The Free Master's Thesis builds on the student's preliminary study and is supervised individually by the unit. The thesis contains a developed hypothesis that is verified (or falsified) within the framework of a freely chosen design project. In addition to the actual design project, the free Master's thesis includes the design and production of the thesis book. This consists of three parts: the documentation of the design project, a theoretical report and a technical report. The formal aspects of the thesis and the thesis book are described in the Master's Thesis regulations.

Free project work, mentored by the unit.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Individual list of literature defined in Preliminary Study.

Successful completion of 3 Advanced Studios in the Master's degree programme. In addition, the Preliminary Study must have been completed with a minimum grade of 5.0.

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, continuous assessment, midterm and final reviews.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: design project (60%), presentation (10%) and thesis book (30%: 10% theoretical report, 10% technical report and 10% project documentation).

The Free Master's Thesis builds on the student's preliminary study and is supervised individually by the unit. The thesis contains a developed hypothesis that is verified (or falsified) within the framework of a freely chosen design project. In addition to the actual design project, the free Master's thesis includes the design and production of the thesis book. This consists of three parts: the documentation of the design project, a theoretical report and a technical report. The formal aspects of the thesis and the thesis book are described in the Master's Thesis regulations.

Free project work, mentored by the unit.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Individual list of literature defined in Preliminary Study.

Successful completion of 3 Advanced Studios in the Master's degree programme. In addition, the Preliminary Study must have been completed with a minimum grade of 5.0.

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, continuous assessment, midterm and final reviews.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: design project (60%), presentation (10%) and thesis book (30%: 10% theoretical report, 10% technical report and 10% project documentation).

This module, optionally to be undertaken in the third semester, serves as a basis for an individual Master’s Thesis, if successfully completed with a minimum grade of 5.0. The sustainable operation within a self-chosen area is critically analysed and applied. It contains a research question, an in-depth theoretical investigation as well as a conceptual outline for a Theoretical Report and a Technical Report. In the Preliminary Study the supervision consists of directing the preparation of the thesis proposal and the research design as well as the development of the student’s clear conceptual position. The Preliminary Study needs to be completed at the University of Liechtenstein and is reviewed before a panel of experts of the related research unit.

The Preliminary Study, optionally to be undertaken in the third semester, serves as a basis for an individual Master’s Thesis. It contains a research question and a theoretical investigation that serve as a conceptual outline for the Theoretical and Technical Report of the aspired Master’s Thesis. Site, programme and user profile for a design proposal are evaluated and proposed.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Relevant reading will be made available at the beginning of the course. A list of recommended literature will be announced in the course and updated on an ongoing basis.

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, continuous assessment and regular meetings with instructors.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: final submission (80%) and oral presentation (20%).

The research proposal is a research plan. The contents of the research proposal are governed by the curricula of the doctoral degree programmes. If a cumulative dissertation is intended, it is necessary to mention the publication journals and the number of publications planned. The formal aspects of the research proposal must comply with the "Guidelines for Writing Academic Papers at the University of Liechtenstein".

In the colloquium on the research proposal, the doctoral student shall present his/her dissertation project and provide reasons for his/her chosen approach.

The grade for the research proposal will be determined by taking the average of the grades given by the supervisor and the co-supervisor.

The research proposal is a research plan. The contents of the research proposal are governed by the curricula of the doctoral degree programmes. If a cumulative dissertation is intended, it is necessary to mention the publication journals and the number of publications planned. The formal aspects of the research proposal must comply with the "Guidelines for Writing Academic Papers at the University of Liechtenstein".

In the colloquium on the research proposal, the doctoral student shall present his/her dissertation project and provide reasons for his/her chosen approach.

The grade for the research proposal will be determined by taking the average of the grades given by the supervisor and the co-supervisor.

