Master of Architecture

(The Director of Graduate Studies will issue specific dates for each item at the beginning of each academic term, subject to revision.)

1. Spring. 600-Level students begin the written thesis process within the context of ARC 636, Design & Research Methods. Process includes the Written Thesis Proposal and the formation of the Thesis Committee. 600-Level students meet with their Thesis Committees and formulate a research plan.
2. August. Students supply their thesis committee chair with a substantially developed draft document with bibliography, notes, and illustrations. This draft document and the preliminary site documentation and program serve as a prerequisite for enrollment into the ARC 701 studio. Thesis committee chairs, the Director of Graduate studies, and students meet on or before Friday, 4pm, the first week of classes to consider readiness for ARC 701. Students are advised on their readiness to proceed; lack of readiness means the student may not proceed into 701.
3. September-November. Written thesis document completed for presentation. Oral presentations occur over two days moderated by a thesis respondent, faculty moderators and the thesis committee. Students begin submission of the written thesis to additional relevant venues.
4. December. ARC 701 students present program site analysis, site investigation process, site design proposal, and schematic building design process and ideation at the end of the semester review, working in concert with their committee and the ARC 701 instructor. Students are advised on their readiness to proceed; lack of readiness means the student may not proceed into 702.
5. January-March. ARC 702 studio students develop regular meeting schedule with committees and coordinate interim milestone reviews with ARC 702 design instructor. The content of the milestone reviews, as well as the 700 Level Design Thesis Guidelines, will be defined in the context of the 702 course. Students are expected to engage their committees on a regular basis in the spirit of mutual obligation in a multiple review format. Comprehensive assessment review of thesis progress (typically prior to spring break) in the form of a full presentation mock up, final design scope, and signed presentation contract agreed upon between the student, ARC 702 instructor and thesis committee. Follow-up review after spring break to determine thesis design presentation viability and develop preliminary thesis presentation schedule. At each of these two reviews, students are advised on their readiness to proceed; lack of readiness means the student may not proceed to present the design thesis.
6. April. Thesis Design Presentations. Design grade established in consultation with the ARC 702 instructor and thesis committee. Students develop a written addendum to their thesis document to include reduced project drawings and a critical concluding section exploring the relationship between their theoretical frame and design outcome.
7. May. In order for students to receive a grade for ARC 702 studio, students must turn in completed thesis document (text and design documentation) to their committee for signature at least one week prior to graduation. Committee members must approve completed document content before they sign cover sheets. Graduation cannot occur until a final grade is approved and signed documents are deposited with Graduate Department's Administrative Assistant.

(Development dates to be embedded within ARC 636 course content/ schedule, subject to revision)

August (end 1st week): Submit substantially completed written thesis document draft, thesis program and site documentation and analysis report to thesis committee chair and reader(s). This a necessary prerequisite for admission into ARC 701. Students are advised on their readiness to proceed; lack of readiness means the student may not proceed into 701.

August (end 2nd week): Faculty submit student thesis progress report to the Director of Graduate Studies to advise as to whether student is prepared to enter ARC 701.

Project Title:

Student Name (Please Print):

Students are required to receive thesis proposal approval in order to be eligible to register for any of the following courses:

( ) ARC 701 Architectural Design Studio Term:

( ) ARC 590.A Independent Stud Term:

(Site Analysis and Program Inquiry)

ARC 636 Instructor:

Names of faculty with whom you have consulted:

The Written Thesis Proposal poses a question to be investigated in the written portion of the thesis. Although the written portion of the thesis follows the form of the scholarly papers common to architecture and related disciplines, students are urged to consider early the possible connections between the written portion of the thesis and the subsequent design investigation.

Use 12 point Times type double space. At least 12 pages and not more than 20.

Articulate the following content incorporating the required subject headings noted below:

1. The Research Question: In a carefully worded sentence, state the research question you will investigate. In one or two paragraphs (up to 500 words) clarify the issues, limits, and structure of the proposed investigation. Why is your thesis question important to the discipline at this time?
2. Methodology: Describe the research methods you will use to collect and interpret information. Provide a brief outline of your paper.
3. Discussion: Discuss Previous Research on the Topic and describe alternative theories by the other authors and/or designers that informs your research. Identify your own assumptions and position yourself with regard to this literature.
4. Anticipated Outcome and Contribution: In what form will your findings be presented? If you begin the investigation with a tentative thesis assumption to be supported or disproved, state this clearly. Discuss the contexts that will be affected by your work. Why is this work particularly important at this time?
5. Bibliography/ Sources: Provide a narrative literature review with endnotes using the ACSA National Meeting / Chicago Manual of Style Format. The notes should list only those sources you intend to use.
6. Schedule: Provide a schedule of your activities for spring. Delineate completion dates of required and individual activities. Include site analysis and program development.

