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Overall criteria

The official study guidelines of the BA in Design at ZHdK provides broad lines for the diploma evaluation (see § 15).
Following criteria are applied to the entire BA Thesis (BA Practice Project & BA Written Work)

    Content
  • Generosity: How the research was conducted with ambition, commitment and responsibility.
  • Relevance: Relevance of the topic for the design community, society, design discourse.
  • Execution: Quality of the methodology, Quality of research and investigation, Experiments conducted, Adequate design tools
  • Academic Position: Evaluating the maturity of the position within the research discourse.
  • Transversality: Considering the different fields in which the project can have an impact.
  • Addressing questions asked
  • Ability for Synthesis
  • Range of Overview given
  • Overall impression
  • Format
  • Correct execution of formal aspects such as quotations, bibliography, sources, etc.
  • articulation, linguistic translation and differentiation
  • visual and design elements

BA practice project criteria

The BA practice project, with a process, outcome and findings presented and exhibited counts for 22 ECTS points.

  • Project (50%)
  • Final presentation (25%)
  • Mediation via exhibition (25%)

BA written work criteria

The BA written work and documentation counts for 6 ECTS points

  • Written Part (80%)
  • Colloquium (20%)

Additional criteria

Another criteria for getting your diploma is a full project documentation (incl. images, texts, video, prototype, etc.) on the ZHdK-server. Guidelines are similar as for other projects in the IAD.
Depending on the angle undertaken for the project, some aspects will be particularly relevant: ie. interface design for apps and platforms, methodology for field studies, evaluation for education services, etc..
Please be aware that we can not hand out a diploma to those who do not completely fulfill these requirements.


Grading details

The grade is decided after each mentoring team provides their assessment (the student mentors provide a consultory assessment) and a discussion leads to a consensus. The two external guests provide their assessment for the project itself and for the mediation via exhibition.
The official study guideline of the BA in Design at ZHdK provides broad lines for the diploma evaluation (see § 15).

  • A hervorragend (6) = ausgezeichnete, hervorragende Leistung
  • B sehr gut (5-6) = deutlich überdurchschnittliche Leistung
  • C gut (5) = insgesamt gute und solide Arbeit
  • D befriedigend (4-5) = mittelmäßige Arbeit
  • E ausreichend (4) = Leistungen entsprechen den Mindestanforderungen
  • FX nicht bestanden (3,5) = es sind Nachbesserungen erforderlich
  • F klar nicht bestanden (<3,5)
  • Abstufungen: 3 = ungenügend, 2 = schwach, 1 = sehr schwach bzw. keine Arbeit geleistet – die Arbeit ist zu wiederholen, in der Regel keine Nachbesserung möglich.