The course is designed as a comprehensive personal development programme in art, science, technology and design. The 3-year bachelor’s degree lays the foundations of the subject and places them in a larger context of the "Studium Generale" (philosophy, art and social sciences).

The 2-year master's expands students' design skills and teaches socially effective dimensions of architecture oriented towards the common good. Students are given the space and support necessary to develop their own architectural approach.

All students of architecture can go on a study or practical period abroad via Erasmus+, the programme for education, youth and sport of the European Union or via the Promos funding programme. The International Office provides information and advice on how to organise and plan a period abroad yourself. The department has university partnerships in countries such as Egypt, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Lithuania and Spain.

All students have their own workspace in a shared studio building, which is equipped with a modelling workshop, a digital laboratory (BIM software, 3D printer), copiers/printers, a space laboratory for 1:1 experiments and a workshop and think tank. A media room with extensive photo, video and audio editing facilities as well as other workshops are also available for students at the university.

As part of ongoing research projects, the Department of Architecture profiles itself in the following areas, among others: Identification and support of public welfare-oriented building culture initiatives, development of sustainable organic-based building materials, research into integrated school building and learning space development in the European context and artistic research in the context of spatial design processes. The research projects are highly interdisciplinary and multi-professional. Students regularly gain insight into projects and have the opportunity to participate.

The Department of Architecture stands for an alternative to conventional architecture studies: In the 3-year undergraduate BA and the 2-year MA based on this, interdisciplinary, intensive and integrated work is carried out in small groups (approx. 40 - 50 students). The project-based course has numerous integrated optional courses from the fields of art, science and society. Architecture is taught, researched and practised as an artistic-scientific method for a sustainable change in society. Https://www.alanus.edu/de/hochschule/profil/nachhaltigkeit