DISSERTATION

What is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is a way of conceiving and producing architecture through sentences, paragraphs and
considered argument. It is an arena in which to alternatively explain, explore, challenge, theorise or
imagine architecture. A dissertation can therefore be about many different kinds of subjects, from
the study of the oeuvre of a single architect to tentative speculation about the relation, for an
example, between shoe design and architectural culture. Most importantly, though, it is a place
where, just as in your architectural designs, you have the opportunity not only to learn about
architecture but also make a contribution to what we all think about it; the architectural dissertation
is your chance to explore what you believe and aspire to, and to present those thoughts to others.
Dissertation is a place in which to enquire into an architectural subject which is of interest to
yourself. It is a conscious and deliberate attempt to identify, define, explore and articulate a subject
of some relevance both to the architectural discourse and to your own development as an
architectural designer and thinker.

How to choose a Dissertation topic?

One particular question that you may want to bear in mind is the connection between your design
work and your dissertation subject. For some students, the dissertation is an opportunity to take a
theme from their designs and to explore this in great depth in the dissertation. For others, the
reverse is true, and the dissertation is seen as an opportunity to do something entirely divorced
from the studio which may only later inform design work, or may remain entirely independent of it.
For most, it is probably somewhere in between these two extremes: pick something related to your
architectural design interests, but don’t make it a slave to studio projects. On the other hand, some
of the developments in those dissertation which artfully blend both design-based and word-based
work may relate very strongly indeed to the student’s own studio work. The essential thing to bear
in mind here is that the word-based work should not be a commentary on the design-based work,
and nor should the design-based work be simply the supporting visual evidence for the word-based
work. Rather words and designs should be used as equivalent and inter-related ways of exploring
the same subject matter.
Rather than just thinking of one topic and launching straight into it, you should aim to identify, say,
three to five potential subjects for your dissertation, even if some of them seem hardly feasible. You
are then in a position to assess each one of these proposed subjects in turn. Doing this will help you
understand the range of different studies that you might undertake, and hence pick the one most
appropriate to your own interests and situation
In short you need to know:
 What kinds of issues and questions you want to investigate?
 How these issues relate to your chosen objects of study?
 How much, or how little, this will give you to discuss and write?

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 DISSERTATION
Course Code BAP 521 Credits 02
Contact Hours (Hrs/Week) 03 Semester 09
Course Category DCC

GUIDELINE FOR CONDUCT OF DISSERTATION

General Guidelines and Allotment of Faculty Advisor

1. The dissertation shall be carried out individually by the students.

2. Each student shall be allocated one faculty advisor by the department through a
departmental committee.
3. The departmental committee may deny advisor allocation to a student if synopsis
submission is not received timely.
4. The faculty advisor may be a regular faculty, on contract or visiting faculty.
5. The role of the faculty advisor is to advice the student from the initiation of the
dissertation w.r.t. to the dissertation, from topic/theme refinement, synopsis writing,
various stage discussions, data analysis etc. and report submission.
6. The faculty advisor is also responsible for maintaining attendance records and regular
monitoring of students’ performance and progress in the dissertation. The same has to
be submitted to the dissertation departmental coordinator on monthly basis.
7. Dissertation coordinator shall not be appointed as faculty advisor.
8. Method of allocation can be random appointment, self-selection, selective appointment,
task appointment, domain expertise and/ or experience.
9. However, in absence of any faculty member for long duration/leave etc., the
departmental committee may appoint any faculty member as guide to the specific
person, from the department, as an additional role.
10. The departmental committee may review/re-allocate the faculty advisor as and when
required for academic reasons.

Submission of Topic/Theme for Dissertation

1. Each student group must submit three synopses for dissertation.

2. A synopsis; comprising of title, introduction, statement of problem/discussion, aim
&objectives, methodology, scope, limitation, timeline references.
3. The synopsis submitted shall be vetted by the departmental expert committee and the
each student will be allotted a topic selected from the options submitted, based on
objectives, scope, originality and overall contribution of the research.
4. The decision of the departmental committee shall be final regarding topic allocation.
5. Once the topic has been allocated to a student, it shall not be changed at any stage until
& unless it is felt necessary by the departmental committee.

Interaction with Faculty Advisors:

1. Students must meet the faculty advisor regularly during the course of the dissertation in
the semester.

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 2. Weekly attendance record shall be maintained by the respective faculty advisors, and
must be submitted to the dissertation coordinator as and when requested.
3. In case of shortage of attendance for discussion of the dissertation, student is liable to
be detained.

Time-line for Dissertation:

1. The number of stages for evaluation of work during the semester for the course shall be
decided by the departmental committee.
2. The deadlines for submission of various stages shall be in accordance to the university
academic calendar.
3. The time-line of the course shall be shared by the dissertation coordinator, with the
students and Departmental faculty advisors after approval by the departmental
committee.
4. The students shall share the timeline & dates with the external.
5. Dates for various stage submissions shall be final and will only be shifted or changed as
per discussion with departmental committee.

Deliverables

1. List of deliverables shall be decided by the departmental committee.

2. The list of expected deliverables for successful completion of the course shall be shared
by the dissertation coordinator along with the time-line of the course, after approval by
departmental committee.
3. The students shall share the list of expected deliverables with the external/co-faculty
advisors.
4. The deliverables expected at various stages of the dissertation shall be final and will only
be modified as per discussion with the departmental Committee.
5. Final deliverable shall be in the form of a detailed report. However, the submission
requirement for the end term viva voce/ jury shall include sheets additional to the
detailed report.

Evaluation

1. Dissertation is a Departmental Core Course of 2 credits .It is a practical course.

2. As part of the sessional work, the students shall present their work in report to the
internal guide and jury .The continuous evaluation shall be limited to a maximum of 2
submissions/evaluations. A compiled Report shall be submitted at the time of end term
examination.
3. Internal Evaluation committee may comprise of Head of Department or
Professor/Associate Professor (Chairperson), dissertation coordinator & Expert (from
within or outside the University).
4. The Internal Continuous Evaluation by the faculty advisor must be submitted to the
dissertation coordinator as and when requested in the format provided by the
dissertation coordinator.
5. The dissertation coordinator shall register for the course in the portal of university.

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 6. End Semester Viva Voce shall be conducted as per university end term practical
examination guidelines.
7. Being a practical course, the evaluation scheme shall be as follows:

Course Type Examination Relative Weights

L P S TH PR CAT CAP MTET MTEP ETET ETIP ETEP*
0 4 0 -- -- -- 35 -- 15 -- -- 50

Grievances

1. The departmental committee shall monitor the overall progress of dissertation course and
meet as and when required to assess the same.
2. In case of any grievances, the student and/ or faculty member must report in written to the
dissertation coordinator.
3. The issue shall be discussed with the Departmental Committee within four weeks/30
working days, of the submission of the complaint.
4. The decision of the committee shall be final in resolution of the grievance.