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PLAN40210

Academic Year 2025/2026

Design Thesis (PLAN40210)

Subject:
Planning
College:
Engineering & Architecture
School:
Architecture, Plan & Env Pol
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
30
Module Coordinator:
Dr Yunpeng Zhang
Trimester:
Summer
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

A key component of the MSc Urban Design and Planning programme is that students will produce a thesis on a topic that is related to their chosen specialist area. The design thesis will let students explore a topic in depth and develop an innovative urban design response with guidance from an academic supervisor. The key difference between the design thesis and other assignments is that the question is set by the student. The design thesis is therefore a test of the student’s ability to generate an interesting and relevant question relating to a specific urban design challenge, to critically review relevant academic literature, to develop a coherent research methodology, to generate and analyse results, and to apply research in developing an innovative project-based urban design response. In short, it is a test of the student’s intellectual ability to work independently. The design thesis will allow students to develop specialist knowledge, building on the knowledge derived from core modules. The design thesis will give students an opportunity to develop a more in-depth understanding of their subject, to develop specialist knowledge and skills, to expand and hone research and design skills, and to cultivate individual initiative and judgement.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the thesis the student will:
• Recognise the need and value of high quality research as an essential requirement in contributing to the delivery of innovative urban design solutions in practice.
• Have generated an interesting and relevant topic with coherent aims and objectives.
• Have conducted a search and critical review of the academic literature on the topic, and in particular to have reviewed the peer reviewed journal literature.
• Have developed and implemented an appropriate research methodology for the topic.
• Have analysed the results using relevant techniques (Quantitative and/or qualitative).
• Have developed conclusions which reflect on their research results and how it relates to the broader academic literature, to policy and to practice.
• Have developed an advanced ability to apply concepts, theory and research skills to generate robust, integrated and evidence-based responses to urban design and planning challenges in practice.

Indicative Module Content:

Indicative titles for supporting lectures:

Understanding academic research
How to conduct a literature review
Research methods
Procedural ethics
Thesis structure
Finalising your dissertation

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

16
Autonomous Student Learning

584
Total

600

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
There are no assignments required, and the support lectures will include in-class tasks to consolidate material presented by the lecturer. An active learning approach will be pursued wherever possible, save where straightforward procedural information is presented to students on preparing the dissertation.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
Design Thesis (PEP40890), Design Thesis (pathway) (PLAN40280)


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Thesis/Dissertation: thesis Week 14 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
100
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

The dissertation is examined by two readers and an evaluation form, and grades are delivered through the online system. However, preliminary feedback will be given before participants are matched with supervsiors, and thereafter feedback will be received from the supervisors themselves.

Blaxter, Loraine, Christina Hughes, and Malcolm Tight. 2010. How to Research. 4. ed. Open Up Study Skills. Maidenhead: Open Univ. Press.
Bryman A (2012) Social Research Methods. 4th ed. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press.
Carmona M (2014) ‘Design as research and research as design: mega-plans and mega-projects in Karbala and Hong Kong’, pp.231-247. In: Carmona, M. (ed.) Explorations in Urban Design: and urban design research primer. Farnham: Ashgate.
Creme, Phyllis, and Mary R Lea. 2008. Writing at University: A Guide for Students. Buckingham: Open University Press. http://www.dawsonera.com/depp/reader/protected/external/AbstractView/S9780335235476.
Denscombe, Martyn. 2010. Ground Rules for Social Research: Guidelines for Good Practice. 2. ed. Open Up Study Skills. Maidenhead: Open Univ. Press, McGraw-Hill.
Fairbairn, Gavin, and Christopher Winch. 1996. Reading, Writing and Reasoning: A Guide for Students. 2nd ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Partridge, Eric. 2008. Usage and Abusage. Penguin.
Swetnam, Derek, and Ruth Swetnam. 2000. Writing Your Dissertation, 3rd Edition: The Bestselling Guide to Planning, Preparing and Presenting First-Class Work. Hachette UK.
Wallace, Mike, and Alison Wray. 2016. Critical Reading and Writing for Postgraduates. 3rd edition. Sage Study Skills. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Name Role
Dr Ana Peric Momcilovic Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Yunpeng Zhang Tutor
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