Master of Arts (M.A.)

Study Architecture

The faculty's thematic focus is "Architecture and Context". Future developments in architecture will be determined by the demands of technical progress, energy efficiency and climate protection on the one hand and contextual compatibility in a changing society on the other.

application infomation
Seminarraum der Fakultät Architektur

Content

What is the Master of Architecture programme about?

The Master's in Architecture specialises in the contextual parameters of the European city and urban landscape. Students of this in-depth, interdisciplinary course learn to recognise complex issues, develop their own positions and find specific solutions. The programme is divided into in-depth project work, theory and general skills. The degree programme has a modular structure, centered around the Master's project (design) and the associated specialisation module, in which human sciences, ecology, economics and cultural studies are taught in addition to the classic core architectural skills. Students are presented with practical problems, which encourage them to think across disciplines and develop new creative solutions. This allows the students to connect theory and practice and offers individual opportunities for specialisation.  

In addition to in-depth training in all structural and design aspects of both traditional and current architectural design, the faculty places particular emphasis on an appropriate and sustainable approach to the existing architectural context.

Strengths of the degree programme

The building

Building L at Galgenbergstraße 32 facilitates a very special collaborative atmosphere: open, shared decks connected by free atrium staircases and a central space to form a large, continuous spiral of rooms, which host not only group work and seminars, but also exhibitions and lectures. It is an open and lively building full of dynamism.

Laboratories and workshops

The faculty's laboratories and workshops are state-of-the-art and extremely well-equipped.

Architecture and context

The faculty's thematic focus on "Architecture and Context" encapsulates our common search for strategies to make the architecture of the future sustainable, aesthetic and contextual. "Architecture and context" takes in the full spectrum of architecture, from cities and urban landscapes to the extension, conversion and expansion of existing building structures, right down to the material and detailing.

Career opportunities

Study objective and career prospects

Architecture bears responsibility for our coexistence in the future, which demands the highest level of design quality. Professional training forms the basis for a methodical approach, enabling students to find creative solutions to future challenges.

  • Our students learn scientific working practices. They are taught the necessary methods to formulate theories and develop solution strategies in their complex designs. Students are presented with practical problems, which encourage them to think across disciplines and develop new creative solutions. This allows the students to connect theory and practice and offers individual opportunities for specialisation.


  • The Master of Arts qualifies graduates for membership in the Chamber of Architects and the use of the protected professional title "architect". It offers the opportunity to gain a doctorate, to work in higher-level public service roles and is internationally recognised as equivalent to a university degree.


  • Since February 2012, OTH graduates of the Master's programme in Architecture enjoy automatic recognition of their professional qualifications in all EU member states, which means they can work as architects throughout Europe without having to apply individually to have their degree recognised. Our architectural degree programmes were notified by the responsible EU working group in February 2012, guaranteeing their status. "Notification" is the term used to describe the procedure for determining the conformity of new architectural degree programmes with European law, i.e. our BA/MA degree programmes following the discontinuation of the diploma degree programme. The degree programme is subsequently added to Annex V. 5.7.1 of the EU Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (BARL). This facilitates access to regulated professions abroad - which includes the profession of architect in almost all EU member states, but also affects lawyers and pharmacists, for example. Only the higher education qualifications included in Annex V.5.7.1. of BARL and published in the EU Official Journal are subject to automatic recognition. The entire procedure is comparable to an accreditation in terms of scope and effort.


Structure and modules

How is the degree programme structured?

The Master's programme in Architecture is a full-time course comprising fourtheoreticalsemesters. Mandatory elective modules allow students to specialise and shape their studies in accordance with their interests and skills.

  • Modules:

    • Architectural Theory I & II
    • Design Projects I & II
    • Building Structure
    • Professional Practice
    • Building Process
    • Materials

    For further information see: Study and examination regulations, curriculum and module handbook in the downloadarea.


  • Modules:

    • Academic Research
    • Design Project III
    • Resources
    • Experimental Design
    • Master thesis
    • Mandatory Subject-specific Elective Module
    • Mandatory Elective Module General Sciences

    For further information see: Study and examination regulations, curriculum and module handbook in the download area.


Specialisation

Which specialisations can I choose?

The three Design Project modules are organised in Vertical Studios.

The Vertical Studios allow students to choose modules within different specialisations, for example, construction, urban design, context, building rehabilitation, ecology and technology, and more.

