After successful completion of the course, students are able to...
better structure their own process of realizing their diploma or master thesis, and to break it down in smaller work-packages.
The aim of this course is to provide an accompanying orientation for improving the process of thesis-writing to all master/diploma 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 part of each “Thesis Fenster” - whereas the second part will feature face-to-face debates between master/diploma 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.
For exact dates, as well as rooms, please check TISS LVA 280.A47.
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.
Preparation of a presentation of max. 10 minutes and max. 5 slides. The last slide should always end with a formulation of what difficulties the presenter is currently facing and where help is needed from the group (e.g. three questions to be discussed in breakout sessions).- Upload of a thesis exposé incl. overview of a preliminary table of contents and work plan on TUWEL 10 days before the 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.