• The purpose of this course is twofold: First, invited talks by researchers from other institutions (and, occasionally, from the University of Liechtenstein) bring students in touch with cutting-edge research in their field. Second, students learn how to give an academic presentation of one of their research papers. Students will receive feedback on their performance. Our goal is to provide research colloquia for all specializations, but the course may not be offered for all specializations in each academic year. Students from two specializations may be gathered into one colloquium for organizational reasons. Key topics covered are: Current research in business economics Structure and content of an academic paper discussion

Presentations, discussions with feedback.

• After successful completion of the course, students will Professional competence Prepare and deliver a presentation of a research paper at a research seminar. - Social competence Interact with scientists in different phases of their career. Formulate critical questions in a neutral and professional manner. - Personal Competence Reflect on one’s own performance and professional behavior.

For the specialisations in Economics and Finance the module is offered as part of the Finance Research Seminar. The module coordinator for ECO and FIN is Assistant Prof Dr Sebastian Stöckl. Please register for the desired module directly in the module.

Finance Research Seminar

For the specialisations in Entrepreneurship and Management and Information Systems the module is not offered internally at the moment. The process flow for external modules can be found on
uni.li/legal. It is not possible to register directly for the desired module here. The module coordinator for ENT and IS is Prof Dr Michael Hanke. If you have any further questions, please contact doktorat@uni.li.

Data Science and Artificial Intelligence covers statistical and exploratory techniques that are used to make sense of the vast and complex data sets that have emerged in business. Data Science and Artificial Intelligence is one of the core topics of the degree programme, so the course also provides a basis on which students can choose their electives. Students learn to detect patterns in large data sets in quantitative and qualitative formats to translate them into actionable insights. The course covers five primary topics, but also touches upon other topics such as contemporary ethical concerns. It is complemented by Hands-on labs with Python.

• Data visualisation and exploration
•Supervised learning techniques for regression and classification
• Un- and self-supervised learning techniques
• Deep learning fundamentals
• Generative artificial intelligence including large language models

• The course involves interactive lectures with exercises to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical design and analysis skills.

After successful completion of the course, students will

Professional competence
• understand the basic concepts and methods of data science and artificial intelligence
• be able to assess the assumptions and quality of machine learning models

Methodological competence
• know and be able to select and apply the right models for a given task or data set
• be able to derive actionable insights from data mining results
• know basic visualisation and storytelling techniques

Social competence
• communicate effectively using visualisations
• understand different stakeholder perspectives in a data science project

Personal competence
• critically reflect on analytical outcomes
• improve and mitigate self-inflicted errors

Technological competence
• be able to use Python including their libraries such as scikit-learn and matplotlib to apply machine learning and to create visualisations

• James, G., Witten, D., Hastie, T., Tibshirani, R., & Taylor, J. (2023). An Introduction to Statistical Learning: with Applications in Python (1st ed.). Springer Texts in Statistics. Springer. Bishop, C. M. (2024). Deep Learning Foundations and Concepts. Springer.
• Witten, H., Eibe, F., & Hall, M. (2016). Data Mining: Practical Machine Learning Tools and Techniques. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
• Provost, F., & Fawcett, T. (2013). Data Science for Business. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly Media.

Written exam (90min)

The MILSA mentoring program provides guest students with the opportunity to develop their intercultural awareness and intercultural learning as students and future professionals. The program is offered twice yearly with a duration of one semester. It starts during the Introduction Week.
The mentoring program provides an immersive intercultural learning experience in an international location. Students' learning is supported by arrival and departure workshops, and by interviews and guided blog writing during their stay at the University of Liechtenstein. The mentor is a lecturer of the University of Liechtenstein.
The pre-departure workshop introduces students to explore aspects of intercultural learning and helps them prepare for their experience in a different society and culture.
During the semester, students will talk to the mentor during a personal interview and write guided blog contributions about their intercultural learning. They stay in contact and complete group task together. Shortly before their return home, students meet with the mentor in a departure workshop to discuss and reflect upon their experiences and the importance of their intercultural learning for their future professional lives.
The subject includes content on notions of culture, interculturality, intercultural learning,
stereotypes, identities, cultural practices, and reflection and reflective writing.
The First Steps in Intercultural Learning Workshop is held during the Introduction Week. This workshop provides essential content, discussion and activities to prepare students for their intercultural learning, international experience and to guide their completion of assessment tasks.
The Departure Workshop takes place at the end of the semester and allows the students to reflect on their experience, particularly their intercultural learning and its
application to their future professional lives. Students also present their group assignment.

