THESIS PROJECT

DM 7199
Spring 2010

Professors Kelly Dobson and Daniel Peltz

Tues & Thurs 6:30-9:30pm
CIT – Mason 413
course blog - send email to post@dmthesisproject.posterous.com

walking or sitting / talking or silent office hours

by appointment [email smazzucc@risd.edu to schedule a time for meetings with
Daniel or directly for meetings with Kelly to kelly@kellydobson.com]

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course provides a forum for the further articulation and development of
your thesis project. It is intended to provide an intensive structure for the
exploration of your emerging practices through a series of individual, small
group and full group meetings.

Schedule

Week 1
Feb 25
Thurs - Course overview and meetings with chairs

Week 2
Mar 2 - 4
Tues/Weds - Studio Visits
Thurs - Small Group meetings i, ii, iii 1- ____________________
i - Laura, Kirk, Nate, Soo Jin, Bundith
Ii - Mary, Jan, Colin, Lin, Adam
Iii - Miguel, Jiwon, Taehee, Nipun, Derick
Draft Exhibition Plans due to Chairs

Week 3
Mar 9 - 11
Tues/Weds - Studio Visits
Thurs - Small Group meetings i, ii, iii – 2 ____________________

Week 4
Mar 16 - 18
Tues/Weds - Studio Visits
Small Group meetings i-iii – 3 ____________________
Week 5
Mar 23 - 25
Tues – Exhibition Plan Presentations to small groups
Thurs - Small Group meetings i-iii – 4 ____________________
Final Detailed Exhibition Plans due

Week 6
SPRING BREAK

Week 7
Apr 6 and 8
MID-TERM CRITS – Full group Tues and Thurs evenings 6:30-9:30pm (please
invite your committee members to attend well in advance)
Any required revisions to Exhibition Plans due to chair

Week 8
Apr 13 - 15
Tues/Weds - Studio Visits
Thurs - Small Group meetings i-iii – 5 ____________________

Week 9
Apr 20 - 22
Tues/Weds - Studio Visits
Thurs - Small Group meetings i-iii – open

Week 10
Apr 27 - 29
Studio Visits

Week 11
May 3 - 7
Working installed prototypes due – organize a full committee meeting to
review your prototype

Week 12
May 10-14
Studio Visits
Fri – Convention Center Delivery of Works

Week 13
May 18 – 20
Tues – Visiting installations
Thurs – Convention Center opening

Week 14
May 25-26
Final Reviews in the convention center
COURSE COMPONENTS
Exhibition Proposals

Your exhibition proposal is produced in two drafts (due weeks 5 and 7). It should
provide detailed information about your plans for exhibiting your thesis work.
Your plans need to include an engagement with the convention center show but
should not be limited to this site. Proposals, as well as your written thesis,
should be posted to the course posterous blog.

Small group meetings / Studio visits

These meetings form the bulk of the course. You are expected to come prepared
with new progress to each of your meetings with the instructors and your group.

Small group leadership

Each student will lead one of their small group meetings. The leader is responsible
for framing an initial question for the group to explore during their one-hour meeting.
This question should cut across the practices of the members and address a critical
concern. The role of the leader is to frame this concern and then facilitate a
discussion of it through group exercises or conversation.

POLICIES
Policies
Presence
Your presence is vital at every scheduled meeting. Missing meetings or arriving late
will negatively impact your progress and your grade. Presence, however, is about
more than just getting your body to the meeting at the required hour. Please take
care of yourself and come prepared to focus on your work and our work together.

Participation
Active participation in discussions and critiques is expected. If your form of active
participation is a quiet one, make sure to let the group know that you are engaging
them and the material at hand in some way.

Exceptions
Late assignments or incompletes will only be granted in case of family or medical
emergency.

Grading
Assignments: thesis project 70% / proposals 15% /
Participation in small and full group critiques: 15%