Bachelor of Architectural Design - Program changes in 2026 - School of Architecture, Design and Planning

From January 2026, changes to the Bachelor of Architectural Design program and the courses offered will be implemented.

Students commencing their studies in 2026 will be enrolled in the new program structure, which will be delivered for the first time from Semester 1 2026.

The program requirements and course lists are available online for students:

Pre-2026 program requirements (ensure you change the year of commencement at the top of the page to the view the relevant year)

New 2026 program requirements

What does this mean for current students?

Students who commenced prior to 2026 and have retained their place in that program, can complete their program in the existing structure or they may be able to choose to change to the new program.

The choice to transition to the new program structure is yours – you can choose to stay enrolled in the current program structure if that is your preference.

The ADP staff are here to help you. The following has been developed to support you with the program changes:

Review the tabs on this webpage to learn more about what this means for you and the answers to common questions.

Complete a transition checklist – these have been developed to assist you to make a plan for your enrolment, and are available at the end of this page. The checklist outlines your enrolment options for continuing in your current program or transitioning to the new program structure.

Join the online Q&A session on Friday 1st August from 1-2pm to answer any general questions about these changes. The link to join has been sent to your student email.

Attend an appointment with an Academic Advisor to confirm your study plan and discuss any questions. See How do I make an appointment with the academic advisor?

What has changed?

For students commencing in 2026, key changes to the 2026 Bachelor of Architectural Design (BArchDes) program include changes to core course requirements and the introduction of majors, and the option to commence the program mid-year.

	Pre-2026	2026
Commencement	Semester 1 only	Semester 1 or Semester 2
Core courses	44 units of BArchDes Core courses	30 units of BArchDes Core courses
Majors	Not available	16 units from any major Design Thinking Sustainable Buildings Urban Systems
No Major	Not available	Available
Elective courses	2 to 4 units from BArchDes Elective Courses, and 0 to 2 units from General Elective Courses	0 to 2 units from BArchDes Program Electives, and 0 to 2 units from General Elective

1. Core courses

The number of BArchDes core courses in the new program is 30 units. Newly developed BArchDes core courses will be progressively rolled out from Semester 1 2026, while the existing courses are progressively discontinued.

2. Majors

The new program structure includes 3 major options for students to choose from. The new majors are Design Thinking, Sustainable Buildings and Urban Systems. Each major requires the completion of 16 units of specified courses for the major.

There is a No Major option available that includes completing any 12 units from the available BArchDes majors and the Architectural Design Extension Course ADPS3000 Interdisciplinary Studio.

3. Program and General electives

The 2026 program requirements include completing 0 to 2 units from BArchDes Program electives and 0 to 2 units from general electives. The program electives list has been updated for the new program and can be selected by students continuing in the pre-2026 program.

I want to continue in the existing pre-2026 program structure

Please be assured that if you are enrolled in the existing pre-2026 program, you will be able to complete the program by following the structure and rules that were in place when you commenced.

It is important to note that the existing BArchDes core courses will be discontinued progressively alongside the rollout of the new core courses. Due to this, there may be some changes required to your study plan. The transition checklist is available to guide you through this process and outlines when courses will be discontinued and the approved alternatives to meet your program requirements.

The transition checklist has been developed to help ensure that no student will be disadvantaged by the changes. However, it is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment is correct and allows you to meet the program requirements. If you need any support with this, please book an appointment to speak to the Academic Advisor.

I want to change to the new program structure

In some instances, pre-2026 students may choose to follow the new program structure. Students will be required to submit a program change request in SI-net within the published application periods (see academic calendar). Once a program change is approved, you will not be permitted to return to the pre-2026 structure.

It is very important that existing students complete the transition checklist and seek academic advice before deciding to follow the new program structure. The school has support available for you, but it is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment allows you to meet the program requirements. If you choose to switch to the new program, you will be required to follow the 2026 program structure and program requirements. Please note that in some instances, there are no existing substitutions for new compulsory courses in the new program. This may require you to complete additional courses above the minimum program requirements. Also, the new course offerings will be progressively rolled out, which may result in a potential delay to your graduation.

