Architectural Design Courses

The median annual wage for architects was $79,380 in 2018, and employment is projected to increase by 4 percent from 2016 to 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Related to so many different aspects of modern society, such as climate, urban development, and technology, architecture greatly influences our daily lives.

While the field of architectural design is rarely a common or accessible hobby for many people, to study architecture itself and the profession is here to stay for years to come. So, whether you want to learn more about constructing buildings or modern cities, landscape architecture, interior design, architectural history, or are seriously considering architectural design as a future profession, you can find your very first step into the field of architecture in our list of free and affordable online architecture courses.

Introductory Architecture Courses in General Architecture

1. Making Architecture

Offered by the IE School of Architecture and Design in Segovia, Spain, this course is designed for complete beginners, covering the basic principles, theories and practices of the profession, such as composition, form, space and hierarchy. Also, you will get some insider tips from award-winning professionals and learn how a real architect’s mind thinks and works.

College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
Financial aid or scholarships: YES
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: Approximately 18 hours (3 hours per week)
Languages: English with subtitles in English
Vendor: Coursera

Note: Prices for all online courses listed in this article are true on the date of publishing, but are subject to change.

2. Modern Building Design

Offered by the University of Bath in the UK, this course explores sustainable architecture how climate change, technology, and policy regulation shape and affect modern building design and constructing buildings and the whole AEC (Architecture, Engineering, Construction) industry. Before the end of the course, you will learn about new sustainable architecture – construction and building materials and techniques, landscape architecture, digital modelling, and how buildings impact the communities’ health and wellbeing in general.

College credits: NO — Certificate of Achievement only
Price: FREE — $69 for unlimited access to this course and a Certificate of Achievement, or $269 per year for unlimited access to all FutureLearn courses for a year and a Certificate of Achievement
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 6 hours
Languages: English
Vendor: FutureLearn

3. The Architectural Imagination

Offered by Harvard University, this course will help you understand both the aesthetic and technical features of architecture. Through lectures and hands-on exercises in drawing and modeling, you will gain not only the theoretical, but also practical understanding of architecture.

College credits: NO — Verified Certificate only
Price: FREE, but in order to receive a certificate, you need to pay $99
Financial aid or scholarships: YES
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 10 weeks (3–5 hours per week)
Languages: English
Vendor: edX

Advanced Architecture Courses in General Architecture

4. About Architectural Drawing and Sketching

This course takes you away from the computer and brings you back to pen and paper, teaching you how to draw and sketch as an architect. You will learn how to draw lines, add textures, show contrast, and more. Note that this course requires you to be at least an architecture or design student in schools/colleges in any semester.

College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
Price: $12.99 on sale ($99.99 regular price)
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 6 hours
Languages: English with subtitles in English
Vendor: Udemy

5. Architecture Post-Production in Photoshop

One of the highest rated architecture courses on Udemy, this course will teach you how to best visualize and present your architectural concepts for both classwork and client projects. Using Adobe Photoshop, this course will teach you step by step how to develop your own workflow. Note that this course requires some previous knowledge of architecture and is recommended for architecture or design students.

College credits: NO – -Certificate of Completion only
Price: $11.99 on sale ($49.99 regular price)
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 2.5 hours
Languages: English with subtitles in English
Vendor: Udemy

6. Sustainability in Architecture: An Interdisciplinary Introduction

Offered by the Polytechnic University of Valencia in Spain, this course offers an interdisciplinary approach to sustainable architecture. You will learn how to evaluate the sustainability performance of buildings made of different types of materials, assess energy use, and ultimately develop a conceptual neighborhood model adequate for analysis and urban policy assessment in regards to sustainable architecture. Note that this course is for intermediate level students.

College credits: NO — Verified Certificate only
Price: FREE, but in order to receive a certificate, you need to pay $50
Financial aid or scholarships: YES
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 4 weeks (3-4 hours per week)
Languages: English
Vendor: edX

Introductory Architecture Courses on Architecture Software

7. Revit Architecture I Course Complete Beginners Training

Using Revit Architecture, one of the widely used architecture programs that use BIM technology (Building Information Modeling), this course teaches on the basic design principles, procedures, and tools of designing a building model. With this course, you will be able to swim through the Revit interface to create projects, add building elements, and generate photorealistic renderings of building projects. Before the end of the course, you will know how to design many different types of buildings, such as residential and commercial buildings and multi-storey towers. Note that there are both intermediate and advanced Revit online courses available from the same team of instructors.

College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
Price: $13.99 on sale ($199.99 regular price)
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 22.5 hours
Languages: English with subtitles in English and Italian
Vendor: Udemy

8. The Complete Beginners Guide to Autodesk Revit Architecture

Without any previous experience of Revit required, this course explains and demonstrates all the main tools and procedures available in the software. You will learn about its interface, key concepts, such as drawing aids and structural grids, 3D building elements and how to edit and modify them, and more.

