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

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, to be undertaken in the third semester, allows students to compose a Preliminary Study. The Preliminary Study serves as a basis for the Master's Thesis. It contains a research question, an in-depth theoretical investigation as well as a conceptual outline for the Historical and Theoretical Report as well as the Technical Report.

Lecture: researching, writing

Paper & Presentation (Preliminary Study); 75% mandatory presence, continuous assessment

In the viva voce examination the doctoral student proves that he/she meets the requirements on the dissertation by publically defending his/her dissertation.

The Chairperson of the Board of Examiners, the supervisor and the co-supervisor(s) shall determine a grade for the viva voce examination.

• 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 discussion of a paper using one of the talks as an example. The discussion will be delivered immediately after the talk in the research colloquium, and 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 discussion 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 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.

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 Ass.-Prof. Dr Sebastian Stöckl. Please register for the desired module directly in the module.

Finance Research Seminar

Emerging IT Topics addresses recent technological trends and developments in research and business, so its content can be adapted quickly to the job market’s emerging needs. Accordingly, the course content changes from
semester to semester.

• The course involves interactive lectures that integrate theoretical knowledge with analysis skills.
• Contemporary scientific publications from the fields of Information Systems and Management are discussed in class.

After successful completion of the course, students will:

Professional competence

• have profound knowledge of current topics and recent technologies in IT
• be able to assess the usefulness and potential applications of emerging IT technologies
• be current on recent scientific results on emerging IT topics
• understand latest trends, opportunities, risks, and also regulations
• be familiar with and understand the key principles of emerging IT topics

Methodological competence

• understand theories and models in the field of innovation and technology diffusion
• know different tools, which help to plan and integrate emerging IT topics in organisations
• be able to identify potentials for improvement in organisations through the use of the applications and methods discussed
• apply the methods dealt with in the lecture to solve exercises

Social competence

• develop their social skills in solving small exercises and adapt these skills to optimise teamwork
• listen carefully to the lecturer and their fellow students and actively participate in the lecture
• support each other in lectures and self-study and help each other with questions

Personal competence

• tolerate the opinions of other students, even if they contradict the own understanding
• independently and reliably take care of practicing the lecture contents (especially exercise sheets, slides and study of the provided literature)

Technological competence

• be familiar with latest technologies in various IT areas
• can apply advanced web search to find and analyse trending IT topics

Presentation (50%), written exam (50%), attendance is mandatory (80%)

This optional module, allows for various kinds of research studies in collaboration with planned or ongoing research projects. It is closely linked to the five units of the School of Architecture and is undertaken individually or in small teams of students. Supervision consists of guiding students towards clear results in a particular area of research. The research project is reviewed before a panel of experts from the supervising research unit.

Craft & Structure Unit:
The University of Liechtenstein’s “Room of Silence” project aims to investigate key questions using the research method “Research by Design” and to answer them in a practical manner through a groundbreaking realized rammed earth project. The focus lies on materiality, innovative detailing, the involvement of local stakeholders, as well as the aesthetic and functional quality of the space. The results are intended to be both scientifically grounded and of sustainable value for practical application.

Central Research Questions for the students will be: What innovative architectural and technical solutions can be developed and implemented using the material rammed earth in Liechtenstein? How can local stakeholders be integrated into the planning and construction process to combine their expertise with rammed earth in a sustainable and forward-looking way? How can airtightness and building physics requirements for connections be met without using membranes in ecological construction? What methods and techniques enable stable and durable installation of doors and windows in rammed earth constructions? How can excavated material from Liechtenstein be used for rammed earth construction, and what level of compressive strength can be achieved with it?
Project Objectives and Added Value: The project offers participating students the opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge of sustainable building design and implementation through an applied research strategy. They will benefit from collaboration with industry partners such as Lehm Ton Erde, GBD, Lenum, and other companies from Liechtenstein and the surrounding region. This includes access to laboratories, material testing, and the development of innovative approaches in cooperation with industry. At the same time, the project explores the interdisciplinary interplay between theory, material research, and practical implementation. Its aim is not only to contribute to the advancement of ecological construction but also to create a platform for future projects that address the sustainable use of resources and the evolution of regional building culture.

Research or design studies defined by research units and under the guidance of mentors, usually closely related to current research projects, developed individually or in groups. The offers of the research semester vary each se-mester depending on the units and are coordinated with the academic director of the Master's degree pro-gramme.

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

Individual appointments will be set with the tutor; group projects are also possible, as well as group work with individual submissions;

start, final submission and presentation can be individually
defined with the respective tutors.

Registration via the intranet of the University of Liechtenstein is not binding and is only valid in combination with the written consent of the respective unit. This applies to all Individual Electives in the Master's degree programme in Architecture.

In the Research Seminar course, students learn to apply in practice what they learned in the Research Methods course. The seminar covers issues related to identifying and formulating research questions, choosing a suitable research design to use in answering these questions, evaluating the feasibility of a planned research study, and writing research proposals. Together with faculty, students develop research proposals (so-called “exposés”) for their master’s theses

• The course involves interactive seminars with workshops and regular presentations.

