Course syllabus for Master's thesis in Architecture

- Students pursuing the five-year  Master of Science in Engineering/Master of Architecture education must have accrued at least 225 hec before beginning work on a thesis.  
- Students who are only taking part in the Master's programme must have accrued at least 45 hec in this programme before beginning work on a thesis. 
- In addition to the general credit requirements, the necessary prerequisite courses must be completed for the specific thesis. The examiner will formulate and monitor these prerequisite requirements.

The purpose of a thesis is to enable the student to develop deeper knowledge, understanding, capabilities and attitudes in the context of the programme of study. The thesis should be written at the end of the programme and offers the opportunity to delve more deeply into and synthesise knowledge acquired in previous studies. A thesis for a Master of Science in Engineering/Master of Architecture or Master of Science programmes should place emphasis on the technical/scientific/architectural aspects of the subject matter

The learning objectives for a thesis are based on the objectives for Master of Science in Engineering/ Architecture/Master of Science degrees formulated in Chalmers' local Master's degree procedures.

Specific learning objectives that are to be fulfilled in the master's thesis are that the student should be able to:

• in their project use essential in-depth knowledge and skills of the major subject/field of study and, in a scientifically correct way, relate to current research and development work;
• choose and state one's reasons for selecting their project method with respect to the major subject/field of study;
• contribute to research and development work, and be able to relate their work to relevant scientific or technical/industrial/architectonic contexts;
• based on a holistic view, critically, independently and creatively identify, formulate and deal with complex issues;
• plan and, with adequate methods, carry out qualified tasks within the designated framework and also be able to evaluate this work;
• design, create, analyse and critically evaluate different technical/architectonic solutions;
• critically and systematically integrate knowledge;
• present and discuss their conclusions as well as the knowledge and arguments these are based upon both in spoken and written English;
• within the framework for the specific project, identify which issues need to be addressed for relevant societal, ethical and ecological factors to be observed, and
• observe and discuss ethical aspects of research and development work, both pertaining to how the work is carried out as well as what it explores/develops;
• identify and discuss needs for further elucidation of different project aspects before decision-making or project realisation, when relevant

The task consists of independent work, which can be carried out individually or in pairs. The task includes topic selection, problem formulation and problem definition, literature studies, empirical data collection including practical experiments, design work, development, preparation of a report as well as presentation and defense of the report at a seminar. The report must meet certain scientific criteria. The course also includes opposition on another group's thesis report.

Initiation

• The thesis is to be written by a single student or two students working together. If it is carried out by two students, it must be made clear in the project plan how responsibility is distributed.
• The student must notify the course coordinator for the thesis project during the semester before the thesis project begins. The coordinator, in consultation with the department and master's program responsible, appoints an examiner and supervisor.
• The student develops and formulates a project plan that contains a detailed description of the degree project. The project plan must contain background, purpose, goals, method and timetable for completion of the degree project. The plan is submitted to the examiner for approval, as well as to the master's program manager, before the semester begins.
• The examiner will ensure that the student and the project meet the requirements for general and specific prerequisites and the general intended learning outcomes for theses.
• The master program responsible ensures that the thesis falls within the main subject of the Master's programme. If the student is accepted in a five years program for Master of Science in Engineering or Architecture, the master program responsible should as well assess and approve that the master thesis is relevant for the chosen technical/architectural subject area and that the student has sufficient prior knowledge in the chosen subject area..
• The student submits information of the thesis project via the web form at Chalmer's education pages, Your studies. The examiner and the master program responsible sign their approval before registration in Ladok is done.

• The students are entitled to guidance during the course of their work.

• The thesis work process contains several seminars and partial reports. The general structure includes: A kick-off meeting - a first meeting with the examiner and supervisor, a mid-semester seminar, a final seminar and a final presentation and exhibition.
• After twenty working weeks on a 60 hec thesis, the student must report the status of the work to the examiner and the master program responsible. An approved interim report results in 30 hec being registered in Ladok.

• The thesis must be written in English. If there are special circumstances, it is possible to write in Swedish.
• The cover, etc., of the thesis must be formulated according to the instruction and templates at "Design and Publish master Thesis" at Chalmers if this is possible considering the content of the degree projec. See Chalmers Education pages, Your studies.
• The thesis must be parsed using anti-plagiarism software.
• Chalmers' policies regarding open access and confidentiality apply to the work on the thesis and to publishing the report and the master thesis in whole should be open access.
• The thesis must be published electronically in Chalmers Open Digital Repository (ODR) Student theses according to the applicable rules for electronic publication of theses at Chalmers.
• When two students work jointly on a thesis, the division of the work must be clearly stated in the thesis.

• The oral presentation begins with the student describing the work. This is followed by a defense of the findings, and a discussion. At the final seminar, the thesis is assessed by a jury consisting of an external and an internal critic.
• The oral presentation must be made in English. This presentation may not take more than 90 minutes, of which approximately 2/3 of the time should be devoted to a defense of the thesis and discussion.
• At the time of the oral presentation, the written thesis must be completed but not published. This is to make it possible to include viewpoints that arise during the oral presentation to be incorporated into the thesis.
• The oral presentation, including a defense of the thesis, is done at Chalmers. Other additional presentations can be made at a company or other external organisations, if necessary. In exceptional cases, for example, if thesis research has been conducted abroad, the examiner may grant a dispensation from the requirement for an oral presentation, defense of the findings in the thesis and presence at other presentations at Chalmers.
• The presentation of the thesis must be announced at the department at least two weeks prior to the date of the presentation. The presentation must be held in the period between August 15 and June 15, during normal office hours.

• An approved project plan
• Presentation of the degree project at the mid-semester seminar
• An approved thesis
• An approved presentation and defense of the thesis at the final seminar
• Approved opposition of another thesis at the final exhibition
• Attendance of the presentation and defense of at least four other theses
• Presentation of the thesis project at the final exhibition (only carried out if the final seminar is approved).