Course Description
The BFADT thesis is a systematic investigation of a research question based in the domains of art, design, and technology. It requires students to identify an area of study, research its major assumptions and precedents, explain the significance and originality of their undertaking, set forth the process and method for proposing solutions, create prototypes, and offer a conclusion through the production of a body of work.
The finished project must evidence originality and experimentation, critical and independent thinking, appropriate organization and format, and thorough documentation. The Thesis Project can take many forms, from fine art works to soft/hardware tools, interactive installations, online experiences, or social experiments. It should demonstrate the application of ideas within an applied context, whether it be in the areas of design, art, commerce, or theory.
Thesis Studio 2 meets twice weekly. The Thesis Studio 2 course assists graduating BFADT students in the successful realization and production of their final thesis and the related documentation of the projects. The course concentrates on the development and further fine-tuning of student’s initial prototypes into a presentable and functional final project suitable for installation in the BFADT exhibition.
Students spend the semester in iterative production process, working toward the final design of their project for the BFADT Thesis exhibition and other related distribution. In addition to having support from a thesis faculty and writing instructor, students are encouraged to find a thesis advisor/s to work with over the course of the semester.
The course is delivered in a studio format, which means all students are expected to participate in the making, discussion, and critique of work. All students are expected to contribute to the dialogue in class as a substantial part of their grade to demonstrate their understanding, questioning, and unique perspectives on the subjects studied.
Thesis Studio 2 is the culmination of BFADT Core Studio (i.e.Objects and Collaboration) courses, which are the nucleus of the curriculum while support and academic electives “orbit” around the studio center. The onus is on the student to establish intersections across these courses while identifying the appropriate venues for various modes of discussion (i.e., studio is for critical discourse, support elective is for technical development.)
Learning Outcomes
By the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate fluency with design methodology and the iterative prototyping process to test and critically evaluate concepts.
- Demonstrate effective and innovative research strategies that reflect advances in new technologies to research questions in student’s chosen domain of interest.
- Demonstrate effective, persuasive presentation skills and respond constructively to critique.
- Articulate and formulate a thesis question to frame the trajectory of the student’s research, writing, and production initiatives.
- Define a cogent thesis concept that embodies idea-in-form and evidences an original contribution to the student’s domain of interest.
- Demonstrate the ability to contextualize the relationship of their work to other art and design precedent within their domain of interest.
- Design and execute an appropriate strategy for documenting, presenting and discussing their thesis project.
Evaluation Criteria
Concept
Has the student developed a cogent thesis concept that manifests itself in a demonstrable form and evidences a significant contribution in its domain?
Communication
How well is the student able to express the ideas about their project, goals and process? This includes verbal, written and diagrammatic forms of communication such as drawing, mapping, modeling and pre-visualizing.
Critical Thinking and Reflective Judgment
To what degree has the student demonstrated and developed critical thinking skills? Reflective judgment not only asks the questions with concrete answers such as evaluative questions about form, methodology, materials, utility, ergonomics, aesthetics, style, cultural, experience, research, and process critique, but also attacks difficult problems of the world that require research and evidence to support conclusions that can then be offered to the fields encompassed by design and technology.
Creative Process
Is the student incorporating a form- and project-appropriate methodology to their work? Can the student evaluate how procedural decisions impact their projectsʼ successes and failures? Creative process may include problem identification, brainstorming, generating ideas, analysis, research, writing of specifications and constraints, real-world costs, feasibility, testing, iterating along a line of thinking and then approaching the problem differently in the next cycle, evaluation of process and evaluation of the form created, integrating and adapting new processes and ideas along the iterative design cycle.
Contextualization
Has the student been able to connect their work and ideas to historical and contemporary precedents, and to situate their work within the larger discourse surrounding ideas of design and technology?
Integration and Appropriate Use of Technology
Is the student making good choices about the form and type of technology they are using to express their design concepts?
Iteration, Production, Time Management
Is the student able to scale their project to the appropriate time frame and resources at their disposal? This takes into account the scope of the project, but also an honest assessment of the student’s interests and skillset as well as available technical and material resources.
Project Display
Are students able to present the core concepts and experience of their project in an appropriate public-facing form? This may be one or more of the following: exhibition, demonstration, performance, screening and/or lecture.
BFA DT THESIS 2 