The Joint Master of Science Program is a two-year (four semesters) program. The first and last semester are offered by the Department of Architecture at Middle East Technical University (METU) and the second and third semester are offered by the Faculty of Architecture at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft).

Students start their study at METU in the Fall semester (Sem. 1). They continue their study at TU Delft in the Spring semester (Sem. 2) and subsequent Fall semester (Sem. 3). They, generally, continue their study at TU Delft in the Spring semester of the second year (Sem. 4), until about the end of May, after which they conclude their study at METU. Presentation and defense of graduation projects takes place early September at METU, before the start of the new semester.

Curriculum

Semester 1: Digital design & research

The digital design studio concerns the following topics: understanding the computational design paradigm; parametric thinking/parametric design; exploration of different CAD/CAM tools; re-experiencing geometry; visualization vs. precision; process design vs. end-product design. The theme of the studio varies each term.

The research methods course considers competency in doing research, competency in design, scientific approaches for research, basic intellectual skills in cooperating and communicating, and consideration of temporal and social context in design.

Semester 2: Bucky lab

The second semester focuses on the system development of a small pavilion, or a façade in the context of a building design. The design process goes from innovative concept development, in the form of a programmatic and visual scenario, to final design in drawings, quantitative performance studies and results in a virtual and physical prototype. Quantitative research relates to acoustic, heat transfer and structural performance as input in the design process. (See Product Design for a fairly elaborate description of the design assignment and process, including references to the contents of the other courses in this semester.)

Graduation project (Semester 3 and 4)

The graduation project consists of both a design project and a research thesis (and combines semesters 3 and 4). The design project considers performative design for an adaptive building, set in an urban context, with a programmatic, compositional and technical complexity, and supported by digital design and fabrication. The research thesis involves exploration of the computational design paradigm and its technologies, understanding performance based design and parametric thinking.

The graduation project is supervised by two faculty members from METU and two faculty members from TU Delft. At each university, one of the supervisors takes on the role of design mentor, and the other of research mentor.

Graduation process at TU Delft

The first part of the graduation process in Semester 3 (at TU Delft) includes two assessments. The first one (P1) is a compulsory progress review midway Semester 3. The assessment concerns an initial research essay, a situational study and the planning of the graduation process. The second assessment (P2) is a formal assessment at the conclusion of Semester 3 and concerns the study plan and provisional design and research. The mentors from METU will be invited to be present at this formal assessment as well.

The second part of the graduation process in Semester 4 (initially at TU Delft) also includes two assessments. The first one (P3) is a compulsory progress review almost midway Semester 4. The second one (P4) is a formal assessment during the second half of May and is a pre-final assessment.

The final and public assessment (P5) is held early September at METU. The mentors from TU Delft will be present at this formal assessment as well.

More information about the graduation process at TU Delft can be found here in the Graduation Manual, Master of Sciences Architecture, Urbanism & Building Sciences, 2010 – 2011.