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Master of Architecture


 

​Message from the P​rogram Director

Dar Al-Hekma's Master of Architecture program (M. Arch) is a two-year interdisciplinary program that broadens the scope of architectural studies through an advanced process of thinking and making architecture, empowered by an integral approach to design solutions. The Integral Design Theory' is the program's defining feature, based on a holistic approach to architectural design with multiple dimensions of the built environment. The graduates of the M. ARCH Program can connect different domains of knowledge and develop independent inquiry, creativity, and responsibility as they respond to human experience and technological, ecological, economic and socio-cultural dimensions of the built environment. 

The Master's program in Architecture at Dar Al-Hekma University​, specializing in Bioclimatic Architecture and Ecological Buildings, empowers students with well-rounded competencies. Graduates emerge equipped with in-depth knowledge of bioclimatic and green design principles, alongside an understanding of innovative building technologies. Their skills encompass critical examination of sustainable architecture discourses, contextual analysis of social and environmental factors, and proficient use of analysis tools to assess ecological performance. Importantly, students develop the capacity to create innovative bioclimatic designs that address contemporary challenges, coupled with effective communication skills. The program instills values such as a professional attitude marked by independence and curiosity and a strong commitment to sustainability at both social and ecological levels.

For those interested in getting scholarships, the University offers different types of graduate scholarships. Students can also major in architecture and get a bachelor’s degree in architecture that the University offers. ​


Mission

To graduate sustainability-committed and innovative professionals able to produce adept climate-responsive design solutions to the challenges of the ecological transition in architecture​


Goals

  • ​Impart a comprehensive understanding of bioclimatic and green architectural design principles.
  • Foster knowledge of innovative building technologies to enhance ecological performance.
  • Develop critical thinking skills to examine stakeholders' discourses on sustainable architecture and urbanism.
  • Cultivate the ability to identify context-specific bioclimatic and ecological approaches.
  • Equip students with skills to analyze social and environmental factors, addressing challenges at multiple spatial scales.
  • Emphasize the use of diverse methodological approaches for socio-ecological transition analysis.​
  • Provide proficiency in using analysis and simulation tools to assess ecological performance.
  • Foster the development of innovative bioclimatic architectural designs.
  • Promote effective communication of bioclimatic solutions.
  • Instill values such as a professional attitude, independence, curiosity, and collective initiative.
  • Nurture a strong commitment to sustainability at both social and ecological levels.
  • ​Prepare graduates to contribute meaningfully to advancing ecological awareness and sustainable practices within the architecture profession.

​Why Choose the ​​​​​​​Master of Architecture​ Program​ at Dar Al-Hekma University?

Choosing the Master of Architecture Program at Dar Al-Hekma University offers a unique and compelling opportunity for several reasons:​
  • Specializing in bioclimatic architecture and ecological buildings sets the program apart providing students with a specialized skill set highly relevant to contemporary environmental challenges.
  • The curriculum is designed to provide a well-rounded education, encompassing a variety of bioclimatic and green architectural design principles, innovative building technologies, and critical analysis skills specific to sustainable architecture.
  • Students benefit from exposure to cutting-edge research and diverse methodological approaches, ensuring they stay at the forefront of sustainable design and architecture advancements.
  • Hands-on experience with analysis and simulation tools and the emphasis on using relevant analysis and simulation tools equips students with practical skills to assess and optimize a building's ecological performance, contributing to a holistic understanding of sustainable design.
  • The program puts emphasis on developing innovative bioclimatic architectural designs, fostering creativity and practical application of knowledge to address contemporary social and environmental challenges. ​
  • • Graduates are well-prepared for a variety of careers in sustainable architecture, thanks to the program's holistic approach that combines technical proficiency, critical thinking, and a commitment to sustainable values.​