College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
Price: $12.99 on sale ($19.99 regular price)
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 18 hours
Languages: English
Vendor: Udemy

9. AutoCAD I The Complete Beginner Course From Autodesk Expert

Using AutoCAD, another architecture software commonly used throughout the AEC industry, this course teaches on the basic drawing and drafting procedures and tools. Before the end of this course, you will be able to use the software on your own, setting up drawings, using construction and editing tools, managing layers, and adding basic annotation, such as text and dimensions. Note that there is an intermediate AutoCAD course available from the same team of instructors.

College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
Price: $13.99 on sale ($199.99 regular price)
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 24 hours
Languages: English with subtitles in English
Vendor: Udemy

10. The Complete AutoCAD 2018-20 Course

One of the bestselling architecture courses on Udemy, this comprehensive online course teaches how to use AutoCAD’s most recent version from scratch. You will go through not only self-assessment quizzes, but also multiple hands-on projects, where you can apply what you learned and practice drawing floor plans, layouts, and more.

College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
Price: $12.99 on sale ($29.99 regular price)
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 17.5 hours
Languages: English with subtitles in English, Indonesian, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, and Thai
Vendor: Udemy

11. ArchiCAD 22: Beginner and Intermediate Level

Using ArchiCAD, another architecture software using BIM technology, this course will teach not only the basic architecture knowledge, design principles, and skills, but also procedures and tools specific to ArchiCAD. This course covers a range of topics, such as terrain modeling in regards to landscape architecture, structure modeling, 2D drawing settings (floor plans, sections, facades, etc.), rendering into 3D documents, and more.

College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
Price: $12.99 on sale ($29.99 regular price)
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 9.5 hours
Languages: English with subtitles in English
Vendor: Udemy

12. 3D Modeling from Architectural Drawings

As more architects are relying heavily on 3D modeling software to visualize their conceptual spaces, this introductory course offers the basic concepts of architectural visualization. Using Blender, a free and open source computer animation software, this course will explain and demonstrate basic concepts and practices very thoroughly that even complete beginners will be able to follow through immediately.

College credits: NO — Verified Certificate only
Price: FREE, but in order to receive a certificate, you need to pay $149
Financial aid or scholarships: YES
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: 4 weeks per course (4–6 hours per week)
Languages: English
Vendor: edX

Introductory Programs in General Architecture

13. Frank Gehry Teaches Design and Architecture

This course is taught by Frank Gehry, a world-renowned architect whose numerous works, such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA, have won him not only the Pritzker Prize, but also the title, “the most important architect of our age,” by Vanity Fair. Before the end of the course, you will learn about Gehry’s own design philosophies, how to generate your own ideas, different types of building materials and elements, and ways to work with a client.

Number of courses: 17 courses
College credits: NO
Price: $90/class OR $15/month billed annually for “All Access” pass
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: Unknown
Languages: English
Vendor: Master Class

Introductory Programs on Architecture Software

14. Revit Architecture: Core Skills

Using Revit Architecture, this program teaches on how to turn an architectural design concept into construction documents ready for use. Although this program spans from beginner to intermediate to advanced, please note prior understanding of general architectural concepts and documents, such as plans, sections and elevations, is highly recommended.

Number of courses: 7 courses
College credits: NO — CEU (Continuing Education Units) Certificate only
Price: Free to enroll for the first 10 days; after that, choose from three different plans: monthly ($29), annual ($199), or premium annual ($349), which includes access to all courses on Pluralsight plus certification practice exams, interactive courses and projects.
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: Approximately 20 hours
Languages: English
Vendor: Pluralsight

15. AutoCAD: Core Skills

Using AutoCAD, this program spans through three different levels, from beginning to advanced, preparing you with the skills needed to use the software for real-world, professional architectural projects. Before the end of the program, you will learn how to use the various 2D drafting and 3D modeling tools available in the software. Note that previous knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and 3dx Max is recommended, but not required.

Number of courses: 9 courses
College credits: NO — CEU (Continuing Education Units) Certificate only
Price: Free to enroll for the first 10 days; after that, choose from three different plans: monthly ($29), annual ($199), or premium annual ($349), which includes access to all courses on Pluralsight plus certification practice exams, interactive courses and projects.
Financial aid or scholarships: NO
Mobile learning: YES
Self-paced learning: YES
Flexible deadlines: YES
Time needed for completion: Approximately 20 hours
Languages: English
Vendor: Pluralsight

For more online courses, check TUN’s list of curated classes, or use the online classes search engine to find the best online courses in any subject.