The course in brief
The first-cycle degree course in Architecture, Regeneration and Sustainability, with a nationally-scheduled number of students, is characterised as a generalist degree course in the field of architecture, capable of providing a broad theoretical basis, but oriented towards sustainability and the regeneration of heritage and the local area, in order to face both a constantly evolving world of work and a possible continuation of studies on second-cycle degree courses in the various fields.
The Degree Course in Architecture, Regeneration and Sustainability has been running since 2018/19 and lasts for three years. Students can graduate after accruing 180 credits. The University of Parma's course catalogue in the field of architecture is completed with the second-cycle degree in Architecture and Sustainable Cities and is the only 3+2 course in the Emilia-Romagna region. In this way, even having completed just the initial three years, students can obtain a qualification with legal value that is valid both in the world of employment and for self-employed professionals. The second-cycle degree in Architecture and Sustainable Cities, the outcome of the 3+2 pathway (the pathway prevailing in Europe), has the same legal and substantial value as the single-cycle degree course, which is now less widespread but still offered by some Italian universities.
Graduates of the degree course in Architecture, Regeneration and Sustainability will be able to work as technicians in the field of architecture in public administrations, as well as in private companies and professional firms in the sector. In addition, graduates, after passing the State Examination, will be able to independently carry out the professional activity envisaged in Italy for the corresponding level of studies (junior architect, junior planner). The courses are organised in accordance with European Directives (36/85/EU and subsequent amendments) concerning the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other qualifications in the field of architecture, thus allowing professional activities to be carried out throughout Europe, after the achievement of a specific second-cycle degree.
Teaching is divided into theoretical lectures, laboratories and internship activities, with the possibility of carrying out part of these activities abroad, through the 15 international cooperation agreements already active within the University of Parma. The workshops, which require compulsory attendance and are predominantly design oriented, include several related courses and are organised according to the gradually increasing depth of the interdisciplinary exploration of aspects related to architecture and its sustainability. Within each project workshop, there is an intensive intermediate and/or final workshop with the participation of external experts and professionals.
The first year is primarily aimed at providing basic knowledge in the areas of architectural history, drawing and representation, materials for architecture, mathematics and the physical-technical aspects of the indoor environment. From the outset, the workshops offers students not only knowledge, but also skills in drawing and, above all, designing by synthesising specific knowledge acquired from various sources.
The second year sees the introduction of disciplines related to urban planning, structural and estimation and is strongly characterised by the interdisciplinarity of courses both in the field of knowledge of existing architecture and the restoration of the built environment and in sustainable architectural design.
The third year is distinguished by the possibility of customising the curriculum by choosing, from the two curricula offered, a pathway more oriented towards the restoration of the built environment or sustainable urban design/regeneration. In addition, the plan includes teaching in the fields of interior design and building technology. The training course is completed with a compulsory 150-hour internship experience, which can be carried out in Italy or abroad, thanks to a collaborative relationship with about a thousand public bodies and private entities, mainly professional firms, that have an agreement with the University.
The degree course aims to produce graduates who can meet the requirements of the most developed sectors of the construction and building restoration world and by the public spheres for the control of building, for the conservation of protected existing buildings, for the management of cities and regions, operating in an up-to-date manner with respect to the demands of contemporary society, focusing on reducing overall consumption, recovering and recycling existing buildings, building new ones in an increasingly eco-sustainable manner and reducing the impact on the environment and the local area.
The courses are held on the University Campus in Via Langhirano called Parco Area delle Scienze, the scientific complex of the University of Parma. The Campus, set in seventy-seven hectares of green space on the outskirts of the city, is easily accessible from the railway station and the city centre. It also includes facilities for improving foreign language skills, scientific laboratories, libraries, innovation centres for applied research, as well as the state-of-the-art facilities of the University Sports Centre (swimming pool, tennis courts, football, golf, athletics, basketball, volleyball, five-a-side football).