The dissertation, an initiation to research

In the 3rd year, introductory research sessions, offered by several teachers, accompany the student in defining what research in art and design school is, but also in defining their own research work.
This also offers the opportunity to begin defining what a master's thesis research project might entail, a project that is required at the end of the third year for those wishing to pursue a second cycle. A writing assignment is also undertaken, culminating in the creation of a written document that can be presented during the DNA (National Diploma of Higher Education).

At the beginning of the 4th year (M1), each student engages in dialogue and monitoring with one or two dissertation directors, a teacher from the school, a practitioner and a theoretician. These individual times are enriched by seminars in which students are brought together in small groups and present the progress of their research to two or three teachers who are not their directors, which allows for another perspective and a sometimes necessary step back from their work. Based on the research carried out throughout the 4th year, work on layout, layout and graphics is carried out, supervised by a teacher and in dialogue with the dissertation director. It allows the student to think about the visual and editorial restitution of this dissertation work.

Courses in graphic design, art and publishing history, books and printed arts are given throughout the curriculum and allow the affirmation of artistic positions with regard to publishing.
A bibliography is mandatory, as reading is essential, but it can be supplemented by other sources such as interviews, the student's own artistic work and that of other artists, and fieldwork—all different research methods to which students are introduced. The thesis can also take the form of a podcast, a website, or a video, with the approval of the research supervisor.

This individual research work that the dissertation represents is supplemented by various devices developed with a view to nourishing theoretical and plastic reflections and constituting a second part of the initiation to research.

DNSEP dissertations can be consulted at the library (on site). They are referenced in their catalog, click this link to read the memos made available.