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Studies & Degrees in Architecture Foundations

Architecture Foundations is the English name for the Spanish bachelor's degree Grado en Fundamentos de Arquitectura. It is the first of the two university degrees that lead to the profession of architect in Spain. Students learn to design buildings and urban spaces, and they study the drawing, science, construction and history that design depends on.

The degree on its own does not make its holder an architect. Spanish law treats architect as a regulated profession that requires both an official bachelor's degree and an official master's degree. Anyone comparing this subject with a general "architecture" degree in another country should keep that two-step structure in mind.

What students learn

The content is set by a ministerial order (Orden EDU/2075/2010), so the core is the same at every Spanish university. The bachelor's degree has 300 ECTS credits and must include at least these blocks:

  • Preparatory block of basic sciences and drawing: 60 ECTS credits
  • Technical block of construction, structures and building services: 60 ECTS credits
  • Design block of composition, architectural projects and urban planning: 100 ECTS credits
  • Final degree project: 6 ECTS credits

The remaining credits are set by each university, which may use them for optional subjects, specialisations or work placements. Much of the teaching takes place in design studios, where students develop projects and present them for review.

Qualifications and levels

The route has two stages. The bachelor's degree lasts five years (300 ECTS credits). It gives access to the Máster Universitario en Arquitectura, an official master's degree of 60 ECTS credits, usually one academic year, which includes a final project of 30 ECTS credits. The master's degree is the qualification that gives access to the regulated profession, and admission to it requires the bachelor's degree first.

This structure fits European rules. Directive 2005/36/EC on professional qualifications asks for at least five years of full-time university study for architects, or four years of study plus two years of professional traineeship. The Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) states that its bachelor's and master's degrees are officially recognised in the countries of the European Union without a separate recognition procedure. Graduates who plan to work outside the EU should ask the professional body of the destination country what it requires.

Where to study it

The directory lists two active schools for this subject, both in Spain.

The UPV/EHU teaches the Grado en Fundamentos de Arquitectura at its Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura on the Gipuzkoa campus in San Sebastián. The degree lasts five academic years and is taught in Spanish, Basque and English; the university states that more than 50% of the subjects can be taken in English and publishes a list of courses taught in English for 2026-27. It offers 150 places, the cut-off mark in the ordinary call for 2026-27 was 9.000, and the degree page lists a price of €18.29 per credit for first-time enrolment. Students can choose one of three specialisations: creative innovation and research; heritage, rehabilitation and conservation; or urbanism, landscape and territory. Double degrees are possible with the national schools of architecture in Bordeaux and Montpellier.

The Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera (CEU UCH), a private university, teaches the Grado en Fundamentos de la Arquitectura in English at its Alfara campus near Valencia. The programme lasts five years, has 300 ECTS credits and offers 35 places. The university also teaches the Máster Universitario en Arquitectura in English: one year, 60 ECTS credits and 20 places.

Careers

Most graduates continue to the master's degree, because it is required to sign building projects as an architect. The Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España (CSCAE) keeps the official register of architecture professionals in Spain.

The UPV/EHU lists these fields of work for its graduates: architecture practices, construction companies, the civil service and teaching. Typical areas are building and urban development projects, restoration and rehabilitation of buildings, spatial planning and landscape design, site management, property and heritage management, and posts in public administration such as municipal architect.

Frequently asked questions

Can I work as an architect in Spain with the Grado en Fundamentos de Arquitectura alone?

No. Architect is a regulated profession in Spain, and it requires the official Máster Universitario en Arquitectura (60 ECTS credits) after the bachelor's degree.

How long does it take to become an architect in Spain?

The bachelor's degree has 300 ECTS credits and takes five years. The master's degree adds 60 ECTS credits, which the schools in the directory teach in one year.

Can I study Architecture Foundations in English in Spain?

Yes. CEU UCH teaches the whole degree in English at its Alfara campus, and the UPV/EHU states that more than 50% of its subjects can be taken in English.

Is the Spanish qualification valid in other European countries?

The UPV/EHU states that its bachelor's and master's degrees are officially recognised in the countries of the European Union without a separate recognition procedure. Registration rules still depend on each country's professional body.