When you’re pursuing a doctorate in architecture, the most important part of the process is your dissertation. A dissertation is an extended paper based in original research or analysis about a topic. After you’ve written your dissertation, you will be required to present you work to a committee for review. You’ll want to give yourself ample time to work on this very important project, so you should start working ahead of time instead of waiting until the last minute. Your dissertation will be one of the most important things you ever do in your educational career and in your professional career.
Choosing Your Topic
There are many, many topics that you can consider for an architecture thesis. Here are a few ideas that you may want to consider:
- The development and evolution of medieval Gothic architecture
- The effects of weather and climate on architectural projects
- Architecture for sports centers and arenas
- The impact of solar energy on architectural design
- Concerns when developing waterfront property
- Airport design
- Creating and designing affordable low-income urban and suburban housing
Tips and Tricks For Writing Your Architecture Dissertation
Here are a few tips for writing an outstanding thesis paper for your doctoral degree in architecture:
- Choose the right advisor. Make sure your thesis advisor understands your area of study, can offer useful advice for improving your paper, and is easy to get along with. If your chosen advisor isn’t working out, you can actually switch to someone else who’s a better fit for you and your project.
- Don’t procrastinate. Give yourself plenty of time to work on your architecture thesis. Start working months in advance, and budget your time so that you won’t be overwhelmed with work when your paper is almost due.
- Don’t get stressed out. Stress is terrible for your creativity, writing ability, and health. If you’re feeling stressed, take a couple of days off from working on your dissertation. Your mental health and wellbeing is important, and if you’re feeling overloaded, sometimes you need to take a break for a while and focus on something else.
- Be prepared for your dissertation defense. The defense is a very important part of your thesis project. Ask if you can sit in to observe the defenses of other students in your department, so that you can get a good idea of what you can expect when it’s time for your own defense. Make sure to plan for any questions that the committee might ask about your research, and have answers to those questions in mind.