Admission requirements
Admission to AHO, and successful completion of 60 ECTS master level studies. The course is mandatory for students on the International master of Landscape Architecture in their third semester.
The course is connected to the following study programs
Course description
The pre-diploma at AHO is an independent research task on a theme chosen by the student. In consultation with the course teacher the student is to produce a written and illustrated report that details a topic to be studied, an approach or methodology, a spatial programme and a plan of work. This report is the foundation of the diploma work.
Learning Outcome
Knowledge:
- Understanding of the complexity of a chosen landscape or urban topic and site.
- Understanding of the ecological, social, cultural and technological conditions that govern urban or landscape design work.
- Awareness of the chosen topic’s historical, societal and theoretical issues and its methodological consequences.
- Understanding of one’s own individual position with the discipline.
- Awareness of relevant research methods and techniques.
Skills:
- An ability to frame artistic and scientific research.
- An ability to communicate ideas and plan work.
- Ability to undertake individual research and analysis connected to a chosen topic.
- Ability to formulate a research question.
- An ability to self-evaluate and discuss research outcomes.
General competence:
The ability to formulate an individual landscape architecture project description.
At the end of the course, the students will have acquired the necessary knowledge about a topic, related design questions, site, context and discourse to proceed with the independent diploma work in Landscape Architecture.
Teaching
Learning activities include:
- Introductions
- Individual guidance
- Group discussions and peer reviews
- Interim presentations
- Final presentation
Working activities include:
- Guideline with literature review
- Precedents and reference projects review
- Typological and scale studies
- Analytical mapping
- Interview methods and research ethics
- Written topic description
- Report layout and design
Students are expected to be in class on Tuesdays.
Examination
Mandatory coursework: Submission (Moodle) of mid-term deliverables
Form of assessment: Report
Grouping: Individual
Grading scale: Pass/fail
Comment: The course is an individual research assignment with group discussions and interim presentations. It concludes with a pre-diploma report.
Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem)
Oct. 15, 2026 2:31:20 PM