Capstone
The Capstone Project
The Capstone Project ensures that every graduate of the Secondary Field in Educational Studies gains a sustained and deep learning experience in the field of education. Students are encouraged to take this opportunity to expand upon their coursework and dive deeply into an area that sparks their interest.
The Capstone Project requirement can be fulfilled in 4 possible ways:
Students who are writing a senior thesis for their concentration can also count it as their Capstone Project for the Secondary Field in Educational Studies if the thesis addresses issues related to education.
The thesis advisor must approve of the student also using their thesis as the Capstone Project and must agree to certify that thesis was completed at a high level of academic quality.
Students can fulfill their Capstone Project in a course with a substantial research paper requirement. The course can be related to education and count as one of the students’ five required courses for the Secondary Field or it can be in a course not specifically related to education but with an assignment that the student can focus on education.
In order for the research paper to count as a Capstone Project, students must design the research project and write a 20-page (or longer) paper.
The course instructor must approve the student using the paper for the Capstone Project and must agree to certify that the paper was completed at a high level of academic quality.
Students who work as researchers on projects related to education may turn that work into a Capstone Project. This research experience includes (1) working in a laboratory as a research assistant responsible for a largely independent part of the research and (2) completing an independent study (INDSTUDY1) under the supervision of a faculty member.
The student must work on the research project for a substantial period, such as full-time for 2 months, 8 to 10 hours per week for a semester, or 4 to 5 hours per week for an academic year.
The director of the larger research project or the course instructor of the independent study must approve the student using their research for the Capstone Project and must agree to certify that the student’s research was completed at a high level of academic quality.
In addition to the research work, the student must submit either (1) a paper or slide deck analyzing the findings of their research or (2) a 5- to 7-page paper reflecting on what they have learned from this research experience, connecting it to their Ed Secondary courses, and applying it to educational research broadly.
Students who undertake significant work as an educator, in a support role in an educational institution, or working on an education-related project in another organization may be able to turn that work into a Capstone Project.
The student must work on the project for a substantial period of time, such as full-time for 2 months, 8 to 10 hours per week for a semester, or 4 to 5 hours per week for an academic year.
The student’s supervisor must agree that the student can use their work as the basis of the Capstone Project and must agree to certify that the student’s work was of a high level of quality.
In addition to the work itself, students must submit either (1) a product that they have created for the organization they worked for or (2) a 5- to 7-page paper reflecting on what they have learned from this extracurricular experience, connecting it to their Ed Secondary courses, and applying it to educational practice or policy broadly.
Approval Process
The Capstone Project is completed and approved in the following 4 steps. All forms and supplementary documents should be submitted via email to Liao Cheng, Assistant Director of the Secondary Field in Educational Studies, and Rees Collier, Program Coordinator of the Secondary Field in Educational Studies. Students should contact Liao Cheng for questions and advising at any stage of their Capstone Project.
- Step 1: Consulting with the Assistant Director of the Secondary Field in Educational Studies Liao Cheng.
- Students are strongly encouraged to consult with Liao Cheng about their ideas for their Capstone Project early in the process. Liao Cheng can help students identify opportunities for fulfilling their Capstone Project if they need it.
- Step 2: Submitting the Capstone proposal.
- Students should write a brief description of the Capstone Project within 500 words.
- Students should acquire the capstone supervisor’s signature in the “Capstone Proposal” section on the Capstone Agreement Form. The Capstone supervisor should be the student’s thesis advisor (Option 1), course instructor (Option 2), Principal Investigator of the research or instructor of independent study (Option 3), or supervisor (Option 4).
- Submit both the Capstone Agreement Form and the Capstone description to Liao Cheng and Rees Collier via email for approval.
- Students must get approval for their Capstone Project Proposal before they complete the Capstone Project.
- Step 3: Complete the Capstone Project.
- Students should complete the Capstone Project under the guidance of their capstone supervisor. Students are encouraged to contact Liao Cheng for questions and advising during their Capstone Project.
- Step 4: Submit the Capstone Agreement Form and the Capstone Project.
- Student’s capstone supervisor should review the capstone and ensure that it is completed at a high level of quality, and then sign the “Capstone Completion” section on the
Capstone Agreement Form
Students should submit the Capstone Agreement Form and the Capstone Project to Liao Cheng and Rees Collier via email for approval.