Thesis Project Seminar B1

Code:

3B01

Acronym:

SPTB1

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Architecture

Instance: 2017/2018 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Arquitectura (A)
Course/CS Responsible:	Doctoral Program in Architecture

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
PDA	4	Plano Oficial do Programa de Doutoramento 2012	1	-	10	60	270

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The Seminar Thesis Project B1 aims at a first formulation, by the student, of a Thesis Project, with the scope of a PhD research in Architecture, which will be continued and consolidated in the 2nd semester, in the Seminar Thesis Project B2.

In the 1st semester, the student is expected to formulate a hypothesis of an original research topic, whose relevance will seek to clarify in terms of objectives and expected contributions. The student will be guided in order to consolidate his thesis hypothesis, with an appropriate circumscription of the research topic, and begin the preparation of the state of the art. Its competence and mastery of the subject area in which he intends to develop the thesis should be considered, as well as additional study options required individually and within the PDA program, in view of the specific research topic.

At the end of the 1st Semester, a first document should be presented, with a synthesis of the work produced and the presentation of the thesis work program.

Learning outcomes and competences

As the result of the learning and skills developed within the scope of the Thesis Project Seminar B1, the student should achieve a more enlightened view on the problem of building a doctoral thesis project. The preliminary Thesis Project document presented at the end of the 1st semester should contain the perspective of the research work required for its continuation.

The student will demonstrate his / her competence by defining an original and pertinent research theme, with relevant objectives and contributions.

Working method

Presencial

Program

The program of the Thesis Design Seminar B1 offers an orderly and progressive approach to a set of subjects.

SUBJECT AND PURPOSE – Election of a theme considering its relevance, pertinence, feasibility and disciplinary contribution.

TITLE – Assigning a provisory title to the Thesis Project.

SUMMARY – Construction of a provisional list of contents of the Thesis Project.

STATE OF THE ART – Development and critical interpretation of the State of the Art as a key point for the validation of the thesis proposal.

OBJECTIVES and CONTRIBUTIONS – Progressive consolidation of the objectives and expected contributions of the thesis.

WORK PLAN – Construction of argumentative text of the preliminary document Project of Thesis.

BIBLIOGRAPHY – Construction of a bibliography referred to the theme and object of study.

The preliminary structure of the Thesis Project, presented at the end of the 1st semester, is given since the first session of the Seminar.

The PT document is progressively developed, revised and consolidated, from the synthesis of the idea of thesis, expressed in the clear formulation of a title and subtitle, to the work on the state of the art, to the circumscription of the thematic scope and the first coherent formulation of a work plan.

The successive approximations to the PT will be discussed in the sessions of the Seminar. By the very nature of the curricular unit, there will be also moments of return to issues already addressed, for reassessment and revision, determined according to the individual process of consolidation of the proposed Thesis Project and its successive stages of development.

Mandatory literature

.; .

Comments from the literature

The curricular unit Thesis Project B1 does not consider a mandatory indication of bibliography, but seeks to find, in the amplitude of possible references, the sense of a circumscription relevant to the construction of the thesis project and attentive to the perspectives opened by discussions and group dynamics in the sessions of the Seminar.

Teaching methods and learning activities

The Thesis Design Seminar B1 does not constitute a curricular unit specifically oriented to the teaching and transmission of contents and information. The teaching methodology is defined according to the objective of orienting the student in order to elaborate a research topic and prepare the document Thesis Project. Given the broad definition of the field of research of Profile B, which encompasses, in the formulation 'Architecture: Theory, Architectural Design, History', the terms in which the scientific area of Architecture is defined, in FAUP, research topics are diverse and this diversity is desired, as it favours transfers of innovative meaning, unexpected intersections and original perspectives.

The orientation of the Seminar has as starting point ideas, interests and research perspectives proposed by students, considering their preparation, at the level of formation and mastery of the area of study in which they intend to carry out research, and indicating references to the continuation and deepening of research, which may even take a significant new direction. It is a process of accompanying the student, actively anticipating and proposing possible paths; and a process of orientation, through an attentive and critical interpellation, in the measure of the work developed and presented successively in the sessions of the Seminar.

There will be times of exposure, with references for further study on certain aspects and problems of building a thesis project, in each field, in particular.

There may be the participation of external professors and invited experts, with recognized merit in topics addressed in the particular discussion of research topics outlined by the students.

The orientation of the thesis projects takes place in a collaborative plan of discussion shared in group, in the Seminar sessions, that stimulates a continuous learning in the confrontation with the different proposals and assures diverse answers to the problems posed.

The Thesis Project is being continuously assessed, testing the clarity of its identification and synthetic communication, followed by debate and directed and compared criticism, and is gradually being enriched and justified, underpinning the critical and creative capacity to construct the problem of thesis.

It is desirable that the idea of thesis can constitute a focus, creating the opportunity for a coordination of studies and demands for the delivery of work in other curricular units, enabling a process of teaching / learning contributions convergent with aspects of the research developed individually by each student.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	20,00
Trabalho escrito	80,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	234,00
Frequência das aulas	36,00
Total:	270,00

Eligibility for exams

Minimum attendance of 75% of classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

The final classification of the 1st semester will be attributed on the basis of the participation in the seminar sessions, the Thesis Project document and its final presentation and discussion.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable.

Internship work/project

Not applicable.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

The Special evaluation is conducted in accordance with applicable legislation.

Classification improvement

Not applicable.

Observations

Not applicable.