Dissertation

Code:

500504

Acronym:

500504

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
CNAEF	Architecture and Urbanism

Instance: 2020/2021 - A

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Arquitectura (A)
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master Degree in Architecture

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIARQ	407	MIARQ	5	-	30	-	810

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

According to article number 20, number 1, point b) of Decreto-Lei nº 74/2006, of March the twentieth-fourth, the structure of the "MsC degree cycle of studies includes a dissertation of scientific nature or a project, original and specially developed for this purpose (...)  as accordance to the above specified goals aimed in this, under the terms that will be fixed by the respective regulative norms (…)."

The Dissertation Course Unit is composed of two complementary curricular components:

1) Individualized Supervision, leading to the elaboration and delivery of the Dissertation, developed by the Student and managed by the Advisor;
2) an autonomous curricular component in plenary sessions which will be constituted as a collective and systematic time of contact hours, in parallel to complement the individualized work managed by the Advisor.

This autonomous curricular time, also designated as 'UC Dissertação', distinguished from the Individualized Supervision, aims to support the structuring of a research work plan, as well as the definition of its orientation, leading to the elaboration of a scientific dissertation. The Curricular Unit is approached in a transversal and comprehensive way, while, in parallel, the Advisor is responsible for the effective and specific orientation of each Student’s research. 

The structuring of the Plan and the development of the Dissertation, as research work, should involve the analysis of new situations; the collection of relevant information; the development and selection (or conception) of the methodological approach and of the instruments necessary for solving the addressed problem; its resolution; the exercise of synthesis and of drawing final conclusions. 

The dissertation prepared by the student is subjected to public presentation and to the discussion of results achieved before a jury specifically appointed for this purpose, by the Scientific Committee of the Integrated Master in Architecture, MIArq.

Learning outcomes and competences

Within the scope of the Curricular Unit, the goal is the development and deepening of capacities for the elaboration and presentation of a Dissertation Plan - document of reference and discussion with the advisor, which will be submitted to the approval of the Scientific Committee of the MIArq -, followed by the preparation, construction and presentation of the Dissertation, as well as the request of public examination.
It should be complied with the relevant schedule of Normal Season or Special Season for Course Completion, aproved in the respective academic year.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

According with 'Regulamento do Curso de Mestrado Integrado da FAUP' - Rule Code of the Integrated Master in Architecture.

Program

As a systematic space of collective framework, the pedagogical approach of this curricular unit is based on Thematic Seminars, conducted by guests - FAUP teachers, CEAU-FAUP researchers, FAUP alumni -, in which the sequence of sessions seeks to progressively clarify issues such as:

- definition and circumscription of topic, disciplinary field, subject, research problems and objectives;

- methodological approach, in parallel with the construction and interpretation of a body of references;

- dialectic between interrogation, articulation of heterogeneous references, clarification, and exposure-communication;

- subordination to a given formal structure and reference standards, both scientific and specific to the nature of the problem;

- conditions for the supervision proposal.

The presentation of concrete research experiences in the specific subject and disciplinary areas of each guest seeks to raise the debate around different interests, themes, methodological strategies and levels of development of the various researches in progress or to be developed.

Mandatory literature

Ramírez Juan Antonio 1948-2009 948-2009; Como escribir sobre arte y arquitectura. ISBN: 84-7628-171-4
STAKE, Robert; A arte da investigação com Estudos de Caso, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian: Lisboa, 2012. ISBN: ISBN: 978-972-31-1187-3
BORDEN, Ian ; The dissertation. ISBN: 0-7506-4769-8

Complementary Bibliography

Eco Umberto 1932-2016; Como se faz uma tese em ciências humanas
KRÜGER, Mário; A arte da investigação em Arquitectura, Em cima do joelho #5, 2001
LAMEIRA, Gisela; A investigação disciplinada. Propostas pragmáticas de (re)aproximação entre teorias e práticas arquitectónicas, Revista de História da Arte #10: 94-109, 2012
CEIA, Carlos; Normas para apresentação de trabalhos científicos, Presença, 2005. ISBN: ISBN: 972-23-1874-8

Teaching methods and learning activities

The course is taught on a tutorial basis, with weekly sessions that integrate support / debate sessions and Thematic Seminars. The schedule will be set according to the academic calendar.

These weekly debate / thematic sessions are thus used for two points - consisting in the development of Dissertation Plan - with alternative schedules in case the student wishes to choose the Normal or the Special Season for Course Completion. Delivering and presenting the sketch of the Dissertation Plan is optional, although it contributes to student’s assiduity with a bonus. It will remain at the discretion of the student whether they will carry out both points.

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Defesa pública de dissertação, de relatório de projeto ou estágio, ou de tese	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	759,00
Frequência das aulas	51,00
Total:	810,00

Eligibility for exams

- set of two applications, respectively subscribed by the student and the advisor (three in case of co-orientation), which are available on the FAUP online portal;

- identification elements (1 page): student name and number; title and any sub-title; name of advisor, (eventual co-advisor) and respective institution(s) of affiliation; the co-orientation will be underpinned by the student in the plan’s structure, as well as by the advisor’s reasoning in the respective application, becoming thus subject to approval;

- structure (1500-2000 words): theme and subject; object and objective of the work (question or research problem); methods of research, provisional structure and references; bibliographic references and other sources;

- any attachments (máx. 3-5 pages): starting iconography (drawing, cartography, photo); provisional schedule; others.

