Structuring Art History: The Architecture of the PhD-thesis

The two courses in the programme, Paradigms in Art- and Architectural History and Structuring Art History: The Architecture of the PhD-thesis, focus on different problems concerning structure in written art- and architectural history.

The seminar explores different ways of structuring a PhD thesis in art history or history of architecture. Participants examine and discuss published examples and also present the (provisory) structure of their own thesis for further discussion. The course is useful for PhD candidates in their second or third year and for those working on the definitive structure of their thesis.

First meeting: Discussion of existing research plans and of different structures and styles of arranging the material.
Second meeting: Analysis and comparison of recent and not-so-recent dissertations. Participants bring favorite books that may serve as models.
Third and final meeting: Application of the acquired knowledge to one’s own research and dissertation. Exploration of convincing other arrangements of previous research results.