Master's Thesis, Master of Fine Arts in Architecture and Urban Design

The course consists of an advanced and substantial degree project within a given framework. The degree project enables students to integrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities they have acquired during the architecture programme and apply them to an advanced architectural project. The emphasis of the degree project is on establishing, explaining, and defending the student's own position as a future professional. As part of the degree project, students apply the contextual, historical, technical, and design research conducted in "Seminar Course 3a" and "Seminar Course 3b", as well as "Synthesis Course 3", to develop an ambitious well researched and well-grounded architectural project. Students will be expected to develop a design for an advanced architectural proposal, which may include but is not restricted to its physical, historical, and social framework, along with its structural, tectonic, environmental, material, and sustainable characteristics and its impact on its context.  While the master's thesis inevitably leads to an advanced architectural proposal and while it must meet the learning outcomes for the course, it may focus on urbanism, landscape, social and participatory processes, technical and material innovations, etc.  Students who wish to locate their project in another context, for example in another country, city or region where field study of context is required, may do so in dialogue with the supervisor and in accordance with the given framework for the exam project. In this case the student will be required to regularly visit Umeå during the course period as agreed with the supervisor.