The University of the Witwatersrand offers the Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS); this independent university degree is separate from INTIAU.
Checked 17 October 2026. Current curriculum overview; dated 2026-for-2027 selection document; checked 17 October 2026.
Understand the undergraduate stage
Wits describes three years of full-time BAS study centred on design studio, supported by construction, history, representation and structures. BAS course finder.
Compare the undergraduate award on its own terms. A route into later study is not the same as an automatic place on that later route, and a degree title alone should not be treated as authority to practise. When comparing options, record the award achieved at each stage before discussing possible next steps.
Follow design and construction across the years
| Year | Published examples | Comparison question |
|---|---|---|
| One | Architectural Design and Theory I; Theory and Practice of Construction I. | How is a spatial idea represented and tested? |
| Two | Architectural Design and Theory II; construction and structural study. | How do context and building systems affect the proposal? |
| Three | Architectural Design and Theory III; construction, history and office-practice study. | Can the design be explained as an integrated whole? |
ARPL1030A Building Ecology relates design to ecological and social systems: a selected course-description example.
Read the table horizontally as well as vertically. A design proposal needs a way to communicate form, a response to use and a plausible relationship to construction. Ask what published evidence shows about those connections, and leave assessment details unresolved until the relevant course outline supplies them.
Separate the application stages and their dates
The BAS selection document headed “2026 for 2027” sets out an additional competitive process. It gives 30 June 2026 for the university application and 31 July 2026 for Exercises 1 and 2. Both dates are past on 17 October 2026. Dated selection document.
The University’s 2027 application page independently lists BAS among the programmes closing on 30 June 2026. 2027 application dates.
This guide does not invite a late submission or carry those dates into another cycle. Use the dated official instructions for your intended year. Numeric entry summaries can change or differ across publications; obtain the applicable academic criteria and selection instructions directly rather than combining values from different versions.
Original exercise: make a design revision legible
Invent a small reading room shared by six people. Write a brief with three needs: a quiet work area, a clear route to the door and somewhere to store bags. Draw two different layouts using the same fictional room dimensions. Keep furniture sizes consistent so that one option does not gain an advantage from an unexplained scale change.
Annotate each drawing with one strength and one conflict. For example, a compact arrangement might create a narrow circulation route, while a more open arrangement might separate a user from shared resources. Describe the conflict before changing the drawing. A useful revision responds to an identified problem rather than simply becoming more elaborate.
Add a new fictional user who needs more space to move around the room. Revise one layout, then write a short account of what changed and what you still need to know. Avoid claiming compliance with a building standard; this exercise supplies neither a verified site nor a professional design brief. It is a way to practise careful representation and explanation.
Keep the first and revised drawings side by side. Use consistent labels and an arrow that points to the altered decision. Finish with a limitations note about assumed dimensions, untested movement and missing user feedback. Do not submit this invented exercise in place of Wits’s actual required tasks or treat it as an official portfolio formula.
Prepare questions that connect evidence and learning
For a degree comparison, select a single published design example and ask which supporting knowledge it appears to require. Distinguish what the official curriculum states from your own interpretation. Then ask the university a focused question about progression, studio preparation or the applicable selection cycle. A precise question is more useful than an unsupported claim about admission chances.
Frequently asked questions
Is BAS itself a guarantee of professional architect registration?
No. The university describes further study and additional professional requirements; verify the relevant stage separately.
Are the quoted 2027 application dates still upcoming?
No. The June and July 2026 dates in the dated selection document had passed by this guide’s check date.
Can this exercise replace the official selection tasks?
No. It is independent preparation. Follow the actual dated university instructions and create any required submission yourself.
View the curriculum comparison map
Official sources and further comparison
Continue your independent comparison through the INTIAU Courses directory, or use INTIAU Contact for a general enquiry. The university controls its programme and admissions decisions.