Faculty of Architecture | RWTH Aachen

Compatibility Study 2010/2011
Additional Information
Assessment I:
Assessment II:
Assessment III:
Design Project:
Academic Calendar:
WS begins 05.09.2011
SS begins 13.02.2012
The studies take 5 years. In Portugal, other than in Spain, students earn ECTS-Credits. 300 Credits
are needed to successfully complete the course. 20 of those points need to be earned within
optional courses.
Number of students: 473
Number of lecturers: 45
PT - Universidade de Coimbra 227
Since a PhD programme on urban and architectural culture is offered the duration is 7 semesters.
The subject ‘design’ does not only involve the process of designing. Each project (project I,
project II…) covers design theory as well as the relationship between construction and city planning.
Hence the subject ‘design’ is proportionally represented within assessment I as follows:
Construction Design Urbanism and environment
Project I 10% 50% 40%
Project II 10% 45% 45%
Project III 45% 45% 10%
Project IV 30% 40% 30%
Project V 25% 25% 50%
DISSERTATION: In Year 5 students do their dissertation which is equivalent to a Master-Thesis.
Subject and type of project can be chosen freely.
RESEARCH SEMINAR IN ARCHITECTURE: This subject is tailored to complement the thesis and
conveys the analytical and critical methodology behind writing an architectural dissertation.
GEOMETRY teaches a combination of analytic and graphic ways of drawing. There are study units
dedicated to mathematics but those focus on descriptive geometry.
Optional courses:
Students can choose from 24 different optional courses in total. Not all of them are offered each
year or each term so the choice of optional courses varies.
Most of the above focus on theory (mainly theory of design and city planning). Art and anthropology
optional courses are on regular offer
Each project takes up 8 hours/week with one lecturer looking after approximately 20 students. The
university provides study halls where students can design and lecturers are available for consultion.
Projects focus on practical issues.
Within the first year (project I), each student works on 4 to 6 small projects. Within the second year
(project II), students work on a single project from the realm of city planning (designing museums
or shops within the wider building context). Project III is about urban living, the first half of the year
being spent on designing, the second on working out structural details.
Project IV is spent designing a complex programm building, from urban scale to construction
detailing.
The final year (project V) is concerned with urban problems, designing a master plan.
Faculty of Architecture | RWTH Aachen
PT