Degree's Final Thesis

The Degree's Final Thesis (TFG) concludes the academic learning process made during the studies of Architecture of the 2014 plan. This is a significant moment of the Degree, that allows the student to sum up the knowledge and competencies acquired and verify its interrelationships. Is the occasion to try out his autonomy , as a planner showing the capability to choose the issue, most adequate location and the technical instruments needed for its development. Moreover, it lets to demonstrate self-sufficiency in respect of his capability of research and deepening about some specific areas.

The Barcelona School of Architecture considers the TFG as a determining element in the academic curriculum of the architecture student, therefore, seems appropriate that the work has an administered development by a form teacher that allows the student contrast and validate their progress in respect of the elaboration of the document, and that will be later evaluated by an Examination Panel created specifically for its evaluation.

The documentation that has to constitute the TFG consists in the elaboration of a portfolio, in which the student will have to demonstrate, first of all, that has been capable to undertake an appropriate synthesis acquired knowledge along the Degree, about those which can extract a personal and quality reflection valuing the interdisciplinary nature that results; and secondly, will also have to prove the capability to the development of a particular theme, in which is capable to deepen in its content, contributing a new knowledge about the chosen theme, through the development of a little study or deepening essay.

The form teacher will be responsible for academic follow-up and the validation of the development process of the document, while the Examination Panel of the TFG, from which the form teacher cannot be a member of the tutor, will make the final evaluation. The Examination Panels will have to reach, at least, each one of the knowledge scopes defined by the School, it means, the scope of Theory and Project, the scope of Technology, and the scope of Urbanism and Landscape, and will have to be, at least, one Examination Panel for each scope. The choice of a form Teacher involves, in most cases, the choice of the corresponding Examination Panel. This Panel of examiners will be composed by three members, plus a fourth alternate member according to the following composition:

1. President: Professor or teacher (tenured or adjunct).
2. Vocal 1st: Teacher belonging to a Department.
3. Vocal 2nd: Teacher belonging to a Department.
4. Alternate member.

The Examination Panel members must fulfill the following characteristics:

• The three members belong to the ETSAB and are chosen according to their specific teaching profile.
• The president of the Examination Panel must belong to the department linked to the corresponding knowledge scope.
• The 1st vocal and the 2nd vocal have to belong, preferably, to different departments.
• The alternate member will preferably have total dedication.

The Examination Panel will be appointed by the School Principal and will be ratified by the School Board.

The enrollment of the TFG comprises 6 ECTS and his development has to be done during a semester. During the semester in which the student is developing his/her TFG, they will dispose of a following tutoring from his form teacher with a maximum of 36 hours.

The student may decide in which semester will develop his TFG considering that in the moment of the presentation must have passed (qualification equal or higher than 5) all the remaining credits of the Degree. If a student doesn't fulfill this condition on the planned date for the defense of the semester when the TFG is enrolled, won't be included in the record and won't be evaluated of the TFG. In this case will have to enroll it again.

In accordance with the semester where the student develops the TFG, the registration and enrolment process will be the following: 

1. Students that present the TFG in the first semester of the course:
   The student will have to enter and enrol the TFG in the ordinary enrollment of the month of July, indicating the scope of the TFG and the title of the research work. In the registration application, will have to indicate that wants to present in the first semester calling. From this moment, a tutor of his work scope will be determined.
2. Students that present the TFG in the second semester of the course:
   The student may enrol the TFG during the ordinary enrollment of the month of July or in the extraordinary enrollment that will be open before the start of the second semester for that purpose. In both cases, will not formalize its enrolment until the beginning of the second semester when the student has to indicate the scope of the TFG and the title of the study work. In the enrolment request the student has to state that wants to present in the call of second semester. From that moment on it will be decided the tutor in the scope of its work.

In both cases, if the student fulfills the conditions to present the TFG as previously mentioned, but finally do not stand for the defense of the Thesis, the student may access to the extraordinary call, planned in the Academic Regulation of the Studies of Degree and Master (Normativa Acadèmica de Grau i Màster - NAGRAMA) paying the fee indicated in the same regulation. This call cannot go beyond May 31st, for TFG defended in the first semester and the October 31st for TFG defended in the second semester. If the student doesn't stand or pass the TFG in this extraordinary call, will have to enroll it again.

The students participating in mobility programmes on the fifth course of the studies, may perform the TFG in parallel with the mobility stay and may present it once the stay is finished, as long as the previously established conditions are fulfilled.

In case of exist more than one Evaluation Panel by field, the student may choose the Evaluation Panel indicating up to three options. This information will have to be complemented in the moment of the TFG enrollment. The applications will be distributed considering the offered places and the repeaters students will have preference in the Examination Panel choice.

The academic regulation of the UPC, regarding with the custody of the evaluation documents, forces the ETSAB to keep permanently the memory of Degree's final projects and thesis. For this reason all the students must submit to the Secretariat of the School a copy of the portfolio and the research work on the fixed dates to that effect for each call. The submission of the memory to the Secretariat is an indispensable requirement to make the defense of the TFG.

The student has the right to request a review of the grade earned in the TFM. In this case, the student must submit a reasoned request to the School director within a maximum period of 7 days counting from the date of the publication of the assessment certificate of the TFM and submit all the documentation delivered on the defence in the School secretariat. The Director, or his/her delegate, will announce an extraordinary panel of examiners for the revision where the President of the affected Panel of examiners will attend. The examination panel will give the student the option of explaining his/her project. The resolution will be communicated to the student in a maximum period of 7 days from the revision date.

The TFG have to be published in open access deposit of academic Works UPC, prior authorization of the author, provided that this does not affect the possible confidentiality and/or industrial property associated with the work. To that purpose, the deposit of the paper copy may be replaced by other media that enable the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. This procedure will be done before the application of the receipt of the diploma.

Deposit of the TFG

The student will have to submit in the School secretariat, before the defense of the TFG and in the established periods the following documentation:

• 1 copy of the document in paper format, with the relevant written and graphic documentation. The written documentation shouldn't exceed the 30 pages or 15 sheets (including the study work and excluding all the graphic material annexed to the portfolio and the mentioned study work considered appropriate).