Postgraduate Course: Advanced Sustainable Design Dissertation (ARCH11043)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Dissertation |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 60 |
ECTS Credits | 30 |
| Summary | The principal intention of your dissertation study is to provide you with an opportunity to investigate a research topic to a greater extent, in written form, than has been possible so far in MSc Advanced Sustainable Design. |
| Course description |
A dissertation is more than just a description of gathered research material. The best dissertations use your newly acquired knowledge of a topic to make distinctive and incisive contributions to debates and discourses in your chosen field.
The Dissertation involves the skills of working within the realm of academic research methodology, the gathering of information. You are taught how to develop these ideas in a mature and independent manner, and present them in a well-written and structured format.
You can choose any dissertation topic related to sustainable development and design discourses in the built environment. You can base your research around curriculum in the programme or from your own professional and academic experience. The dissertation can if requested, include an element of research by design.
You are encouraged to use your dissertation study to gain expertise in a particular field that will be valuable in your future professional or academic career.
The course is taught through a combination of a short series of lectures, workshops and reading groups. You will also be allocated a dissertation tutor over the summer to assist in developing and completing the dissertation.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2022/23, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Block 5 (Sem 2) and beyond |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
600
(
Lecture Hours 4,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 12,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
573 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
The course is largely research-based, and you are asked to write a thesis text no greater than 15 000 words. If your research involves work an element of design practice then the text should be no less than 9000 words.
The dissertation submission addresses all the learning outcomes of the course.
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| Feedback |
Formative feedback is given to you during the course to help you understand the learning material and assist you in the assignments we ask you to do.
You will receive written formative feedback at the following points:
1. Submission of the research question
2. Submission of the dissertation plan
In addition, you can expect no less than four meetings as formative feedback sessions with your tutor.
Summative feedback is given on the finished dissertation that advises you how well you have performed in terms of the aims and objectives of the course.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Display the ability to independently define and critically appraise the ideas and work of others in the context of sustainable theory, strategies and the built environment.
- Demonstrate an ability to define rigorous aims and objectives and deploy them in the formation of critical and reflective research activity.
- Show skill in the production of a substantial text that is well structured, written, referenced and illustrated.
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Reading List
Linda Groat and David Wang: Architectural Research Methods
John Biggam: Succeeding With Your Master's Dissertation. A Step-By-Step Handbook
David McCandless: Information is Beautiful
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Demonstrate critical understanding of how knowledge is advanced through research to produce clear, logically argued and original written work relating to design, the built environment and sustainability;
Show skill in researching and critically assessing sustainability as a cultural, economic and environmental phenomenon;
Acquire skills in the assembly, interpretation of research questions into coherent and cogent academic texts;
Display understanding in the collection of research information and techniques in communicating the proper attribution of others¿ work.
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| Keywords | sustainable design architecture dissertation |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr John Brennan
Tel: (0131 6)50 2324
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Laura Varga
Tel: (0131 6)50 2430
Email: |
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