After successful completion of the course, students are able to better structure their own process of realizing their diploma, master or doctoral thesis, and to break it down in smaller workpackages.

The aim of this course is to provide an accompanying orientation for improving the process of thesis-writing to all master/diploma and doctoral students who are writing their final thesis at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Urban Culture and Public Space. The facilitation of peer-to-peer learning and debate rounds on salient urban studies issues is an important achievement here. Therefore, semi-public presentations will take place during the first unit of each “Thesis Fenster” - whereas the second unit will feature face-to-face debates between master/diploma or doctoral students and the thesis supervisor(s). 

This course includes active participation in the so-called SKuOR Thesis Fenster (Doctorate Thesis Fenster and Master Thesis Fenster). All ongoing thesis projects which are currently carried out at the Interdisciplinary Center for Urban Culture and Public Space (Research Unit E285-02) will be discussed here (working languages are German, English and Spanish). In addition to the content-relevant aspects of urban research (current phenomena of urban development, public spaces, urban and everyday culture, wider issues in urban studies, etc.), we jointly explore other research issues such as research design, questions, barriers and ethics. Participants will be supported in the creation of work plans. We jointly discuss the setting up of concrete milestones along individual thesis projects. We turn the "huge" thesis project into "tiny little pieces" which can be elaborated and finalised.

Debates about research methods are key ingredients of research designs in empirical urban research and planning theory. Therefore, we will discuss these alongside each respective research project.

All students writing their thesis at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Urban Culture and Public Space under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sabine Knierbein or at another institute or university under (internal or external) co-supervision by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sabine Knierbein are expected to regularly present their projects in this course.  Also those interested in a potential supervision by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sabine Knierbein are welcome here. (mail to: olivia.kafka@skuor.tuwien.ac.at)

- 80% of attendance is required

- Active participation in feedback sessions and discussions is required.

- Presentation of your own topic, including updated materials to be uploaded on TUWEL (see below)

- Peer-to-peer feedback (see below)

Presenter's Materials:

All presenters are asked to upload updated materials (max. 4-6 pages) of their thesis project online on TUWEL or via email (for those who cannot access TUWEL) 10 days before their presentation at the latest:

• For students at the beginning of their project this may take the form of an exposé or a collection of potential topics, including a first work plan and schedule. 
• For advanced thesis projects the upload has to contain a structural overview of the thesis (incl. a work schedule), 1 page on research design, research question(s), methods and preparations for field work.
• For projects close to being finished the upload has to contain a table of contents, an excerpt of a chapter and a reflection of methods.

Feedback:

All participants (either master or doctorate) of a Thesis Fenster are required to read the presenter’s submissions and prepare one or two written paragraphs for each presentation.

For master students: You should have ideally finalized most of the courses and have developed a first sketch of your master thesis project ideas and you should have contacted ideally Prof. Dr. Knierbein via personal email prior to attending a thesis fenster.

For doctoral students: You should have ideally contacted Prof. Dr. Knierbein via personal mail prior to visiting the Thesis Fenster.