Course syllabus

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All the parts of this course will be digital, including lectures, feedback from teachers, and group work between students.

ARK636 ARK636 Masters thesis preparation course 1 lp1 HT20 (4.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Description and aim

The course prepares the students through a general understanding of the master’s thesis process. It presents the different directions within the master’s thesis and enables the students to evaluate and choose a direction. Within the course the student will develop a platform of knowledge by testing, developing and analyzing different fields, themes or ideas for a master’s thesis. At this stage the purpose is not to grade or rate the master thesis work, but to explore and evaluate. That means that the result of the course may vary from student to student, depending on where they are in the process. The project plan will be developed within ARK641, Master ́s thesis preparation course, part 2. Therefore, the result from this course is a wide exploration and evaluation of directions, ideas and methods.

 

The course focuses on training the students abilities surrounding;

  • the relationship between research and design, as well as the differences
  • how to develop knowledge through references and analysis
  • how to use references
  • methods and tactics
  • how to develop a process
  • how to communicate the work
  • how to evaluate the material

The purpose is to give a general toolbox for the master’s thesis process. When the course is finished, the students will have made a direction choice, and will have had time to test, develop and analyze different fields, themes or ideas for a master’s thesis.

 

Content and structure

The course is based on lectures, workshops, groupwork, group feedback, individual work and feedback with teachers.

The following lectures are conducted within the course:

  • What is a MT, Maja Kovács
  • Presenting former MT work. Naima Callenberg
  • What are the options for doing a MT, representatives from all the directions
  • Developing the MT part 1-3, Maja Kovács
  • Working with reference, Anna Volkova and Yommine Hjalmarsson from the Library
  • The design process, Jonas Carlson
  • Interview with teachers.
  • Interview with students

 

Assignments and submission within the course

Groupwork

Assignment A: Understanding the group, 1st of September  

Assignment B: Understanding the MT, 4th of September  

Assignment C: Methods and feedback, 11th of September

Assignment D: Feedback, 18th of September

Assignment E: Evaluation, 18th of September  

Individual work

Assignment 1: Positioning, 8th of September

Assignment 2: Preliminary Choice of Direction, 4th of September

Assignment 3: Knowledge Development, 10th of September

Assignment 4: Preparation for Interview, 15th of September

Assignment 5: Final draft, 18th of September

Assignment 6: Final direction choice, 18th of September

 

We use Canvas for all our deliverances. No emails!

 

Evaluation criteria’s and supplements

Grading: Approved / not approved

Criteria:

  • Presence at the scheduled activities, 80% minimum and active participation at the seminars and group work
  • Submission of all assignments and on time
  • Quality of submissions: all the assignment should follow the instructions and have the correct content

If more than a lecture is missed, an interview with a student who was present at the time should be summarized and submitted via Canvas, under Supplements.

If a group opportunity is missed, a separate individual compilation of the assignment should be made. Submitted via Canvas, under Supplements.

A missed opportunity is each lecture or group work, it is not divided per day.

All the parts of this course will be digital, including lectures, feedback from teachers, and group work between students. The reason is to minimize the amount of students on campus, prioritizing the courses that need to be on campus.

Attendance will be taken through an application in zoom which allows us to see whom is present at the meeting. Please make sure that you have written in you name in the identification. If you haven’t changed your identification, please write your name in the chat. If you are several people using one computer, please write your name in the chat.

The assignments in the course are based on progression and should therefore be delivered on time during the course. The final assignment 5, is the final deliverance of the course. If the student does not succeed in delivering the assignments on time the students will have the following opportunities for a re-examination: 7thof October at 5 pm or the 6th of January at 5 pm.

If the student does not deliver assignment 4 on time, the students will not be able to have an interview with a teacher in the final week.

Faculty

Maja Kovács, course leader

0703088491, maja.kovacs@chalmers.se 

Please call or send an sms for a fast respons 

Daniel Norell, examiner

Schedule

Here is the schedule,

TimeEdit is still updating: TimeEdit

Course literature

Literature

Architectural Research Methods, second edition (2013):  by Linda Groat and David Wang. (This book can be found as an e-book at the Chalmers Library website). Read chapters 1 and 2 and choose 1-2 chapters from the book that is relevant to the group.

 Diagramming Design Research (2007); David Wang, in JOURNAL OF INTERIODRESIGN, Volume 33 Number 1 2007.  (This article can be found at Canvas and as an e-book on the Chalmers Library website)  

This is Research by Design; Johan Verbeke in the book “Design Research in Architecture” edited by Murray Fraser. (This article can be found on Canvas)

Reflecting on RTD 2015: Making Connections to Doing Research Through Design, by Rebecca Taylor, in Design Issues: Volume 33, Number 3 Summer 2017.  (This article can be found at the Chalmers Library website.)

Universal Methods of Design : 100 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design Effective Solutions, by Bruce Hanington , and Bella Martin. (This article can be found at the Chalmers Library website.)

Basics Design Methods (2017); by Jormakka, Kari, Oliver Schürer, , and Dörte Kuhlmann, by Walter de Gruyter GmbH. (This article can be found at the Chalmers Library website.)

Changes made since the last occasion

XX

 

Course summary:

Date Details Due