Graduate Attributes

  • Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth: Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice, including in multi-disciplinary contexts.
  • Professional disposition and leadership readiness: Professional dispositions include the values, commitments, and professional ethics that influence behaviors toward students, families, colleagues, and communities, which affect student learning, motivation, and development as well as the educator's own professional growth.
  • Critical environmental thinking and creativity: Graduates acquire inquisitiveness, reasonableness, intellectual flexibility, open- and fair-mindedness, a readiness to try new ways of doing things and consider alternatives, and promote environmental preservation by critical and creative thinking.
  • Research skills: MARCH graduates can connect different knowledge domains and develop independent inquiry skills. They exercise creative inquiry skills based on studio practices and research-based design.
  • Design ability: Graduates can design architectural projects based on cultural and contextual issues.
  • Communication Skills: Graduates demonstrate a varied vocabulary and tailor their language to their audience. They also listen effectively, present their ideas appropriately, write clearly and concisely, and work well in groups.
  • Independent, Creative Inquiry, Leadership and Social Engagement: Graduates can respond to technological, ecological, economic, and socio-cultural dimensions of the built environment holistically based on the inquiry skills they gained in the program. Graduates are more competent in professional practice to take leadership positions and become socially engaged leaders responding to global challenges.
  • Professional and Ethical Competency: Ethical competence is a key distinguisher between simply having skills and having a true sense of professionalism. It is the stage beyond technical competence where ethical competence must be considered when extending policies to support skills and competencies in training and education for professional occupations.

​​Admission Requirements​



​​​​​​ Programs​
​​Linguaskill ​Score​​
Required ​Bachelor
Degree
Bachelor GPA
​Other Admission Requirement
Master of Architecture
176​
​​A Bachelor Degree in Architecture,
a Bachelor Degree in Interior Architecture
or a Bachelor Degree in Interior Design​
3.75 out 5​
Digital Portfolio​

​For further details about admissions,click here ​​

​​​​Learning Outcomes​​​


​​On successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

Knowledge

  • Identify advanced knowledge and competencies needed in architectural design.
  • ​Recognize the technical expertise necessary for professional practice​.

Skills​

  • Apply expert knowledge gained to preserve both built and natural environments.
  • Demonstrate advanced analytical, theoretical, and methodological research skills.
  • Apply a variety of theoretical and practical approaches to solve complex and challenging problems.
  • Develop innovative holistic architectural designs that consider cultural and contextual issues.​
  • Communicate with advanced skills and display innovative, integral design solutions.

Values​

  • Model ethics and lifelong learning, which includes the development of skills and propensity for independence, initiative, curiosity, and reflection.​
  • Act as responsible community members. ​


​Plan of Study​



​​​​​​​Year One (1)
Semester – One Semester – Two

Course Code

Course Title

Credit
Hours

Course Code

Course Title

Credit
Hours

MARC 1311​
Socioecological Transition, Climate Responsiveness and Circular Metabolism​
3MARC 1332​
Passive and Net-Zero Energy Buildings: Principles and Tools​
3
MARC 1321​
Principles of Bioclimatic Architecture​
3MARC 1333​
Sustainable Construction Technologies for Green and Bioclimatic Architecture​
3
MARC 1331​
Buildings’ Life Cycle Analysis​
3MARC 1334​
Indoor Environmental Quality​
3
MARC XXXX​
Program Elective​​
3
Total Credit Hours 9 Total Credit Hours 12
Year Two (2)
Semester – One Semester – Two

Course Code

Course Title

Credit
Hours

Course Code

Course Title

Credit
Hours

MARC 2341​
Capstone Research​
3​
MARC 2443​
Capstone Project Studio 2​
4​
MARC 2442​
Capstone Project Studio 1​
4​
MARC XXXX​
Program Elective​
3
Total Credit Hours 10 Total Credit Hours 6
CODEElective CoursesCREDITS
MARC 1335​​
Buildings’ Informatics​​
3
MARC 1336​
Daylight in Buildings​
3
MARC 1312​
Selected Topics in Bioclimatic Architecture and Environmental Design​
3
MARC 1352​
Construction Management​
3


