MASTER THESIS PROJECTS
Prof. Dr. Elke Beyer, Prof. Anke Hagemann
Master Thesis Projects
At Habitat Unit, we supervise a number of free master thesis projects each term and offer a master colloquium for presentations and exchange. To find out more about the methodologies, themes and research expertise you can expect to find at Habitat Unit, it is recommended to do a seminar or design project with us before. Proposals to develop master thesis projects are also very welcome in many research projects based at the chair – please explore our website for current themes and researchers' contact information. However, we cannot promise that we'll be able to supervise everybody who applies.
Basics
A free master thesis should be based on your own idea and offers the chance to develop your own theme into an original, independent project in dialogue with us.
At Habitat Unit, we especially welcome thesis projects with a strong relation to contextual and collaborative urban design, as well as research-based themes or theoretical explorations related to the key areas of teaching and research in international urbanism at the chair. We will select proposals based on how well they are thought out and on how well they match our approaches and expertise.
Free master thesis projects require a substantial degree of independence and self-organisation. Our role is to consult and help you in the development of your own project.
We offer supervision in English and/or German, depending on the background of the supervisors and candidates. Colloquia are held mainly in English but some projects may be presented, discussed or written in German.
The regular master colloquium is an essential forum – we expect you to engage in lively discussion and exchange. It can also help in building a support network beyond the supervision offered by teaching staff and researchers.
In the winter term 2022/2023 (Vorlesungszeit), the master colloquium will take place every third Tuesday of the month starting at 9am. Dates during the holidays tbc.
For MSc Architecture students, it is recommended to follow the time-plan for free themes from IfA (usually published at the end of each semester) Link
If you would like to work on your thesis with us:
Contact us by sending
a) your short proposal (half page to max. 1 page A4) explaining your theme in relation to a specific place or site(s) and your motivation to do this project with us
b) your CV (max. 1 page A4)
by e-mail to who you would like to work with as a supervisor. (Please do not contact several of us with the same mail proposal at the same time.)
If you get a positive response, you should submit a longer (2-3 A4) exposé including your theme, learning goals, source material and time-plan by the date indicated in the IfA Zeitplan für Freie Themen (applies to MSc Architecture students).