After successful completion of the course, students are able to ...

better structure their own process of realizing their doctoral thesis, and to break it down in smaller work-packages.

The aim of this course is to provide an accompanying orientation for improving the process of thesis-writing to all doctoral students who are writing their final thesis at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Urban Culture and Public Space. The facilitation of peer-to-peer learning and debate rounds on salient urban studies issues is an important achievement here. Therefore, semi-public presentations will take place during the first part of each “Thesis Fenster” - whereas the second part will feature face-to-face debates between doctoral students and the thesis supervisor(s). 

This course includes active participation in the so-called Thesis Fenster (Doctorate Thesis Fenster and Master Thesis Fenster). All ongoing thesis projects which are currently carried out at the Interdisciplinary Center for Urban Culture and Public Space (Research Unit E280-09) will be discussed here (working languages are German, English and Spanish). In addition to the content-relevant aspects of urban research (current phenomena of urban development, public spaces, urban and everyday culture, wider issues in urban studies, etc.), we jointly explore other research issues such as research design, questions, barriers and ethics. Participants will be supported in the creation of work plans. We jointly discuss the setting up of concrete milestones along individual thesis projects. We turn the "huge" thesis project into "tiny little pieces" which can be elaborated and finalised.

**Please always check in this course's TISS and TUWEL rooms for updates as regards dates, rooms and contents shortly before the course units starts*

Unit 1 Thesis Fenster KickOff  05.10.2023, 09:00 bis 10:30, Research Design (Master/PhD) and Clustering of Themes and Topics  

Unit 2 Urban Studies Intro 05.10.2023, 11:00 bis 12:30, Contents and Clustering (PhD/Master)  

Unit 3: Thesis Fenster 12.10.2023, 09:00 bis 10:30, Creative Writing Workshop (PhD/Master)  

Unit 4: Thesis Fenster 12.10.2023, 11:00 bis 12:30, Creative Writing Workshop (PhD/Master)  

Unit 5: Thesis Fenster 16.11.2023, 09:00 bis 10:30, Paper Writing Workshop (PhD, via zoom)  

Unit 6: Thesis Fenster 16.11.2023, 11:00 bis 12:30, Paper Writing Workshop (PhD, via zoom)

Unit 7: Thesis Fenster 07.12.2023, 09:00 bis 10:30,  Academic Profile Workshop (PhD, via zoom)  

Unit 8: Thesis Fenster 07.12.2023, 11:00 bis 12:30, Academic Profile Workshop (PhD, via zoom)  

Unit 9: Thesis Fenster  12th or 14th December,
independent and selforganized thesis work in group

Unit 10: Thesis Fenster 12th or 14th December,
independent and selforganized thesis work in group

***Faculty Doctoral Colloquium 13th December 2023***

Unit 11: Thesis Fenster 21.12.2023, 09:00 bis 10:30, Societal Relevance Workshop (PhD/Master, via zoom)  

Unit 12: Thesis Fenster 21.12.2023, 11:00 bis 12:30, Societal Relevance Workshop (PhD/Master, via zoom)  

Unit 13: Seminar Closing Workshop 18.01.2024, 09:00 bis 10:30, (Master/PhD: Seminar, hybrid)  

Unit 14: Seminar Closing Workshop 18.01.2024, 11:00 bis 12:30, (Master/ PhD: Consultations, hybrid)

Empirical, methodological, conceptual and ethical debates about the limits and integration of research appraoches are key ingredients of research designs in empirical urban studies and international planning theory. Therefore, we will discuss these alongside the respective research projects.

To register for the privatissimum, please contact the institute's office (Antonia Skenderović: antonia.skenderovic(at)tuwien.ac.at). All students writing their thesis at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Urban Culture and Public Space under the (first, secondary) supervision by Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Sabine Knierbein are expected to regularly present their projects in this course. In this time frame, possibiltiy for indivual and group-basd consultation will be offered. Also, those interested in a potential supervision by Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Sabine Knierbein are welcome here (mail to: antonia.skenderovic(at)tuwien.ac.at).

• 80% of attendance is required
• Active participation in feedback sessions and discussions is required.
• Presentation of your own topic, including updated materials
• Peer-to-peer feedback

Upload:

- all: Please upload until 30th October 2023

(a) Work Plan for the Thesis Project including Milestones and Resources needed to achieve them

and (b)

for thesis beginners: 5-pages well structured research exposé

for medium thesis writers: 5-pages introduction of your thesis

for finalizing thesis writers: 5-pages conclusion of your theis

Advancing Thesis Projects
- We will discuss all thesis project throughout the course of the seminar under different foci as outlined in the session titles. Thereby, we also address different writing, presenting and conceptual skills that doctoral candidates should ideally develop over the course of their thesis realization.

Peer-to-Peer Feedback
All participants of a Doctoral Thesis Fenster are required to read the presenters’ submissions and prepare one or two written paragraphs for each presentation. The written feedback must be uploaded on TUWEL by the evening before the Thesis Fenster session.

Joint focus sessions:
Each participant has to prepare one slide related to the respective topic of the session (key concepts, research design, etc.), outlining how the individual thesis project deals with the topic under discussion. The slide must be uploaded on TUWEL by the evening before the joint Thesis Fenster session.

For doctoral students: You should have definitely contacted Prof. Dr. Knierbein via personal mail prior to visiting the Thesis Fenster.