Guide to Capstone Experiences

Version 1. March 01, 2022

Contributors and Reviewers

Editorial Director

Sarah "Sam" McKagan, McKagan Enterprises

Courtney Lannert*, Smith College and University of Massachusetts Amherst

Contributors

Nina Abramzon, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Kurt Fletcher, State University of New York College at Geneseo

Scott Franklin, Rochester Institute of Technology

Bob Rhoads, Ohio State University

Synthesis Committee

Theodore Hodapp*, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Robert Hilborn*, American Association of Physics Teachers

Ramon Lopez*, University of Texas at Arlington

Gubbi Sudhakaran*, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Reviewers

David M. Cook, Lawrence University

R. Koh, Smith College

Shauna Sallmen, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Bridget M. Smyser, Northeastern University

Review Committee

Michael Jackson*, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Ramon Lopez*, University of Texas at Arlington

Gay Stewart*, West Virginia University

Gubbi Sudhakaran*, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

A capstone experience is a multi-faceted project that results in a product, prototype, detailed solution, and/or presentation, and that serves as a culmination of a student’s undergraduate education. A capstone experience may be an individual project or a group project completed through a course, an independent study, or an external research experience or internship. Capstone experiences typically require students to “synthesize and integrate cumulative knowledge; apply learning and create new knowledge; work independently, bringing their own ideas to their work; present the results of the capstone work to an audience; meet rigorous professional and disciplinary standards; [and] reflect on their own development.” (Egan et al.) This section provides guidance on how to weigh the benefits of different capstone structures, provide departmental support for such experiences, and engage students in them. See the sections on Undergraduate Research and Internships for guidance on how to provide students with those specific types of capstone experiences.

Benefits

Capstone experiences provide opportunities for students to synthesize previous experiences and gain skills and competencies that may not be found elsewhere in the curriculum, including independence, project management, time management, research, communication, producing a final product, and, in some cases, working in teams. Capstone projects can provide opportunities for students to grapple with and develop skills needed to solve complex, open-ended, real-world problems that are generally not found in other courses, and thus prepare students to address the pressing issues facing society. Capstone projects can tackle open-ended, real-world problems that are generally not found in other courses. Capstone experiences have been identified as a high-impact practice and can be a powerful tool for recruiting and retention, particularly for students from

Marginalized Groups

People of color and others with marginalized ethnicities, women and others who experience misogyny, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, and others who have traditionally been marginalized in society and in physics. According to the TEAM-UP Report, marginalized groups are “groups of people defined by a common social identity who lack adequate social power or resources to design, build, or perpetuate social structures or institutions that reflect the centrality … of their identities, proclivities, and points of view. … They need not be underrepresented or numerical minorities, but often are.” We use the term marginalized groups, rather than minorities, underrepresented groups, or other commonly used terms, because people in these groups are not always minorities or underrepresented, and in order to convey that underrepresentation is the result of marginalization rather than a statistical accident. Another common term is minoritized groups. While we use this general term for brevity and readability, it is important to recognize that the many different groups encompassed by this term face different challenges and have different needs that should be addressed individually whenever possible, to learn the terms that people ask to be called, and to recognize that these terms may change over time.

. They provide excellent career preparation for students who are entering the workforce as well as those who are continuing to graduate study. A capstone course can also serve as a vehicle for assessing your

Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes

Statements describing what your students should know, understand, or be able to do as a result of completing your degree program. The outcomes emphasize the integration and application of knowledge rather than coverage of material, and are observable, measurable, and demonstrable. They are often abbreviated as program-level SLOs or as PLOs, and also known as program-level learning goals. The term “outcomes” is becoming the preferred term over “goals” or “objectives” because it makes it clearer that these are defined expectations upon completion of the program, rather than aspirational goals that may or may not be achieved. Examples include:

  • Identify, formulate, and solve broadly defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline
  • Develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data and use scientific judgment to draw conclusions
  • Communicate effectively
  • Demonstrate and exemplify an understanding of ethical conduct in scientific and professional settings

Program-level student learning outcomes generally focus on overall program outcomes, in contrast to course-level student learning outcomes, which are specific to the knowledge and skills addressed in individual courses. Accreditation requirements typically require program-level student learning outcomes to be defined separately for each degree program (e.g., B.A., B.S., or minor), even though there will often be considerable overlap among these sets of outcomes. For more details, see the section on How to Assess Student Learning at the Program Level.

and providing a summative assessment of your undergraduate physics program.

The Cycle of Reflection and Action

Effective Practices

Effective Practices

  1. Weigh the benefits of different structures for capstone experiences

  2. Establish and sustain departmental support for your capstone experiences

  3. Engage students

Programmatic Assessments

Programmatic Assessments

Capstone experiences have been identified as one of 11 high-impact educational practices that increase student retention and engagement. There is also evidence that students from

Marginalized Groups

People of color and others with marginalized ethnicities, women and others who experience misogyny, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, and others who have traditionally been marginalized in society and in physics. According to the TEAM-UP Report, marginalized groups are “groups of people defined by a common social identity who lack adequate social power or resources to design, build, or perpetuate social structures or institutions that reflect the centrality … of their identities, proclivities, and points of view. … They need not be underrepresented or numerical minorities, but often are.” We use the term marginalized groups, rather than minorities, underrepresented groups, or other commonly used terms, because people in these groups are not always minorities or underrepresented, and in order to convey that underrepresentation is the result of marginalization rather than a statistical accident. Another common term is minoritized groups. While we use this general term for brevity and readability, it is important to recognize that the many different groups encompassed by this term face different challenges and have different needs that should be addressed individually whenever possible, to learn the terms that people ask to be called, and to recognize that these terms may change over time.

are both the most likely to benefit from and the least likely to have access to these high-impact practices.

  1. G. D. Kuh, “High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter,” American Association of Colleges and Universities (2008).
Stay Informed with Updates
Our quarterly newsletter keeps you in the loop about events, ways to get involved, and the latest EP3 Guide content.
By signing up, I agree to the APS Privacy Policy.
EP3 Logo

Brought to you by


Funding provided by

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. 1738311, 1747563, and 1821372. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

This site is governed by the APS Privacy and other policies.

© 2023 The American Physical Society
CC-BY-NC-ND