Learn from industry-experienced teaching staff as they guide you through the design process in professional studio environments.

Study in state-of-the-art facilities at RMIT’s city campus, learning through lectures, studio work and presentations, group discussions and industry guest presentations that occur throughout the program.

Throughout your studies you will visit sites to give context to your learning and have opportunities to enter industry-led competitions.

Ongoing assessment throughout the semester includes drawing folio submissions, essays, reports, presentations, group projects, research, case studies and practical projects.

The Building Practitioners Board requires you to hold an Advanced Diploma of Building Design (Architectural) to register to practice as a building designer in the state of Victoria.

If you plan to register as a building practitioner and practice as a sole practitioner, you will need to meet the requirements set out in Victorian Building Authority (VBA) guidelines for registration in the category of Building Design DP-AD (Architectural).

Graduates of this advanced diploma will need to complete two years of practical experience supervised by a registered architect, registered builder (Unlimited) or a registered building designer, architectural, prior to applying to the Building Practitioners Board for registration to practice as a sole practitioner.

During your studies, you will have the opportunity to register as a student member of Design Matters and and the Building Designers Association of Australia: BDAA to enjoy member benefits and professional development events alongside industry practitioners.

The Advanced Diploma of Building Design (Architectural) is a state-accredited and nationally recognised qualification that enables graduates to work for registered building practitioners, architects and other design professionals in related industries.

The knowledge and skills you will acquire throughout this advanced diploma and how they can be applied in your career are described in the learning outcomes.

This is a 2-year, full-time course with all subjects deemed to be core units and compulsory.

In your first year of the Advanced Diploma you will study residential briefs that will develop your understanding of building design, construction techniques and technologies, building and related legislation requirements, documentation techniques and standards, space planning, materials and properties, historic periods and contemporary styles. The program is underpinned by the principles of sustainability.

Visual technology and communication skills underpin the presentation aspects of working as a building designer. You will work with computer-aided design (CAD), Revit, Photoshop and other industry-standard software applied to your project work.

In your second year you will deepen your knowledge of residential design, study commercial design, construction and documentation and develop a complex architectural building as a capstone project.

You'll develop your 3D visualisation and modelling skills to produce buildings, spaces and situational relationship and hone your presentation skills for both concept and finished presentations.

Students can expect to attend 21 hours of classes over four days to five days, and complete approximately 21 hours of additional self-directed study and research per week.