StudyQA — Master: Architectural Lighting Design

Description Contents Requirements Funding

There is an increasing understanding of the importance of good lighting design in urban areas, buildings and interiors. Light is fundamental to architecture and essential for human well-being, and its quality affects human behaviour, comfort, health, efficiency, safety and security. The one-year Master’s programme in Architectural Lighting Design is based on a new approach to light and light planning – a combination of visual, physical and biological-based experience and knowledge applied to design, technology and health.

The programme provides in-depth understanding of the field of Architectural Lighting Design through scientific-based knowledge and practical experience in the area of artificial light and daylight. The aim of the course is to teach the ability to apply advanced knowledge in this area, in both practical and academic situations.

Four courses are given during the one-year programme:

Light and Humans

The aim of the module is to learn about the relationship between light and humans, which is mediated by the physical space. Knowledge related to light qualities, cultural and human aspects, light sources and materials is combined with experience of the design process. The outcome should be the ability to develop a complete solution for a lighting design object.

Light and Space – outdoor

The connection between light and outdoor environments – especially urban contexts, in its physical and cultural characters – is addressed through the expansion of lighting knowledge and vocabulary. The design task in this track concludes with a full-scale outdoor installation. The ability to work with light sources and the design process is expanded and critical assessment of the design solution is promoted.

Light and Space – indoor

The importance of dealing with daylight as well as artificial lighting in indoor spaces is addressed through activities related to sources and technology, space theory, visual ergonomics and performance. Design process, planning and presentation techniques will be handled in activities and tasks.

Light and Science

Theoretical knowledge about light and its relationship to space and humans is further developed through discussions between students and researchers in the field. Lectures combine with experimental sessions and study visits. The ability to analyse lighting conditions through the understanding of the visual and physical concepts of light will be developed in a case study and presented as an academic paper.

The Master's programme, one year, in Architectural Lighting Design consists of two semesters of course work, including thesis project work, 15 credits.

The year starts with compulsory core courses, which provide in-depth knowledge in areas of ‘Human lighting’. Continues with courses of ‘Light and space outdoor’, including both theory and practice work for full scale outdoor installations. ‘Light and theory’ will provide the fundamentals of lighting theory and the final course ‘Light and space indoor’ treats the complexity of Architectural lighting design.

Mandatory courses

Degree Project in Architectural Lighting Design, Second Cycle 15.0 credits
Light and Humans 9.0 credits
Light and Space-Outdoor 12.0 credits
Light and Space-Indoor 15.0 credits
Light and Science 9.0 credits

Degree project and thesis

The programme is concluded with a thesis project, the focus of which may be chosen from a wide variety of topics within the Architectural Lighting Design field. Theoretical papers about light and health, light and time, urban lighting, perception and information, as well as practical projects with a theoretical frame in rural lighting and interactive lighting design are a few examples among the developed works.

Requirements

A completed Bachelor's degree, corresponding to a Swedish Bachelor's degree (180 ECTS credits), or equivalent academic qualifications from an internationally recognised university.
Students in their final year of undergraduate education may apply to KTH and, if qualified, receive conditional acceptance. If you have not yet completed your studies, please include a written statement issued by the degree awarding university. This statement must be certified and stamped by the Academic Registrar's Office, the Examinations Office or equivalent of the institution. Statements from other staff members, such as faculty members, will not be accepted.
Students who are following longer technical programmes, and have completed courses equivalent to a Bachelor´s degree (180 ECTS credits), will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Cover sheet (generated from the web-based application). However, if you have a Swedish personal ID number or if you choose to upload your documents, the cover sheet is not required.
Certificates and diplomas from previous education at an internationally recognised university.
Transcripts of records (including course list). All courses taken and grades must be included. Sort them in reverse chronological order, i.e. put the last received document on top.
Proof of English proficiency.
A copy of your passport or some other document of identification. If you are from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland and are required to document your citizenship status in order to be considered exempt from paying application and tuition fees, your passport copy must be certified. If you are not a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, certification of your passport copy is not required.
Curriculum Vitae
Letter of Motivation
Certificate showing relevant work experience, if applicable
2 letters of recommendation
IELTS A minimum overall mark of 6.5, with no section lower than 5.5 (only Academic Training accepted).
TOEFL Paper-based test: total result of 575 (written test, minimum grade 4.5)
TOEFL Internet-based test: total result of 90 (written test, minimum grade 20)