Studierende der Fakultät Architektur

Studies and organisational matters

So that everything runs smoothly

When and where do lectures take place? Which legal regulations must be observed? Answers to these and other questions about the Master of Architecture programme can be found here

  • Lectures take place mainly on the main campus of the OTH Regensburg in the Faculty of Architecture building:

    Building L
    Galgenbergstraße 32
    93053 Regensburg


  • AQAS, Accreditation council, Quality report


  • Whether to study, undertake an internship or write your thesis - the Master's degree in Architecture offers multiple opportunities to go abroad. Comprehensive information on the subject of studying abroad can be found on the website of the OTH Regensburg's InternationalOffice, including:

    • List of all partner universities of the OTH Regensburg
    • Fieldreports on studying abroad

    Our colleagues in the InternationalOffice will be happy to answer any furtherquestions. For faculty-specific questions, please contact the Faculty of Architecture's International Officer, Prof. Christophe Barlieb.


  • The study and examination regulations (SPO) and curriculum are the documents which contain the regulations governing studying and exams.


Faculty strengths

  • In addition to our digital laboratories, a great strength of the faculty lies in its well-equipped workshops, model workrooms and the faculty's own "Fab-Lab". In addition to an extensive woodworking workshop, the faculty has a metal workshop, a plaster and ceramics laboratory, a material science laboratory, a photo laboratory, a surveying laboratory, a design laboratory, a lighting laboratory, an assembling studio and a Fab-Lab with paper cutter and 3D printers working in plastic, synthetic resin and plaster. The labs and workshops are actively used by students from all degree programmes. The Cybercraft Lab, founded in 2021, experiments with generic and open-source sensors, cloud computing, programming, modelling, simulation, fabrication, AI/ML, VR/AR/MR media interfaces and robots in order to connect the physical and digital trades. Through transdisciplinary research and teaching, new knowledge transfers emerge from the labs and workshops to inform new and relevant architectural design and construction practices.


  • The Friedrich Mielke Institute, named after the pioneer of European staircase research, Professor Dr.-Ing. Friedrich Mielke, is a scientific institute at the OTH Regensburg. It serves research and teaching in all fields that are technically, artistically, literarily, philosophically, historically or spiritually concerned with the staircases of our world.

    Contact:
    Friedrich Mielke Institute

    Academic Director:
    Prof. Dr. Dietmar Kurapkat (acting)


  • The Competence Centre for Building Archaeology brings together the research and educational research projects in the area of building archaeology carried out at the Faculty of Architecture as well as research-oriented Master's theses in the Master's in Building Archaeology programme. The Competence Centre supports the execution of these projects through subject-related networks and assists in the external presentation of research results.

    In doing so, the Competence Centre works closely with the Sustainable Building and Building Archaeology Research Cluster (NBHB) as well as with the Friedrich Mielke Institute for Scalalogy.

    Contact and academic director:
    Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Kurapkat


Application info

Please check the specific admission requirements for this programme (Only available in German).

1. Please register in the OTH Regensburg application portal. It is not necessary to register with “Hochschulstart” for this degree programme.

2. The application process is entirely online. Please complete the online application and upload all required application documents.

3. Make sure you regularly check your status in the application portal. Here you can also see whether any documents are still missing. These documents must be submitted by the end of the deadline.

4. You will automatically receive email notifications via the application portal when your application status changes.

5. After your application has been processed, you will receive an e-mail with further information from the Admissions and Organisation Office of the OTH Regensburg as confirmation of receipt.

 

6.  If all application documents have been received within the application deadline and are valid, you will receive an e-mail with further information after the examination committee has checked the documents. Please note that it is no longer possible to apply after the application deadline.

7. So what comes next? You can find all the information you need in the section under "Admissions and enrolment".

 

For winter semesters:

Application period: 1 May – 15 June

For summer semesters:

Application period: 15 November – 15 January

1. Please register in the OTH Regensburg application portal.

2. The application process is entirely online. Please complete the online application and upload all required application documents. Important components of the application are your university entrance qualification, your current transcript of grades from your previous studies and the application for credit transfer. If further documents are required, they will be requested in the application portal.

3. Make sure you regularly check your status in the application portal. Here you can also see whether any documents are still missing. These documents must be submitted by the end of the deadline. Please note that it only makes sense to apply for a higher semester if you have already obtained credits in the same or a closely related degree programme. If this is not the case or if you are in doubt about receiving credit, please apply (additionally) for a first semester. If you are currently enrolled in your first semester, you will not receive your exam results before the application deadline. We do not accept incomplete records or provisional results, so you will not be able to apply for admission to another programme in a higher semester.