Workshops, discussions, writing blog contributions, Skype interview, online survey

• To acquire and improve intercultural learning skills
• To reflect on expectations for study abroad
• To reflect on and discuss experiences while studying abroad; to reflect on the
• behaviours and values in the host and home cultures
• To practice observation and reflection in writing and in conversation
• To reflect on one's use of the language of the host country and other languages used during study abroad
• To encourage students to think about the study abroad experience in terms of their professional life

"Culture and the primary socialization process" by Janet Jackson"

Supplied during the course
Maximizing Study Abroad, A Students' Guide to Strategies for Language and Culture Learning and Use
By R. Michael Paige, Andrew D. Cohen, Barbara Kappler Mikk, Julie C. Chi, & James P. Lassegard, Minnesota University Press

Assessment tasks:

• Attending the First Steps in Intercultural Learning and Coming Home workshops
• Writing three blog contributions
• Completing one peer group task
• Filling in online survey

Compulsory attendance 100%

Grading

This optional module allows for various kinds of research studies. It is closely connected to the five units of the Liechtenstein School of Architecture and is usually part of ongoing research projects. The supervision consists of directing the students towards clear results within a given field of research. The individual study is reviewed within the respective unit.

Craft & Structure Unit:
The students' desire for good learning and recreational spaces will soon be realised. The large space of the former student services centre on the lower level of the campus is to be transformed into an innovative learning landscape. The study focuses on creating opportunities for social interaction within the confines of the given space and designing new working environments for students. The submission includes a convincing spatial concept, which includes an attractive interior design with the treatment of room dividers, screens, seating furniture, light, colours and surfaces. Prototypes are built for this purpose, which can be tested for their spatial effect and solidity. You will be asked to respect what you discover through observation and experimentation as well as to consider stability and flexibility. How hard can an piece of furniture be, how much comfort should it provide? Are the objects static or do they deform under load? Form the expression from the material and the type of manufacture. The goal is to find a clearly identifiable construction concept. The design should use as much used furniture as possible (e.g. free old used furniture (e.g. free old furniture from the state administration that we might have). The realisation of the designs is planned for the coming semester with LSA students.

Self-defined design or research studies, developed individually or in groups agreed upon with research units and under the guidance of mentors. The size of the module is determined by the respective unit.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Relevant reading will be made available at the beginning of the course. A list of recommended literature will be announced in the course and updated on an ongoing basis.

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, regular meetings with instructors, continuous assessment, portfolio and final review.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: final submission (80%) and oral presentation (20%).

Individual appointments will be set with the tutor.

The sustainable operation within a complex architectural or urban environment is critically analysed and applied. The Bachelor’s Thesis students take part in one of the Advanced Studios within the Bachelor´s degree programme. The thesis includes a developed hypothesis which is verified (or falsified) within the context of a design project.

Guided project work in the design studio. A seminar week focussing on the studio topic is an integral part of the design studio.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to

Relevant reading will be made available at the beginning of the course. A list of recommended literature will be announced in the course and updated on an ongoing basis.

Successful completion of all four foundation studios and one Advanced Studio within the Bachelor's degree programme.

Minimum 75% compulsory attendance, continuous assessment, midterm and final reviews.
The final grade is calculated according to the weighting of the following components: design project (60%), final presentation (20%) and thesis book (20%).

The Bachelor's Thesis comprises the design and production of the Bachelor's thesis book, in which the entire research and design process of the design project is documented. The formal aspects of the Bachelor's Thesis are described in the Bachelor's Thesis regulations. The thesis book can be written in German or English.