Capstone Guidelines

As with a thesis, the Capstone Project should pose and pursue a question or hypothesis. It should not just describe or report, but rather create, explore, and advance the student’s understanding with original work. That original work might include critical examination of other works or something related to one’s artistic creation. The project is to be original for the student and newly developed for the capstone, although it should draw on previous BIS academic work in general and can build upon specific coursework. Further, a student may be offered the opportunity to contribute to an existing research project with a professor at the University and do independent work within the larger project. Whatever the topic, the Capstone Project will always culminate in a formal academic paper. Students have the option to consult with individuals outside the University.

The total capstone experience will take two semesters and count for six credits (three for each semester), and it should begin no later than the second to last semester in the BIS program. In the first semester of the capstone experience, the student will develop a Capstone proposal while enrolled in Proseminar ISPS 399, and will secure approval of the proposal from the faculty mentor and the Proseminar instructor before proceeding with the Capstone Project ISCP 400 in the second semester. The seminar and the actual project will receive separate letter grades, determined respectively by the Proseminar instructor and the faculty mentor. Each grade must be a C (2.0) or better in order to count for degree credit.

During the project, the student will work with a faculty mentor who is a domain expert in the student’s field of research. The mentor is to be a member of the University of Virginia faculty, either within BIS or another department of the University, and is to be approved by the capstone coordinator. To secure a mentor, the student first discusses project ideas with one or more faculty members (often identified with the help of the faculty advisor). When one individual appears to the student to be an appropriate mentor, the student submits the Intent to Take Proseminar Form and awaits approval or further suggestions. The mentor should be determined before enrolling in the Proseminar. In some cases, the student and mentor may also decide to consult with other individuals outside the University.

Close to the end of the semester of enrollment in Capstone Project ISCP 400, the student is to make a presentation of the finished project to an audience of student and faculty colleagues, plus other guests of the student’s choosing. These presentations are not separately graded. Two (simply) bound/covered copies of the completed and edited Capstone Project are to be submitted. One copy will be graded and returned to the student, while the second copy is to be sent to the BIS office as part of a library collection of capstone projects.