Students following the new program structure will not be able to graduate until December 2027 or December 2028 depending on their choice of major. This is due to the first offerings of the below courses:

Course Code	Course Name	First offered	Relevant plan	Notes
ADPS3000	Interdisciplinary Studio	Semester 1 2027	All students	Compulsory course in all three major options, and compulsory Architectural Design Extension course in No Major Option
ADPS3001	Professional Profiles in Practice	Semester 2 2027	All students	BArchDes Core course
DSGN2003	Design Futures	Semester 2 2027	Design Thinking Major	Compulsory course in the Major
ARCH3312 or ARCH3030	Digital Tools for Urban Analysis or Critical Thinking in Architecture	Semester 2 2028	Sustainable Buildings Major	Must complete one of the two units to satisfy the Sustainable Buildings Elective Course requirement as part of the Major.

There is no approved substitution course/s available, and no program requirement variation will be approved for these courses.

To change program, you must carefully complete each of the following steps:

Complete the relevant transition checklist.

Use the completed transition checklist to create your study plan.

You must attend an academic advice appointment to review your transition checklist and study plan.

Submit a copy of your finalised transition checklist and study plan to the faculty at enquiries@eait.uq.edu.au

Submit a Program Change request on SI-net within the published application period. View the academic calendar for details

I want to include a major in my program

The option to study a major in the Bachelor of Architectural Design is only available under the 2026 new program structure. Depending on which courses you have already completed, you may be able to change to the 2026 program and complete the program with a major. Be aware this may mean that you will be required to complete additional courses above the minimum program requirements. In addition, due to the progressive rollout of some new course offerings, this may also result in a potential delay to your graduation.

You should complete the corresponding transition checklist and seek academic advice to determine what changing to the 2026 program would mean for completing your program. Please see I want to change to the new program for steps on formalising the change.

How do I make an appointment with the Academic Advisor?

Appointments are available with Academic Advisors for you to discuss any questions, receive enrolment advice and confirm your study plan.

Prior to your appointment, ensure you:

Review the information on this webpage

Complete a transition checklist

Complete your study plan

After completing the above steps, you can make an appointment with the Academic Advisor by emaililng adp@uq.edu.au with the subject line "BArchDes Academic Advice Appointment".

Students must complete the relevant transition checklist and prepare a draft their study plan before attending an academic advising session. Both documents must be supplied for the Academic Advisor to review when booking the meeting.

Will the School be checking if my enrolment is correct?

The school has support available to help you however it is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment is correct and allows you to meet the program requirements. It is important that you follow the transition checklist and study plans available to you to ensure you will meet the program requirements.

Graduation checks are completed by the EAIT Faculty during your expected final semester. It is not possible for the School to identify sooner if you are not following the program requirements.

It is strongly recommended that you attend an academic advice appointment if you have any concerns about your enrolment. If you wish to change to the new program structure, an academic advice session is compulsory.

Transition checklists and study plans

Please refer to the relevant checklist and study plans below.

We have also created a blank study plan template that you can use to plan your enrolment.

I would like to continue in the pre-2026 program structure

Transition checklist for continuing students following the pre-2026 Bachelor of Architectural Design structure (PDF, 205.6 KB)

Study plans for continuing students following the pre-2026 Bachelor of Architectural Design are available on the Program Information and Study Plans page - ensure you refer to the Bachelor of Architectural Design (pre-2026 program) sub-heading.

I would like to change to the 2026 program structure

Transition checklist continuing students following the new 2026 Bachelor of Architectural Design program (PDF, 256.8 KB)

Study plans for the 2026 Bachelor of Architectural Design are available on the Program Information and Study Plans page - ensure you refer to the Bachelor of Architectural Design (2026 program) sub heading.