​​​​Career Prospects


The program equips students with the necessary skills that qualify them for a variety of career paths/jobs in the market including, but not limi​ted to: ​

  • ​Sustainable Design Consultant: Advises clients and organizations on sustainable building practices, including energy-efficient technologies and ecological design principles.
  • Environmental Analyst: Assesses and analyzing the environmental impact of architectural projects, ensuring compliance with ecological standards and regulations.
  • Building Performance Analyst: Uses simulation tools to evaluate and optimize the ecological performance of buildings throughout their life cycle.
  • Researcher in Sustainable Architecture: Conducts research to advance knowledge in bioclimatic design, green technologies, and sustainable architectural practices.​
  • Project Manager in Sustainable Construction: Oversees construction projects with a focus on environmentally friendly and energy-efficient practices.​
  • Works with certification programs to ensure buildings meet stringent environmental and sustainability standards.​
  • Environmental Policy Advisor: Contributes to developing and implementing policies that promote sustainable and eco-friendly architectural practices.


​Master ​of Architecture Cource Description


MARC 1311 - Socioecological transition, climate responsiveness and circular metabolism – 3
Cr. (3,0)
This course discusses the emergence of sustainability as a new normative value that guides the development of human societies. It stresses that institutions and social groups diverge in their understanding of sustainability and sustainable development. It introduces three frameworks that coexist today and have different interpretations of sustainability and what sustainable development should be about: transition, climate responsiveness and circularity. The courses stresses the implications of these frameworks on thinking the built environment, its design and its production processes.
Prerequisites: N/A

MARC 1321 - Principles of bioclimatic architecture – 3 Cr. (3,0)
This course discusses the concept of bioclimatic architecture and identifies it as a design approach in the field of architecture. It presents its principles and various design strategies that would allow to produce built environments adapted to particular climates and ecological ecosystems. These strategies focus on the relation of the building to the topographical and natural site and context, as well as on issues of lighting, shading, thermal comfort, energy, water and material consumption, biodiversity, materials’ toxicity, longevity and recyclability as well as the ecological impact in terms of pollution and greenhouse gases’ emissions. 
Prerequisites: N/A

MARC 1331 - Buildings’ life cycle analysis – 3 Cr. (2,2)
This course assesses environmental impact of complex systems in technology and building processes based on a life-cycle perspective by giving theoretical and practical skills in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). It covers philosophy, techniques, applications, and standards of Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA). It discusses current popular LCA tools and practical exercises using software tools.
Prerequisites: N/A

MARC 1661 – Additional Support Module for Students with Interior Design Background – 6(2,8)
This course is an additional support module dedicated to the support of students with interior design background. It aims at providing a bridge that would help these students to cover some of the gaps in term of curriculum between a Bachelor of Interior Design and a Bachelor of Architecture. It is focused on a large-building project that would help students on buildings of such scale and complexity. It takes the form of a studio, with however two more lecture-based sub-modules: one on building’s science and the other on architectural theory. It is taken in the first semester and spreads on the whole duration of the semester.

MARC 1332 - Passive and Net-Zero Energy buildings: principles and tools – 3 Cr. (2,2)
This course introduces the importance of quantitative analysis in the design of low energy buildings. It focuses on principles, tools and techniques available for building energy analysis and apply all the techniques in design. Also, simulation is used in this course to analyze the thermal performance of a typical building. 3
Prerequisites: N/A

MARC 1333 - Sustainable construction technologies for green and bioclimatic architecture – 3 Cr. (3,0)
This course introduces advanced sustainable construction practices which include the selection of structural system, façade system, construction, and material performance. It presents and discusses the use of different traditional, sophisticated or unconventional materials and their performance in relation to structure, energy and climate.
Prerequisites: N/A

