Architectural Engineering Major - Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Study the Architectural Engineering major in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree and develop the skills to engineer for high-quality buildings.
Businesses, tenants and homeowners expect more from the buildings they work and live in. They want buildings that are energy efficient and more sustainable, comfortable to live and work in, offer more services and are fit for purpose, now and in the future. Architectural engineers help make this happen.
The Architectural Engineering major covers the skills you need to develop complex designs that can meet all those needs, from the foundations to the services.
This is part of the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours).
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As an architectural engineering student, you’ll develop knowledge of architectural and construction processes to prepare you for your future career.
You also need to complete 800 hours of planned, supervised work experience to graduate, in addition to completing all your courses. This experience exposes you to common engineering industry practices and helps you gain knowledge of engineering procedures, engineering responsibilities, and health and safety practices.
You’ll become familiar with sustainable built environment and passive design strategies, building modelling and performance simulation, architectural management techniques and building research applications.
Most of your first-year courses are shared between the majors in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and the Bachelor of Engineering Technology, making it easy for you to switch between our engineering degrees and majors*.
If you’re already studying at AUT and have any questions about the courses you should enrol in, email engineer@aut.ac.nz
*Cross-credits between different engineering majors and degrees are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and you may not be able to gain cross-credits for all your first-year courses.
Year 1
Complete the following courses
These courses are offered in both semesters and we’ll automatically enrol you in your first-year courses before you start your studies.
- ENGE500 Introduction to Sustainable Engineering Design (15 points)
- ENGE501 Engineering Mathematics I (15 points)*
- ENGE503 Engineering Mechanics (15 points)
- ENGE504 Electrical Engineering Fundamentals (15 points)
- COMP500 Programming Concepts and Techniques (15 points)
- DIGD507 Mahitahi | Collaborative Practices (15 points)
- ENME502 Engineering Materials I (15 points)
- ENGE601 Engineering Mathematics II (15 points)*
*You’ll need to pass the course ENGE501 before you can study the course ENGE601.
Year 2
Semester 1 courses
- ENBU600 Construction Materials (15 points)
- ENBU613 Mechanics of Construction Materials (15 points)
- ENBU603 Introduction to Building Construction (15 points)
- ENGE702 Engineering Mathematics III (15 points)
Semester 2 courses
- ENGE600 Engineering Management (15 points)
- ENBU601 Introduction to Structural Engineering (15 points)
- ENBU602 Quantity Surveying (15 points)
- ENME601 Thermodynamics (15 points)
Year 3
Semester 1 courses
- ENBU700 Sustainable Design and Development (15 points)
- ENBU701 Geotechnical Engineering (15 points)
- ENBU702 Structural Analysis (15 points)
- ENBU703 Architecture and Design Development I (15 points)
Semester 2 courses
- ENBU704 Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning Systems (HVAC) (15 points)
- ENBU708 Construction Engineering Management II (15 points)
- ENBU720 Illumination and Acoustic Engineering (15 points)
- Plus one elective course
Year 4
Semester 1 courses
- ENGE891 Final Year Research Project (Part A) (15 points)
- ENGE803 Innovation and Research Management (15 points)
- Plus two level 8 optional courses
Semester 2 courses
- ENGE892 Final Year Research Project (Part B) (15 points)
- ENBU808 Architecture and Design Development Technology (15 points)
- Plus two level 8 optional courses
Optional courses
In Year 4 you choose four level 8 optional courses from those listed below.
Semester 1 courses
- ENBU800 Timber Structure Design (15 points)
- ENBU802 Architecture and Design Development II (15 points)
- ENBU803 Architectural Systems (15 points)
- ENBU806 Off-site Construction (15 points)
Semester 2 courses
- ENBU801 Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics (15 points)
- ENBU825 Logistics and Transportation Engineering (15 points)
If you started your studies in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) before 2024, the courses you need to complete are a little different. Find out what courses you need to take to complete your qualification if you started in 2023 or earlier.
Workplace experience in the Architectural Engineering major
Your industry-based research project in Year 4 is your opportunity to gain real-life industrial experience in an architectural engineering environment, under the guidance of an experienced supervisor.
Organisations you could work with include:
- Fletcher Building
- Hawkins
- Naylor Love Ltd
- Auckland Council
- Beca
- Jasmax
Want more info about work integrated learning at AUT?
Read more about workplace experience in AUT programmes, how it works and why it’s so beneficial when you start your career.
Workplace experience in AUT programmes
Ready to enrol in your courses?
Find out how you can enrol in the courses and classes for your programme, whether you’ve just joined AUT as a new student or you’re already studying with us. If you’re looking for a course timetable or more info on a specific course use our course search.
- Architectural design engineer
- Building services engineering
- Project management
- Building Information Management (BIM) specialist
This is an engineering qualification. Graduates will not be architects or qualified to register as architects.
Find out more about industry trends, job descriptions and what employers may be looking for.
Other majors in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
- Civil Construction Engineering
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Maritime Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechatronics Engineering
- Software Engineering
Postgraduate study
- Industry projects with major construction and engineering companies
- Multi-disciplinary approach
- Local and international job opportunities in high-quality building
- A problem-solver and analytical thinker
- Making a mark
- Good at developing pragmatic, robust design solutions
- A system integrator
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.