A Comparison between Undergraduate Architecture Programme in Iran and Six Top Universities around the World

University education is an import into architecture education in the higher education system, with implicit impacts on architecture learning. Architecture education in Iran is a problematic and complex issue, as evidenced by the ongoing discussions between scholars and researchers, with a large number of studies conducted to investigate its anomalies. This research, which is of applied-developmental type, is intended to review the research carried out in the field of architecture education inside and outside the country to explore solutions, by identifying the components of architecture education in undergraduate courses of the world’s top universities, and comparing them with the undergraduate curriculum of the Iranian higher education system through logical reasoning, and thereby unearthing the roots of anomalies, eventually providing practical solutions to improve the quality of architectural learning in the form of university education system. The comparison has shown that whilst there are significant similarities, there are also differences in duration, quantities and contents of programmes, resulted from a number of factors. These can be classified into five categories: interaction between courses, choice, and professional-, research-, or identity-oriented nature of the course. In conclusion, remedial recommendations are made including strengthening connections between theoretical and studio courses through stronger interactions between tutors and lecturers, expanding optional courses, paying more attention to minors, encouraging practitioners to teach as lecturers, and creating research and exchange student opportunities.