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Technical University of Munich

Information and Procedures

To prepare for your thesis

Contact Professor Ludwig by email and include your portfolio and a description of your topic(s) of interest. Following discussions with the professor, once the topic has been confirmed, prepare an exposé covering the following aspects: 

  • Introduction to your topic
  • Your academic background and relevant experience
  • Problem statement and/or research gap
  • Aim of your thesis
  • Methodology – How are you approaching the problem? What methods will you apply?
  • Planned scope and format of your final work – How will design and research be related, what will be the focus? What will be included in the final report, i.e., a draft table of contents? Which presentation formats will you use, such as posters, physical models (with scales to be specified), slides, videos, etc.?
  • Timeline – specified by week(s), including registration and submission dates
  • Appendix: List of references, figures, abbreviations 

Average time from first contact to start in general is around three months. 

Present your idea to fellow students during one of the Thesis Colloquia (see details below).

Before registering, verify that you meet the ECTS requirements to start your thesis. For registration, submit your Transcript of Records (as proof of study progress) and the signed registration form to the Architecture Dean's Office (Julie Strickland; julie.strickland@tum.de). 

 

Thesis Colloquium

To foster exchange among fellow students working on their master’s theses at GTLA, a thesis colloquium is held every two weeks on Friday mornings from 10.00 to 12.00. In each session, two to four students present their progress or deliver their final presentation. 

Over the course of your thesis, you are required to give a total of four presentations and attend two additional colloquia as an audience member. To facilitate exchange among participants, the first three presentations should be given in English, while the final presentation may be given in the language in which you are writing your thesis. The precise schedule of your presentations will be coordinated between you and Professor Ludwig. In principle, the four presentations should take place: 

  1. Kick-off (approx. 8 minutes): after deciding on your topic and completing the exposé
  2. Mid-term (12-15 minutes): approx. 2 months after official registration
  3. Pre-write-up (approx. 15 minutes): approx. 4.5 months after registration
  4. Final (25 minutes): after the submission (see below)

The colloquium takes place in person on the main campus (Room 1349@0503, navigaTUM). A hybrid option can also be arranged upon request. 

 

Submission and Final Presentation

Submit your digital files by the deadline specified in the registration form (slides may follow later) and schedule the final presentation with Professor Ludwig. The slot within the colloquium consists of a 25-minute presentation, followed by a 30-minute discussion.

Coordinate the pin-up of your posters, the presentation of your models, and any further display elements with Sissy Xi Chen (sissy_xi.chen@tum.de) two weeks before your final presentation. Bring at least one printed copy of your brochure, bearing an original signature, to your final presentation.

After the presentation, submit all working files. Digital files must meet the following format requirements:

  • Thesis/brochure:
    • PDF files in two versions: 1) 300 dpi and 2) a compressed one under 15MB
      • If laid out in Adobe InDesign or Affinity Publisher: include the package folder with all linked files
      • If laid out in Microsoft Word: include the .docx file and all images in full resolution, named with figure numbers
    • Presentation slides (.pdf or .pptx)
    • If applicable:
      • Posters (same requirements as the thesis/brochure)
      • Digital models (e.g., .3dm), scripts (e.g., .gh) and related data (e.g., .csv, .xlsx)
      • Photos of the physical model(s)
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