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Architecture Schools and Programs in Barcelona, Spain

About Architecture Schools and Programs in Barcelona, Spain

Architecture combines design, building technology, structures, urban planning and the history and theory of architecture. Students spend much of their time in design studios, developing projects from sketch to construction drawings. Barcelona has public and private schools of architecture, and it is also a centre for continuing education in fields such as BIM and sustainable construction.

How the degrees are organised

Architect is a regulated profession in Spain, so the route matters. The usual path is a bachelor's degree in Architectural Studies (Grado en Estudios de Arquitectura) followed by the one-year official master's degree in Architecture (Máster Universitario en Arquitectura), which qualifies graduates to practise as architects. At the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona (ETSAB) of the UPC, the bachelor's degree gives access to that master's, which the school describes as essential for practising the profession. Some universities organise it differently: the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya teaches a five-year bachelor's degree in Architecture of 300 ECTS credits that, according to the university, has the academic level of a master's degree. Other bachelor's degrees in Spain usually have 240 credits.

Where to study Architecture in Barcelona

Examples from our directory:

  • Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC): its ETSAB school teaches the official bachelor's degree in Architectural Studies and the official master's degree in Architecture (MArqEtsaB), with three specialisations: Theory and Design, Urbanism and Technology. The school also offers a bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture (Paisajismo).
  • La Salle – Universidad Ramon Llull: Universitat Ramon Llull has both the bachelor's degree in Architectural Studies and the master's degree in Architecture in the RUCT. La Salle's master's in Architecture is a one-year, 60 ECTS official degree that qualifies holders to practise in Spain; it has 50 places, is taught in Catalan, Spanish and English and runs on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons.
  • Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC): the five-year bachelor's degree in Architecture (10 semesters, 300 ECTS) has 60 places and is taught in English, Spanish and Catalan. UIC also has an official master's degree in Biodigital Architecture.
  • UPC School: continuing education of the UPC, with master's and postgraduate programmes in architecture and the built environment, including BIM and sustainable construction.

Admission and recognition

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply for UNEDasiss accreditation, which assesses international students' academic records and runs the tests needed to enter Spanish bachelor's degrees. Places are limited, so check each university's admission calendar early. For architects trained abroad, practising in Spain requires recognition of the qualification: homologación is the procedure that gives access to a regulated profession in Spain.

Careers

Graduates with the qualifying master's work as architects in practice, in their own studios or in firms. Others work in urban planning and public administration, building technology and BIM coordination, landscape design, interior and exhibition design, heritage restoration, real estate development and research.

Frequently asked questions

Is a bachelor's degree enough to work as an architect in Spain?

Usually not. Practising as an architect requires the official master's degree in Architecture after the bachelor's degree in Architectural Studies, as at ETSAB and La Salle. Check the conditions of each programme, as UIC organises its degree as a five-year course with master's level.

Can I study Architecture in English in Barcelona?

Yes, in part. The UIC bachelor's degree is taught in English, Spanish and Catalan, and the La Salle master's in Architecture in Catalan, Spanish and English.

How long does it take to qualify as an architect?

Typically five to six years: a bachelor's degree followed by a one-year master's in Architecture, or a five-year integrated programme such as UIC's.