Faculty:

Please list the names of students you are willing to serve (specify chair or reader). Note whether or not you have discussed this with the student previously.

Please list the names of students you are not willing to serve as chair or reader.

Student:

Please list your first three choices for thesis chair:

1.

2.

3.

Please list your first three choices for thesis reader:

1.

2.

3.

Please note the names of any outside readers you have already engaged:

Date:

Project Title:

Student Name:

Thesis Chair:

Reader:

1. The Research Question
   Did the student clearly state the research question to be investigated?
   Did the student clarify the structure and limits of the proposed investigation?
2. Previous Research on the Topic
   Did the student identify and critique the existing literature relevant to their thesis question?
   Did the student identify and critique alternative/competing theories within the literature?
   Did the student identify their own assumptions and position themselves with regard to the literature?
3. Methodology
   Did the student describe their method to collect data and interpret information?
4. Anticipated Outcome and Contribution
   Did the student clearly support or disprove their thesis statement?
   Did the student identify the contexts that would be impacted by their work?
   Did the student discuss why their topic was particularly relevant at this time?
5. Bibliography/Sources
   Did the student develop a fully developed Bibliography/Source List consistent with their thesis question?
6. Schedule
   Did the student carefully develop their site documentation and pre-programming?
   Miami University Department of Architecture and Interior Design Graduate Program

ARC 701, Fall Semester

Site Analysis, conceptual design, preliminary schematic design, and pre-programming

1.  Refinement of site research through visual analysis on the macro scale to micro scale (ex: hemisphere to building footprint) includes ecology, topography, political, social and economic site forces and other issues pertinent to your thesis inquiry. Further documentation through photographs, film, sketches, surveys, maps using a variety of 2-D and 3-D media and techniques pertinent to your thesis inquiry is also required.
2. You will develop site / building agenda as well as preliminary program that explicates your project’s intention through:
   1. Framing your thesis question within the principles / objectives of your project. Exploring precedent and case studies pertinent to your inquiry: exploring their intersections and potential contradictions to your project.
   2. Conceptual site and building design, and schematic design options: exploring spatial adjacencies, orientations and relationships; spatial programming which may include specific space requirements and desired dimensions; structure and building systems, and materials; zoning issues; life safety and preliminary code requirements including other issues pertinent to your thesis inquiry.

Miami University Department of Architecture and Interior Design Graduate Program

I. Intent

The guidelines below offer the thesis candidate departmental expectations about the nature and scope of Master of Architecture Design theses. The graduate committee acknowledges that students may pursue a design thesis grounded in personal inquiry with emphases in areas such as theory, landscape, urbanism, digital media, technology, artistic production, history, etc. Regardless of subject, there is an implicit assumption that most theses will be tested in an architectural building project with full technical documentation, and procedures and standards set below are intended to help guide such projects. These guidelines may be subject to change as a result of shifts within the broader context of architecture and the profession.

If a thesis project will not follow the norm of a standard building project, the thesis candidate must develop parallel guidelines at least as rigorous as those set forth below. The student’s thesis committee and the graduate committee before the midterm of the ARC 701 studio must approve any alternative guidelines.

II. Procedures

1. Semester Critique Sessions 
   In order to support the development of the design thesis, the time period from 4:00 to 5:00 PM every other Wednesday, will be dedicated to contact between the thesis committees and their respective students. No other activities should be scheduled during this time that would interfere with these meetings.
2. Thesis Student Progress Assessment
   The thesis candidate will be assessed formally in writing twice during the thesis design period as follows:
   1. ARC 701
      The ARC 701 instructor in consultation with the thesis committee will assess the progress of each thesis student in terms of the guidelines after the December schematic design review. The faculty group will make one the following recommendations:
      1. Proceed to ARC 702: Site Analysis, Conceptual and pre-schematic design, and pre-programming complete and guidelines to date have been met.
      2. Proceed to ARC 702 Subject to Modification: Advancement to ARC 702 subject to modification and completion of all items noted as deficient by the ARC 701 instructor and thesis committee. All revisions to the thesis must be completed and reviewed by the ARC 701 instructor and the thesis committee prior to the first day of classes in the spring semester.
      3. Do not proceed to ARC 702: Thesis program, site analysis and development, and architectural schematic design do not meet accepted standards as outlined in the guidelines.
   2. ARC 702
      The ARC 702 instructor, in consultation with the thesis committee where necessary, will assess the progress of each thesis student at the mid term of the spring semester in terms of the thesis guidelines. The faculty group will make one the following recommendations:
      1. Proceed to ARC 702 Design Thesis Completion: Evidence of a well-developed design process in place. Schematic level design complete and project exhibits mature design development, inclusive of tectonic detail. Design Process, Drawings and Model guidelines to date have been met. A plan for final presentation is in place. Student is ready to commence final drawings and presentation.
      2. Proceed to ARC 702 Design Thesis Completion Subject to Modification: Advancement to ARC 702 Design Thesis Completion subject to modification and completion of all items noted as deficient by the ARC 702 instructor and thesis committee. All revisions and additions to the thesis design must be completed, reviewed and approved by the ARC 702 instructor and the thesis committee by the end of the first day of classes after the spring mid semester break for the student to continue.
      3. Do not proceed to ARC 702 Design Thesis Completion: Thesis design program, site analysis and design, architectural design process record, schematic design and design development do not meet accepted standards as outlined in the thesis design guidelines.
3. Thesis Committee Chair and Reader Assessment
   All Thesis Committee Chairs and Readers will have formal, written course evaluations conducted by the Department using the standard CCA form and any other form of the faculty member’s choosing upon the completion of the written and design thesis during the spring term under the course number ARC 700.