After successful completion of the course, students will

Professional competence
• critical analyse state-of-the-art literature on selected research topics
• be able to write independently and scientifically about new research topics
• be able to present research ideas and designs

Methodological competence
• be able to understand and apply research methods in computer science and information systems
• be able to identify open research problems
• be able to identify feasible solution strategies for research problems

Social competence
• be able to effectively communicate their research ideas to their peers
• be able to effectively communicate their research ideas to their research supervisor(s)

Personal competence
• be able to plan and implement complex research tasks

Technological competence
• conduct proof-of-concept research experimentation and design

Seminar paper, presentation

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.

Built Heritage & Upcycling Unit:
Whenever there was a shortage of building materials in history, creativity was called for and a circular approach was often the answer. In the 16th century, the Frenchman Philibert de l'Orme invented a new construction method, known as "à petit bois", in which large roof surfaces were built from small pieces of wood. Instead of comprehensive designs, his architectural work was characterized by adapting, integrating and building on. We examine de l'Orme's circular approaches using the example of the roof truss of the Caserne Rochambeau in Mont-Dauphin (F). Could this method be one of the earliest concepts for planned circular building solutions?

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

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.

Group projects are also possible, as well as group work with individual submissions.

Aufbauend auf dem ersten Modul lernen die Studierenden nun die materiellrechtlichen Bestimmungen des Besonderen Teils des liechtensteinischen Strafgesetzbuchs kennen. Sie erlangen profunde Kenntnisse hinsichtlich der zentralen wirtschaftsstrafrechtlichen Tatbestände des liechtensteinischen Strafgesetzbuchs.
Im ersten Teil des Moduls werden die Vermögens- und Urkundendelikte behandelt. Der zweite Teil widmet sich vertieft den Insolvenz- und Korruptionsdelikten. Jede Deliktsgruppe wird zunächst durch eine kurze Einführung zur Praxisrelevanz und zur Tatbestandsstruktur eröffnet. Daran anschliessend erfolgt eine detaillierte Analyse der einzelnen Tatbestandsmerkmale unter Einbeziehung aktueller Judikatur und vertretener Lehrmeinungen. Die Auseinandersetzung beschränkt sich nicht ausschliesslich auf die Straftatbestände selbst. Aufgrund ihrer Akzessorietät werden auch die jeweils zugrunde liegenden ausserstrafrechtlichen Normen des Wirtschaftsrechts – insbesondere aus dem Gesellschafts- und Insolvenzrecht – eingehend erläutert. Das erworbene Wissen wird anhand praxisnaher Fallbeispiele gefestigt und vertieft. Im dritten Teil des Moduls ist schliesslich Raum für rechtsvergleichende Perspektiven vorgesehen: Hier werden zentrale Wirtschaftsstraftaten in drei ausgewählten ausländischen Jurisdiktionen dargestellt.
Das Modul behandelt folgende Themenbereiche:
• Vermögensdelikte
• Urkundendelikte
• Insolvenzdelikte
• Korruptionsdelikte
• Typische Fallbeispiele aus der Praxis
• Rechtsvergleichende Perspektiven

Interaktive Vorlesung mit eingehender Diskussion.

Die Studierenden erwerben fundiertes Fachwissen hinsichtlich wichtiger Wirtschaftsstrafbestimmungen im Strafgesetzbuch. Sie sind in der Lage, strafrechtlich relevante Sachverhalte zu erkennen, strafrechtliche Risiken für Unternehmen und Behörden frühzeitig zu identifizieren und sie präventiv zu beraten.

BPM and Organisational Practice explores Business Process Management (BPM) through an organisational-studies lens, so it is a BPM elective. Emphasizing the duality of stability and change in organisational work, the course covers the factors, mechanisms, and interventions that affect how processes behave over time. The course covers six primary topics:

• Organisation theory
• Process- and practice-based research
• Organisational routines
• Intra-organisational dynamics and endogenous change
• Organisational learning, unlearning, and forgetting
• The role of agency and intention in the execution of organisational work

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 key assumptions and management implications of BPM
• understand key assumptions about process work from organisation theory
• understand the main concepts of (strong) process theory
• understand the main competence of routine dynamics theory

Methodological competence
• be able to synthesize the main tenets of two different scientific fields (BPM and routine dynamics)
• be able to analyse organisational phenomena through the lens of (strong) process theory
• be able to attend to (subtle) social dynamics evolving throughout organising processes

Social competence
• Be able to change roles when addressing managerial questions (role as BPM expert versus role as organisation theorist)
• Be able to work together with colleagues on case assignments

Personal competence
• Be able to find unconventional approaches to BPM-related question
• Be able to reflect on strengths and weaknesses from specific scientific fields

Technological competence
• Know about ways to observe and measure process dynamics

Written exam (60min)