1.1 Once approved, the Dissertation Plan is valid until the Dissertation is presented, as long as Topic and Advisor remain unchanged, as well as the global meaning of the Title.

Any alterations to the Advisor or Topic defined in the Plan previously approved by the Scientific Committee of the Integrated Master (MIArq) require the presentation of a new dissertation plan.

Regarding the Title, non-substantial changes could be permitted between the temporary Title (defined in the Plan) and the definitive Title of the submitted Dissertation.

2. Dissertation submission / presentation and Application for Public Examination - conditions for acceptance:

2.1 Attendance of at least 50% of scheduled sessions is required:

- this requirement does not apply to students who have been enrolled in the 'UC Dissertação' in academic years prior to 2019-2020;

- if the mandatory minimal attendance is fulfilled in the previous academic year or in two consecutive semesters, it is valid for delivering the Dissertation;

- students who prove their Worker-Student status are governed by the regime sustained in the Labor Code regarding that status and legislation regulating that code;

- other extraordinary situations related to the fulfillment of the mandatory minimal attendance must be presented to the professors; in case of need, it will be recommended to present the situation in a request submitted to the Academic Services and addressed to the Director of the Miarq Course, attaching for consideration the document (s) considered relevant;

- in the case of granting the required exception situation, submission to the Scientific Committee of MIArq, either of the Dissertation Plan or of the Dissertation for the provision of Public Examination, must be accompanied by a document from the Advisor confirming knowledge of the student's situation.

2.2 A declaration by the candidate of originality, authorship and purpose to the Dissertation Exam.

2.3 Declaration of acceptance by the Supervisor of the thesis and his proposal for public presentation.

2.4 Digital Dissertation:  

- the Dissertation Cover must follow the' Modelo de capa para Dissertação de Mestrado' that is published in the academic site of FAUP;

-the first page must include the following items: FAUP, Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Arquitectura, academic year, title, student name and number, and the identification of the advisor and eventual co-advisor;

- type and size of the lettering must obey to general principles of submission of academic papers (recommended sizes 10 to 12 for the text corpus and foot notes minimum size 9);

- the dimension of the work should not exceed 200 pages including text and images;

- abstract in Portuguese and English are part of the thesis, as well as the summary of the Dissertation and other indexes (numbering elements of the work, as, for example, references for figures), including bibliographic references or other sources;

- structure and contents are of the student's responsibility, with freedom of research and expression supported by the advisor;

- considering the delivery and subsequent reading of the Dissertation in a digital format, the summary must include hyperlinks to each part of its structure;

- the size of the file must be such that its visualization is quick, without however compromising the quality of the contents.

3. After presentation, discussion and approval in a Public Examination before a specifically appointed Jury, the student must deposit one copy of the printed Dissertation at the FAUP Administrative Services, as well as one digital copy, including until 6 Key-words, containing the error proofreading table, as well as added recommendations for reviewing by the Juri. This step is required for the final classification of the MsC Course will be launched.

4. The deadlines of the Dissertation Calendar of each academic year must be respected.

Calculation formula of final grade

Dissertation Evaluation (Decreto-Lei n.º 42/2005, de 22 de Fevereiro)

10-13 – Suficient / Pass

14-15 – Good

16-17 – Very Good

18-20 – Excelent


Calculation formula of Final Grade

The calculation of the final classification is done according to the following formula:

CF = 0.80 x CMCC + 0.20 x CD

CF – final classification;

CMCC – average classification of the curricular component, rounded to the hundredths (weighted by the ECTS credit units, of the classifications of all the curricular units that compose it);

CD – dissertation classification.

Examinations or Special Assignments

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Internship work/project

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Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

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Classification improvement

There is no place for improvement in grading (see the document: “Esclarecimento: Melhoria de nota à Unidade Curricular Dissertação”, available in the webpage of the course Integrated Master in Architecture ).

Observations

This information does not dispense consulting the following diplomas:

- Regulamento Geral dos Ciclos de Estudos Integrados de Mestrado da Universidade do Porto - Integrated Master Studies’ Cycle Rules of the Porto University;

- Regulamento do Mestrado Integrado em Arquitectura - Rule Code of the Integrated Master in Architecture;

- Regulamento Geral para Avaliação dos Discentes de Primeiros ciclos, de Ciclos de Estudos Integrados de Mestrado e de Segundos Ciclos da Universidade do Porto.

 

Exceptionally, according to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic , and considering the guidance issued by the DGS, Direcção Geral de Saúde, the operating regime of face-to-face classes may be forced to changes:

- Working Method may become centred on synchronous streaming of classes by telematic suports;

- attendance in classes may become alternatively physical or telematic, while physical presence of students in classes will be conditioned by the abiding of the safety measures issued, following periodical updates.