Duration
300h AUTR
Number of credits
| Master in architecture, professional focus in architecture and urban planning | 10 crédits |
Lecturer
Céline Bodart, Silvia Groaz, Georges Mabille, Sophie Trachte
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
All year long
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The final year master thesis (TFE) is a personal and original work carried out during the Master's years and presented at the end of the cycle. It constitutes an introduction to research in the broadest sense of the term (fundamental, exploratory, applied, etc.).
Ideally, it produces knowledge and contributes to the deepening of knowledge in the field of architecture. At the very least, it requires the student to show that he or she is capable of mobilising concepts, theories and know-how taught during the course to grasp an architectural issue, as an exercise or case study. In both cases, he or she participates in disciplinary development.
The TFE is based on the work carried out by the student in the course Initiation à la Recherche en Architecture 1 : Principes de Base (ARCH0562-1) et Initiation à la Recherche en Architecture 2 : Principes avancés (ARCH0563-1).
As part of the Initiation à la Recherche en Architecture 2 : Principes avancés (ARCH0563-1), you will have chosen and developed a TFE's topic and theme, in consultation with your promoter and the seminar teacher.
To help you in the selection of this topic, a non-exhaustive list of proposals from potential (co)promoters is available as part of the Initiation to Research in Architecture 1 and 2 courses.
Content and structure of the master thesis (TFE)
The TFE must strictly comply with the scientific requirements of a university level. It is built on and around a strictly circumscribed research problem, a state of the art built in depth, providing a precise insight; and a structured methodological approach consistent with the research objectives pursued. These three key elements are the subject of the work carried out in the course Initiation à la Recherche en Architecture 2 : Principes avancés (ARCH0563-1).
The structure of the TFE must allow for a common thread to be followed in order to achieve the objectives pursued. It contains at least the following elements:
- Abstract
- Description of the use of Artificial Intelligence
- An introduction which develops the research issues
- An state of the art
- The body of work, composed of chapters in an order showing the progression of the reasoning;
- A conclusion
- A bibliography mentioning all the sources used, presented strictly in accordance with scientific conventions of reference;
- A table of contents and a table of illustrations and figures
- Any appendices
Form of the TFE
The EFT is to be delivered in the form of a typed and bound manuscript comprising between 100,000 and 250,000 characters, including spaces, excluding footnotes, preface, bibliography, annexes, indexes and tables. The manuscript includes all the graphic documents necessary for proper communication and understanding of the research.
Bibliography, notes, citations and captions must be written in accordance with current scientific standards.
For more information, please refer to the TFE Rules published on eCampus
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Through this work, the student demonstrates his/her ability to carry out a personal, methodical and rigorous approach to a research question in architecture: to construct a relevant thought process, to seek, evaluate and cross-reference information, to identify, understand and deconstruct the obvious, opinions and commonplaces by adopting a critical stance, etc.
He or she also demonstrates the ability to organize and structure their thinking, to maintain an informed, critical and reflective position, to problematize architectural practice and to communicate the results of his or her research process in a well-argued manner.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
The elaboration of the TFE requires in particular the mastery of the contents and competences of two preparatory courses: ARCH0562-A-a Research methodology in architecture ( 40h Th ) and ARCH0563-A-a Progress reports ( 40h Th ). See their respective pedagogical commitments.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The TFE is developed over two years, covering the entire Master's course:
- The Initiation to Research in Architecture 1: Basic Principles (ARCH0562-1) (Q1, 5 ECTS) course allows students to acquire the fundamentals of research and scientific writing.
- The Initiation to Research in Architecture 2: Advanced Principles (ARCH0563-1) (Q2, 5 ECTS) course that will allow you to structure and write a scientific notice explaining the research problem to be developed in your TFE.
- The development of TFE itself (Q3 and Q4, 10 ECTS)
The work of TFE is carried out during Q3 and Q4, with 10 ECTS, in continuity with the thematic and subject developed within the course of Initiation to Research in Architecture, under the responsibility of the supervisoor and possibly the co-supervisor.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Blended learning
Further information:
The supervisor defines and explains the terms of exchange with the student at the beginning of the supervision. The exchanges between the supervisor and the student can take place both in person and at distance, depending on the periods and the availability of each.
The exchanges between the student and his or her supervisor (and possible co-supervisor) are essentially aimed at supporting the progressive construction of the TFE as well as ensuring its quality and eligibility criteria.
At least eight meetings must take place over the two quadrimestres. Between these meetings, students work independently.
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Depending on the TFE thematic, a set of readings will be offered as part of the course Initiation à la Recherche en Architecture 2 . These readings can be supplemented by proposals from the promoter, co-developer and/ or readers, if necessary.
All the course notes used in the Initiation to Research in Architecture 1 and 2 courses are also available for use within the TFE, as well as any other relevant course notes that enrich the thought process.
They may also refer to the following book: VERDIER, Thierry. Guide pour la rédaction du mémoire et de la thèse en architecture. Paris: Ed. Eyrolles, 2023.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam AND oral exam
Further information:
Composition of the TFE jury
The TFE jury must be composed of:
- A supervisor;
- A co-supervisor, if applicable;
- Two to four readers chosen by the student in consultation with his or her supervisor. At least one of the readers is an academic or scientific member of the Faculty of Architecture.
The student is solely responsible for deciding to submit his or her work. However, it is strongly advised to make this decision in consultation with the supervisor and possible co-supervisor.
The TER must be submitted in accordance with the schedule and procedures. These procedures are communicated by the Faculty on eCampus. They are set up in three stages, all sessions combined:
Submission of supervisor's selection/choice:
The choice and agreement of the promoter must be submitted at the time of the deposit of the scientific notice, at the end of the course Initiation to Research in Architecture 2: Advanced principles (ARCH0563-1) (Q2 - eCampus)
If the promoter fails, the management agreement is not renewed. The student must then apply for a new application for the following year.
Submission of the composition of the jury and title of the TFE:
The composition of the jury and the final title of the TFE must be submitted on eCampus, at the date proposed by the Faculty (Q3 - eCampus).
The composition of the jury is reviewed by the Chair of the Master's Jury and the TFE coordinator and then approved by the Faculty Council.
Submission of the final manuscript:
The manuscript of the TFE must be deposited on the portal for access to the final study work of the Master's degree of the University of Liège, MatheO.
All sessions combined, students who do not comply with the procedures and deadlines for filing are automatically postponed.
Evaluation procedure
The TFE is assessed by the jury members in an oral defence. The student is informed by the faculty of the schedule (date and time) a few days after the deposit on Matheo.
Oral defence is open to the public.
After the jury's defence and deliberation, it assigns a collegial grade to the work which is then announced to the student.
Works that achieve a minimum of 70% will be publicly accessible via the MatheO platform.
Evaluation criteria
Your TFE will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
- The quality of problematization
- The quality of the research question
- The adequacy of the sources mobilized and their use in the TFE
- The quality of development of assumptions and arguments in the state of the art
- The quality of the methods used to process the data
- The adequacy of the research process
- Respect for scientific conventions, both in citations and in the bibliography
- The quality of the thought process, the interpretation of the data collected and the results obtained.
- The quality and relevance of the documents produced and/or used.
- The quality of the TFE and its form, both in terms of the structure of the words and the semantics used and spelling.
- The quality of oral presentation
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
The student is invited to read carefully the TFE regulations posted on eCampus. It will answer the vast majority of his questions.
Contacts
TFE coordinator contact: Sophie TRACHTE: sophie.trachte@uliege.be
Administration contact: tfe.archi@uliege.be