Thesis
To qualify to do a thesis, a student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher. A student who qualifies and intends to do a thesis must submit a completed thesis abstract form signed by the student and all members of his or her thesis committee. For theses to be undertaken in the fall semester, the submission deadline is the last day of classes in the previous fall semester; for theses to be undertaken in the spring semester, the submission deadline is the last day of classes in the previous spring semester.
Thesis Requirements
A student begins by selecting a thesis topic that complements his or her interests and abilities. The student next recruits one member of the graduate faculty with an appointment in the architecture department to be the chairperson and at least one other faculty member with an appointment in the School of Architecture and Planning to be a member of the student's thesis committee. The student then works with his or her thesis committee on the completion of the aforementioned thesis abstract form that all parties must sign before it is submitted to the architecture department.
A student undertaking a thesis conducts independent investigations of his or her chosen topics under the supervision of the student's thesis committee. These independent investigations may begin with Independent Study (ARC 599) with one or more member of the student's thesis committee the semester before the Thesis (ARC 699) officially commences. The student's completed Application to Candidacy form must also be submitted to the architecture department the semester before officially commencing the thesis.
A student must complete all thesis work and documentation to the satisfaction of his or her thesis committee. Students are encouraged to schedule consultative meetings with their thesis committees periodically throughout the semester to gauge progress on their thesis work and documentation.
At both eight and four weeks before the semester's last week of classes, all thesis students must participate in interim thesis reviews scheduled by the architecture department. During these interim reviews, each student will be expected to demonstrate substantive progress toward completion of his or her thesis. Final reviews of completed theses are scheduled by the architecture department during the last week of classes.
Submission of a thesis grade of "B" or higher will be considered an indication of the thesis committee's receipt of and satisfaction with a student's completed thesis work and documentation. A student who receive a thesis grade of "B-" or lower will be required to retake ARC 699 and receive a grade of "B" or higher in a subsequent semester.
The architecture department will notify the Graduate School that a student has completed his or her thesis requirement for the Master of Architecture first professional degree only after:
- the Thesis (ARC 699) has received a grade of "B" or higher from the student's thesis committee
- a receipt for having the committee-approved thesis documentation bound has been provided to the architecture department
- the required M-form has been signed by all members of the student's thesis committee
Documentation Requirements
Each student's thesis work must be documented as a bound print volume (provided to the architecture department) and as an electronic submission (provided online to the Graduate School). Students should reference the Graduate School 's "Guidelines for Graduation and Thesis and Dissertation Preparation" (http://www.grad.buffalo.edu/docs/thesdisrtprep.pdf) for information about required parts of the documentation, its physical specifications and style manual options.
The chapters or main divisions of the thesis documentation must include:
- a discussion of the thesis issue/problem and its significance
- a review of the salient literature and design precedents
- a discussion of the methods/procedures of inquiry and analysis employed
- a discussion of the relevant results/findings from that inquiry and analysis
- a presentation of the application of those results/findings to the thesis issue/problem
- a concluding critical assessment of the strengths and limitations of the completed thesis
Timetable
The completed thesis documentation must be electronically submitted to the Graduate School by the following deadlines:
Degree Conferral: |
Deadline: |
|---|---|
February |
Friday before first day of spring semester classes |
June |
Last day of spring semester final exams |
September |
Friday before first day of fall semester classes |
A student whose thesis documentation is submitted after the deadline will have his or her degree conferral deferred until the next applicable conferral date.
The required M-form signed by all members of the student's thesis committee and a receipt for having the committee-approved thesis documentation bound must be submitted to the architecture department two days before the aforementioned documentation submission deadlines.
Timetable example for 2-year Master of Architecture June Degree Candidates
First Year, Fall Semester |
Research Methods (3 credits) |
First Year, Spring Semester |
Submit signed thesis abstract form (before classes end) |
Second Year, Fall Semester |
Submit Application to Candidacy form (by announced due date) |
Second Year, Spring Semester |
|
Timetable example for 3.5-year Master of Architecture February Degree Candidates
Second Year, Fall Semester |
Research Methods (3 credits) |
Third Year, Fall Semester |
Submit signed thesis abstract form (before classes end) |
Third Year, Spring Semester |
Submit Application to Candidacy form (by announced due date) |
Fourth Year, Fall Semester |
|
