Capstone Experience Guidelines for Faculty
The Commonwealth College Capstone Experience (CE) is designed
to provide Commonwealth College students with an opportunity to integrate their undergraduate experiences and
prepare for their careers. Building on the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired, students pursue research
questions, create art, engage the wider community in action efforts, or work intensively on one of a variety of
other academic projects.
The Capstone Experience expectations are high. Whether the intended end product is a traditional thesis or a specialized project, all Capstone Experiences
- Are six or more credits
- Begin with creative inquiry and systematic research
- Include documentation of substantive scholarly endeavor
- Culminate in an oral defense or other form of public presentation
There are two main categories of Capstone Experiences, both of which are referred to frequently as “capstones”
in these guidelines.
Capstone Categories
[For more information, click on each capstone category.]
Format: These 6- or more-credit capstone experiences require the approval
of a syllabus by the Commonwealth College Curriculum Committee. They are generally taught seminar style
in a classroom setting.
These are essentially offered in three ways: sequential (usually over semesters), stand-alone (one semester), or
simultaneous (two capstones with two different instructors paired together in one semester).
Capstone courses, like their capstone contract counterparts, require major scholarly undertakings in the form of theses or
projects. In lieu of an oral defense, most capstone courses include a presentation to course members, the instructor, or both.
Registration: Most capstone courses are registered by students directly on SPIRE. Occasionally,
registration may require instructor permission beforehand to ensure that students fully understand and are able to commit
to course expectations. Such instructions will be noted in the course description in the Commonwealth College online
Honors Course Guide
Syllabus Approval: Instructors who are interested in proposing a capstone course must submit
a Capstone Course Proposal form to the Commonwealth College
office for review by the Curriculum Committee. If the capstone course is approved, and funding is available from Commonwealth
College or the instructor’s department, the capstone course will be offered and advertised in the Commonwealth College
online Honors Course Guide
These capstones require an agreed-upon and approved contract, proposal, and guidance committee,
and they terminate in an oral defense. Examples include:
Thesis (six or more credits, usually over two semesters)
Project (six or more credits, usually over two semesters)
Registration: These capstones are registered by Commonwealth College after they have been fully
approved. Independent Capstone Contract forms and
proposals are required.
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