Challenges in retaining architecture undergraduates for post-graduate studies

The University of Newcastle is one of the eighteen universities offering architecture programs in Australia, with programs at both undergraduate (Bachelor of Design Architecture) and Masters (Master of Architecture) degree levels, and with a student body of 386. Over the past five years there has been an average 40–50% drop in students who commence the post-graduate degree after completing the undergraduate degree. Using enrolment data and data from student focus groups, key issues affecting continuation to the post-graduate degree were identified, which included dissatisfaction with the course and an inability to secure work locally. Focus groups with staff developed solutions to address these and other issues. The issues and solutions fell into the following four categories: curriculum, cultural, industry linkages, and marketing. Based upon this study, a plan was developed to enable the program structure and its delivery to be refined and to improve the student experience. While the study is drawn from data compiled from a single source, it provides an insight into the changing culture of architectural education nationally and the flow-on effect of the Bachelor/Masters restructuring. It also highlights issues facing regional institutions in the increasingly urbanised context of architectural education.