MARC 1334 - Indoor Environmental Quality – 3 Cr. (3,0)
This course relates human experience of buildings to the main dimensions of Indoor Environmental Quality: thermal, acoustic, lighting, and indoor pollution. It discusses Indoor environment theories and predictive models, post-occupancy evaluation (POE) tools.
Prerequisites: N/A

MARC 2341 - Capstone Research – 3 Cr. (3,0)
In this course, students mobilize methodologies, methods and tools to investigate a particular issue of relevance to their Capstone Project. In a synthetic document, they provide evidence based arguments in favor of proposed design choices. This course is set as a co-requisite for the Capstone Project Studio 1.
Prerequisites: students should have at least successfully finished all core courses in first year.

MARC 2442 - Capstone Project Studio 1 – 4 Cr. (1,6)
In these this course, students mobilize bioclimatic architecture design strategies and building technologies to provide solutions to an architectural design problem. It deals with the different steps of setting a project’s design strategy, including site analysis, program proposition, concept and schematic design approach.
Prerequisites: students should have at least successfully finished all core courses in first year.

MARC 2443 - Capstone Project Studio 2 – 4 Cr. (1,6)
It is the continuity of MARC 2442, it sets on developing the conceptual ideas and design strategy identified in this course. It includes the production of professional quality architectural drawings and outputs.
Prerequisites: MARC 2441 and MARC 2442

MARC 2451 - Internship – 4 Cr.
Students are required to fulfill at least the equivalent of 180 working hours of internship within a public, private or associative body, where they would have a chance to apply the knowledge and skills they learned on a real-life project or study. Prerequisites: students should have at least successfully finished all core courses in first year.

MARC 1335 - Buildings’ informatics – 3 Cr. (2,2)
This course focus on Organization and management of building information systems in the real estate and construction sector. It focusses on application of artificial intelligence, knowledge-based systems, IOT and other smart control technologies to ensure the health and wellbeing of the occupants and to operate building systems efficiency to make smart control decision. 4

MARC 1336 - Daylight in Buildings – 3 Cr. (2,2)
This course discusses the importance of daylight in architectural design and different design strategies and tools to introduce daylight within a building and control its presence. The course introduces students to simulation tools that could be used to optimize daylight within a building and that for different esthetic and practical purposes.

MARC 1352 - Construction Management – 3 Cr. (3,0)
The course focuses on the role of construction management in achieving overall project success. It explores procedures and organizational techniques involved in the preparation of competitive bids and schedules. The course discusses the various forms of contracts used in the construction industry and best practices for their administration and management. It explores stakeholder rights, duties, responsibilities, claims management and assignment of risk.

MARC 1312 - Selected Topics in Bioclimatic Architecture and Environmental Design – 3 Cr. (3,0)
This course is organized in a seminar format where different academia and professional speakers are invited to present conceptual, methodological or technological issues of relevance to a particular theme in bioclimatic architecture or ecological buildings to be explored in the semester when this course is offered.

MARC 1322 - Sustainable Buildings’ Certification Systems – 3 Cr. (3,0)
This course gives a large presentation of different international and regional certification systems (LEED, BREEAM, PASSIVHAUS, HQE, etc.) related to sustainable buildings. It discusses the main attributes of these systems and the differences between them. It then provides students with the necessary training and preparations to be able to apply for advanced LEED exams.

Dr. Mohammed Mansour Gomaa

Chair - Assistant Professor

Hekma School of Engineering, Computing and Design

Key Facts

Program Name

Master of Architecture


Academic Degree

Master


Credit Hours

42


Program Length

2 Years


Mode of study

Full time / Part Time

Dr. Mohamed Mansour Gomaa

Chair, Architecture Department; Director, Master of Architecture Program


PhD, Design, Construction & Planning, The University of Florida, USA, 2017

MSc, Civil Engineering, The University of Florida, USA, 2017

MSc, Urban Management & Development, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2011

BEng, South Valley University, Egypt, 2007

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