architecture phd in norway

Apply for further education

You can now apply for The Executive Master of Systems Oriented Design at AHO. Apply by 5 November.

Learn more and apply here

Master, 2,5 years

Master, 2 years

Master, 2 years at Campus Oslo

PhD and exchange

Meet our international students

Are you considering studying at AHO? Do you have any questions about the study programs or just wondering what it is like to live and study in Norway? Contact one of our international students!

AHO has a strong research community. Here you’ll find more information about our research centres and the projects we are involved in.

This is the winners of AHO WORKS AWARDS spring 2024

Congratulations to this autumn's winners of AHO WORKS AWARDS!

Sustainability and Collaboration at this Year's Research Days

Anniversary exhibition: professor sverre fehn, the urban research conference 2024: equitable urban futures, doctoral defence: tom davies.

1 teacher per 7 student

Red dot design ranking

Faculty of Architecture and Design

• Master's programmes in English
• For exchange students
• PhD opportunities
• All programmes of study
• Language requirements
• Application process
• Academic calendar
• NTNU research
• Research excellence
• Strategic research areas
• Innovation resources
• Student in Trondheim
• Student in Gjøvik
• Student in Ålesund
• For researchers
• Life and housing
• Faculties and departments
• International researcher support

Språkvelger

Phd studies.

Photo taken from Ph.d. candidate June Kyong Trondsen research project

Defended theses

Summary of defended theses at AD

Program council

PhD Program Board at the Faculty of Architecture and Design

person-portlet

Sissel hagen-formo phd coordinator / senior executive officer, head of phd programme council, casper boks professor, vicedean research, eli støa professor, vicedean research, mini calevent portlet, how can i achieve a doctoral degree at the faculty.

There are several paths to a doctoral degree:

• PhD admission and financing
• See our PhD vacancies
• The Faculty's Phd forms

PhD resources at NTNU

• About the PhD at NTNU
• Find your PhD Course
• PhD Handbook
• Integrated PhD
• Introduction to Research Ethics (for PhD-Candidates)
• Dion - interest orgnaization for doctoral candidtaes

PhD Programmes

Our PhD programmes at the faculty:

• Architecture
• Programme for artistic research

Doctoral awards ceremony

Ceremony for everyone who has received their doctorate

The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) offers a unique research-based education of international standing. Established in 1945, today it has built a solid national funding base and is prominently ranked internationally. AHO awards three Master’s degrees in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Design, as well as a PhD programme. In its education, the school follows a studio-based model with a faculty-to-student ratio that encourages individual development and collaboration. The school has approximately 650 students. AHO offers Master’s degree programmes that are designed to best equip the student to enter directly into professional practice or academia. Within the Master’s programmes, students may specialise in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture and urbanism, industrial design, interaction design, service and systems-oriented design. The school also offers post-professional Master’s courses in urban studies and architectural conservation. AHO offers a single type of doctoral degree, the Doctor of Philosophy. The PhD programme is organized as a separate academic and administrative unit. The programme includes approximately 50 PhD candidates who, along with AHO’s established academic staff, do research on artistic and academic problems. Four institutes—Institute of Architecture, Institute of Urbanism and Landscape, Institute of Form, Theory and History, and Institute of Design—organize the education at AHO. Each Institute has its own research centre that informs and inspires teaching and practice. As an international school, AHO’s Master’s programmes are taught in English. International students constitute 25% of the Master’s students and 50% of the PhD candidates. The school boasts of three unique workshops for wood, plastic and metal, alongside a full-scale construction hall, Rapid manufacturing labs, libraries, and the most current IT resources. Studios, data labs, and unstaffed workshops are open to students 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The international faculty consists of academics and practicing professionals who provide the necessary breadth needed for a contemporary architecture and design education. AHO is located in the centre of Oslo, at Vulkan, a revitalised industrial area near the Aker River. An innovative, creative and cultural part of the city. The school lays adjacent to the Oslo National Academy of the Arts and the recently opened Food Hall.

The Oslo School of Architecture and Design is situated in the centre of Oslo, close to the Aker River. The schools dwellings are in an old factory building, modernized and updated to suit the school’s needs.

