Architectural Engineering

This seminar prepares students in the Master of Architecture program to conceive and develop a graduate thesis design project proposal that is rooted in the originality and innovation of research and design practice. The course is structured with seminars of invited speakers, discussions of readings, workshops, student presentations, and thesis proposal development. The seminar may include a travel component. The topics vary each year with the focus on research methodologies and broad issues relevant to the discipline of architecture. The course culminates in a written proposal that includes a description and justification of the proposed thesis topic, main goals and objectives, methodologies, plan of study, expected products, and a proposal for the composition of a thesis committee.

The graduate design thesis involves creating and advancing a comprehensive architectural project that exhibits adequate scope and intricacy. Design thesis proposals are conceived in the thesis research seminar (ARCH 500) and are subsequently developed in close collaboration with a thesis committee composed of a faculty advisor affiliated with the Master of Architecture program and a co-advisor in a focus area. The graduate design thesis is required of all students in the Master of Architecture program and requires work worth (a minimum of) twelve graduate credit hours. Students register for 6 credits during the fall semester and 6 credits during the spring semester of their master’s year. Students articulate and develop design strategies and translate these into tangible design products that embody the architectural values of their concepts and ideas. The work culminates in a public juried presentation and a booklet that documents the work.