Course syllabus for Bachelor's thesis in Architecture and engineering

Course syllabus adopted 2024-02-15 by Vice President (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameKandidatarbete i Arkitektur och teknik
  • CodeACEX15
  • Credits15 Credits
  • OwnerTKATK
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • Main field of studyArchitecture and Engineering
  • ThemeArchitectural design project 15 c
  • DepartmentARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • GradingUG - Pass, Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language Swedish
  • Application code 46118
  • Open for exchange studentsNo
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0117 Project1, part A 0 c
Grading: UG		0 c0 c0 c0 c0 c0 c
0217 Project, part B 15 c
Grading: UG		0 c0 c6.5 c8.5 c0 c0 c
1 The course module is provided by the department Generell kompetens

In programmes

Examiner

Eligibility

General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)

Specific entry requirements

The specific entry requirements are the same as for the programme the course is taken within

Course specific prerequisites

To be eligible for the bachelor's thesis, students must complete at least 105 credits from the first three years of the Architecture and Engineering degree program. Eligibility must be verified after grades from Study Period 1 in Year 3 have been reported to LADOK. In addition, students are supposed to have completed the program course Architecture and Optimized Structures before start of bachelor's thesis.

Aim

The bachelor’s thesis in Architecture and engineering summarises three years of studies in two different knowledge cultures and with different methods and tools. In particular, the work should emphasise the strengths of the two cultures individually and together. This means that the student should integrate, deepen and develop their knowledge and skills in central architectural issues dealt with in previously completed courses in the programme. The bachelor’s thesis also aims to provide knowledge and skills in engineering and scientific working methods.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

Knowledge, understanding, competence and skills
  • identify, formulate, delineate and process a problem statement relevant to the design project within the assigned topic with the support of reference projects, literature and other background information.
  • plan the work according to a proposed work process with selected methods and tools for the realisation of the project with a timetable.
  • perform and present a critical analysis of the design project and its contexts and their interdependence.
  • develop a proposal in which the interaction between spatial and building design is shaped into a whole, requiring high quality, sustainable and functional solutions.
  • present the bachelor thesis work in relation to the chosen problem in written and oral form.
  • discuss and present alternative developments of the proposed solution to the task.
  • discuss orally and in dialogue with critics the results, effects and possible further developments of the task.

Judgement and approach
  • critically review, evaluate and constructively question other bachelor thesis works regarding questions, implementation and proposals.
  • with the support of relevant engineering science methods, assess the technical properties of the proposed design.
  • with a critically reflective approach, present the methods and limitations used for processing the design problems.
  • present a critical reflection on the effects of the solution on the environment and users.

Content

The bachelor’s thesis begins with a review of the student's previously completed design projects. Special emphasis is placed here on the student's achieved ability to reflect on their own work processes; how contextual analysis, formulation of architectural values and methodical investigative sketching lead to informed design choices based on artistic as well as technical, economic, cultural, social and ethical considerations.

The main part of the bachelor’s thesis consists of a design project. The student chooses whether the emphasis of the work should be on spatial or building design; however, each aspect should be treated within the overall framework of the assignment.

To facilitate and support the bachelor’s thesis , a number of general competences are also treated, which are practised within the project. Special emphasis is placed on presentation, both orally and through physical models, drawings, images and texts.

Organisation

The bachelor’s thesis is carried out as a project work. Supervision in the project's subject area and neighbouring technical areas is provided at fixed times. The bachelor's thesis includes criticism sessions to check the progress of the work.

Literature

A reading list of literature relevant to the project will be provided at the start of the course.

Examination including compulsory elements

Participation in a review of previously completed design projects is mandatory. The bachelor’s thesis work is presented through physical models, drawings, images and text, and is presented orally and defended at two critique seminars. The bachelor’s thesis work includes a critical review of other bachelor thesis work during the ongoing design process and/or of the presented final proposal.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.