferrand in Clermont-Ferrand, France, is a three-year first-cycle degree that establishes the foundations of architectural study and practice. Students develop skills in architectural design and spatial representation, learning to conceive, develop, draw, and communicate architectural projects from initial concept through to a developed proposal. The curriculum integrates structural principles, building technology and materials, the history and theory of architecture from antiquity to the present, and urban planning and design. Studio-based design projects are central to the pedagogy, requiring students to work iteratively and respond to complex briefs. Courses in sustainable design, environmental performance, and building physics are woven into the studio program. Students are also introduced to construction law, professional practice, and the social and cultural dimensions of building. Instruction is in French. Graduates of the first cycle hold the qualification needed to continue to the second cycle leading to the state diploma of architect (DPLG or equivalent), which is required for professional practice in France. Architectural careers span private firms, urban design agencies, public contracting authorities, heritage bodies, and project management. The program starts in September and lasts 3 years. Tuition is 178 EUR per year.