MASTER OF ARTS IN ARCHITECTURE BY RESEARCH AND DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY RESEARCH

Overview

Research Statement

Over the years, research activities, including Graduate Studies, have taken on a prominence in the academic arena. The Department has managed to attract its fair share of graduate applicants and students even though the assessment criteria for entry are extremely stringent and competitive.

As much as the Department wants a more rigorous system of inviting ideas and calibre, it also wants to cultivate an environment conducive for a research community and culture to be fostered. The aim is to distinguish the Department of Architecture as a unique hub for research in architecture centred on critical issues relating to Asia.

The Department of Architecture offers research study opportunities in Graduate by Research degree programmes leading to the Masters of Art (Architecture), the PhD in Architecture programme and the Postdoctoral Fellowship programme. We seek to be recognized for our design education and design research in Asian eco-urbanism with an inclusive social dimension.

Current years have witnessed proactive efforts by the Department to collaborate with other research institutions and industry stake-holders in the PhD programme (sponsorship or co-supervision); for instance, the Future Cities Laboratory (Singapore ETH Centre), the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore, et al. Other recent initiatives have been the promotion of academic exchange of visiting graduate students and or scholars with overseas institutions, for instance, Japan, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Italy.

The Research Clusters in the Department of Architecture represent distinct knowledge domains that organize the primary research and teaching activities of the department. Each member of faculty generally belongs to one of these clusters, allowing research undertaken by the faculty to benefit teaching activities in a directed and effective manner.