Comparing the meaning of ‘thesis’ and ‘final year project’ in architecture and engineering education
Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7172-1302, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5598-7488
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
2. ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
Abstract
Architectural education shares much in common with engineering, including the use of a culminating capstone experience in the final year. The form of this experience varies, with the research-based thesis and final-year project being most common. This paper explores the literature on traditions of enquiry and the meaning of research in various fields and the evolution of the ‘thesis’ and ‘final year project’ approaches over time. It then briefly summarises empirical research conducted on a case study institution struggling to bridge gaps in understandings of these distinct forms of learning and teaching. Throughout, the paper presents a comprehensive set of diagrams to explain various paradigms and positions on research and design education. These diagrams depict processes used in architecture, engineering, and natural sciences to conduct research and generate designs. A new model is proffered to help unify competing conceptions of the final year project and thesis, for the case study institution and beyond.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2023.2244441
Recommended Citation
Rahman Tafahomi & Shannon Chance (2023) Comparing the meaning of ‘thesis’ and ‘final year project’ in architecture and engineering education, European Journal of Engineering Education, DOI: 10.1080/03043797.2023.2244441
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Publication Details
European Journal of Engineering Education (Taylor and Francis)
https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2023.2244441