4. After your application has been processed, you will receive an e-mail with further information from the Admissions and Organisation Department of the OTH Regensburg as confirmation of receipt.

 

5. If all application documents have been received within the application deadline and are valid, you will receive an e-mail with further information after the examination committee has checked the documents. Please note that it is no longer possible to apply after the application deadline. 

6. The examination committee decides on the crediting of academic achievements and whether a placement in a higher semester is possible. This placement is based on the creditable achievements and not on the semesters completed. Please note that there may also be admission restrictions in the admission procedure for higher semesters. 

7. So what comes next? You can find all the information you need in the section under "Admissions and enrolment".

 

 

BACHELOR'S CERTIFICATE

For the application for this Master's degree programme please submit your certificates and diplomas of your home country translated into German or English. The complete Bachelor's certificate with all subjects, the final grade and the grading scale is required. You can find detailed information in the admission requirements.

 

GERMAN LANGUAGE SKILLS

German language skills on level DSH 1 are required. You have to upload your German language certificate either when applying or when enrolling via the online portal.

These certificates are recognized as an alternative to the DSH 1 certificate:

  • TestDaF: TDN 3 in all sections of the exam
  • Studienkolleg: Feststellungsprüfung „Deutsch“
  • DSD: Level II with B2 in all sections of the exam
  • Goethe: C1
  • telc: telc Deutsch C1, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule
  • ÖSD: C1
  • UNIcert® Deutsch III

If you need a visa to study in Germany, you should look into the visa procedure and (if necessary) register on the waitlist as soon as possible. Depending on your country, receiving a visa appointment can take a long time. On the other hand, our admission letters are only valid for one semester and admission cannot be deferred.

You can find more information for prospective international students (on visas or other issues) on the web pages of the International Office.

Admission and enrolment

After the Master Commission has checked your documents, you will receive an admission or rejection notice by e-mail.
If you receive admission, you can immediately accept the place of study online in the application portal and upload the enrolment documents.
Enrolment generally takes place in August for a winter semester or in February for a summer semester.
 

Important information for online enrolment

Semester fee

The application for enrolment ("Antrag auf Immatrikulation") will include information about the current semester fee and the transfer details.

Documents

The following documents must normally be uploaded for online enrolment at the university:

  • Signed application for enrolment ("Antrag auf Immatrikulation") along with other documents required, depending on the individual case. You will receive this by e-mail.
  • Signed(declaration of consent regarding data protection (“Einwilligungserklärung zum Datenschutz”). You will receive this together with the application for enrolment.
  • Copy of valid identity card/passport
  • Digital notification of health insurance (M10), see the following notes "I would like to enrol. What do I have to do?"

I want to enrol as a student and have to provide proof of health insurance. What do I need to do?

  • If you have chosen public / statutory insurance, please contact your health insurance company and inform them that you are planning to enrol at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Regensburg. Your health insurance company will then send us a digital notification known as M10. Please note that we cannot accept any insurance membership certificates in PDF or paper form. Our institution number is H0000048 (please provide this to your insurance company if necessary).

    If you have questions about public vs. private insurance, please check the website of the DAAD.


  • If the insurance from your home country is not accepted in Germany and you are over 30 years old, you may have chosen a private health insurance for Germany. In this case, please contact any public health insurance company in Germany with your insurance documents. Please inform them that you would like to enrol at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Regensburg and remain privately insured. The health insurance company will then send us a digital notification of your exemption from public insurance. Please note that we cannot accept an insurance membership certificate from your private health insurance instead of the exemption. Our institution number is H0000048.

    If you have questions about public vs. private insurance, please check the website of the DAAD.


  • If you are already insured in another EU country, your insurance may be accepted in Germany. If that is the case, you need to apply from exemption from compulsory public insurance. To do that, please contact any public health insurance company in Germany, send them your insurance documents and inform them that you would like to enrol at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Regensburg. The health insurance company will then send us a digital notification of exemption. Please note that we cannot accept any insurance membership certificates in paper form. Our institution number is H0000048.

    If you are coming from a non-EU country and/or are over 30 years old, you need to take on public or private health insurance which is valid in Germany. The website of the DAAD should help you better understand your options and choose the type of insurance which is best for you. After you have chosen your insurance, please ask your insurance company to send us a digital confirmation message of your insurance, or (if you have chosen private insurance) apply for exemption as instructed above.