• Workshops for wood, plastic and metal
• Full-scale construction hall
• Rapid manufacturing labs
• CNC Milling
• Laser Cutter
• Plot centre

All students are members of the Organization of Student welfare in Oslo. The students have a student union, and are represented in all boards and committees. The students run their own pub and film club.

Master's level admission

Students with a completed bachelor or equivalent undergraduate education of at least three years duration in Architecture, Design or Landscape Architecture may apply for admission

Undergraduate Admission

Undergraduate courses are taught in Norwegian. Undergraduate admission to AHO is based on the minimum requirements for Higher Education Entrance Qualification in Norway, fulfilling the language requirements and passing the admission exams at AHO.

Exchange to AHO

To be eligible for admission as an exchange student you must be enrolled in one of AHOs partner institutions. It is an absolute prerequisite that you have completed a minimum of three years of study prior to the exchange.

Read more about study programmes and exchange: https://aho.no/en/studier

Tuition free of charge. Semester fee € 75. Regular students are eligible for funding in the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund

For master level admission: March 1 st

Undergraduate admission: April 15 th

Master of Architecture, 5,5-year programme (the first 3 years in Norwegian, 2,5-year master level in English) Enrolment: 60 students for 1st year, 15 for master level

Enrolment: 12 students

Master’s of Design (the first 3 years in Norwegian, 2-year master level in English) Enrolment: 30 students for 1st year, 15 for master level

Master of Landscape Architecture, location Oslo, 2-year programme (English) Enrolment: 15 students

Master of Landscape Architecture, location Tromsø, 2-year programme (English) Enrolment: 15 students

The teaching profile is based on an academic tradition with studio-based project work and a  conceptual design approach. This approach is combined with an introduction to traditional subjects in architecture, urbanism, landscape architecture. The curriculum/list of courses is changed each semester. A concise study plan with descriptions of all courses are available on the AHO website.

AHO’s educational programme leads to a master’s degree in architecture. In addition three post-graduate master’s programmes are offered, leading to master degrees in urbanism, architectural conservation and computer related design. The school also has a PhD program and in-depth research projects are conducted within the core disciplines. MSc-programme: The Master of Architecture programme at AHO has an average duration of 11 semesters – 330 ECTS points. Each semester is worth 30 ECTS credits. The first 4 semesters consist of mandatory foundation level teaching. The next six semesters consist respectively of a full-term studio course and a shorter theme course. Every term offers a variety of choices in each category. During the third year of studies, alternative electives can be chosen, and will be announced in the semester’s curriculum. During the fourth year of studies, students can choose freely among elective studio courses and intensive courses listed in the Study plan. Parts of the foundation studies will be in cooperation with the students at the Industrial design programme. The last semester consists of an individual diploma project evaluated by external examiners. The Master degree is the required formal qualifi cation for practicing architecture within the EU. It is also the basis for future Ph.D. studies. Master of Landscape architecture: The Master of Landscape Architecture programme has a duration of 4 semesters ‘ 120 ECTS credits. Admission to the programme is based on a three year bachelor degree from an institution on the same level as AHO.  The study emphasizes urban landscape architecture within a studio based curriculum focused on design, and students are educated in concept and project development. The programme offers studio courses in both landscape architecture and urbanism, as well as intensive courses in history, techniques and theory, which in combination forms a professional education and gives the title Master of Landscape Architecture.

Post-graduate master programmes: Programmes in Urbanism, Architectural conservation and Computer related design, mainly directed towards professionals within these fi elds. All degrees are on part time, estimated to three years of study, and give 90 ECTS credits. The degree programmes offer professionals to get an update and new inspiration within their fi eld, as well as being inspired by other groups of professionals. The post-graduate master programmes are subject to tuition fees, and certain procedures of application and admission apply. For more information, see www.aho.no or contact our institution.

AHO offers a single PhD qualification that fulfills the grounds for the award of an academic Doctor of Philosophy. The PhD is examined by a committee of three peers based on the assessment of:

• a document of record (the “thesis”)
• an aural examination (disputas)
• a trial lecture

We supervise PhD projects in all aspects of design, history and theory of architecture, preservation, architecture and its technologies, urbanism and landscape studies.

Read more: aho.no/en/studier