III. Architectural Design Thesis Guidelines

All Architectural Design thesis projects must respond creatively and imaginatively to the thesis questions, challenges, and problems presented in the written thesis. Thesis candidates executing a building project to fulfill the Architectural Design requirement must develop their projects to function and be expressive at multiple scales, ranging from a large site context to smaller articulate details. The presentation of the Design Thesis must account for a sufficiently rich conception of the building at all such scales. The final design presentation should document fully the design investigation, incorporating at least three major areas: site documentation and analysis, and design process and development. The following standards are to serve as guidelines, but are negotiable by the candidate in conjunction with the studio instructor and committee, and as appropriate to the specific project, with the approval of the graduate committee.

A substantial deviation from these standards presumes the development of parallel standards of equal rigor, pre-approved by the thesis committee and the graduate committee.

1. Site Documentation and Analysis:
   1. Site Documentation at the appropriate scale should include most or all of the following:
      Figure Ground Drawing. Topographic Drawing. Land Use Plan. Area Plan of Environs. Site Plan of Design Intervention Area. Aerial Photographs. Documentary Photographs. Historic Documentation/Photos. Video and Audio Documentation. Site Demography to consider: Race, Gender, Ethnicity, Education, Income.
   2. Tangible Site Analysis may include most or all of the following:
      Circulation: Pedestrian, Vehicular, Other. Entry/Access: Pedestrian, Vehicular, Other. Climate: Wind, Solar, Precipitation, Temperature, Vegetation. View. Massing. Major and Minor Spaces. Materiality and Detail. Existing Building Analysis (if applicable). Architectural Precedent + Typology.
   3. Intangible Site Analysis may include most or all of the following: Light + Shadow. Tactility. Color. Olfactory. Sound. Mood/Attitude.
2. Design Process (Organized, Dated and Selectively Edited):
   Sketch and Drawing Record. Journals, Models/Constructions. Digital Mediation + Animation. Artistic Interpretive Activity: Photography, Painting, Sculpture, Video/Audio, Performance Lithography, Weaving, Metals, Assemblage, Collage.
3. Architectural Building Design Presentation Requirements at Descending Appropriate Scales:
   Area Plan (1”= 80’), Site Plan (1”= 40’), Site Sections (1’= 40’), Building Floor and Roof Plans (1’= . ”), Building Elevations Major and Minor (1’ = . ”), Building Sections Major and Minor (1’= . ”), Interior Perspectives/Sequences/Animations, Exterior Perspectives /Sequences /Animations, Aerial Perspective/Animations, Site Model (1”= 40’), Building Model (1”= . ”), Axonometric/ Massing Study, Wall Sections (1’ = . ”), Details of Key Elements and Material Connections (Half or Full Scale), Diagrams Explaining Design Issues: Site, Spatial Relationships, Structure, Systems, Envelope, Program Disposition in appropriate scales. Explicatory Text of not more than 250 Words. The written program is expressed in gross and net square feet and keyed to plan drawings with numerical legend.

Date:

Project Title:

Student Name:

Thesis Chair:

Reader:

Site Documentation and Analysis:

Design Process:

Architectural Building Design Presentation:

Miami University Department of Architecture and Interior Design Graduate Program

Graduate Studio Advancement Requirement (from the Graduate Studies in Architecture Guidelines and Policy): To be included in all graduate studio syllabi.

All Graduate students need to maintain the minimum 3.0 GPA Graduate School requirement for good standing designation each semester throughout their period of study in the architecture graduate program.

Any student receiving a grade lower than B- in design studio will, in concert with the graduate studio instructor and the Graduate Committee, undergo a progress review prior to the student's advancement to the next studio level.

Graduate students who receive 2 or more studio grades lower than B- in design studio, or have not met the 3.0 minimum GPA Graduate School requirement for the second semester, will not be eligible to commence or complete the thesis year.