capstone project and thesis

Dissertation vs Thesis vs Capstone Project What’s the difference?

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | October 2020

At Grad Coach, we receive questions about dissertation and thesis writing on a daily basis – everything from how to find a good research topic to which research methods to use  and how to analyse the data.

One of the most common questions we receive is “what’s the difference between a dissertation and thesis?” . If you look around online, you’ll find a lot of confusing and often contrasting answers. In this post we’ll clear it up, once and for all…

Need a helping hand?

Dissertation vs Thesis: Showdown Time

Before comparing dissertations to theses, it’s useful to first understand what both of these are and what they have in common .

Dissertations and theses are both formal academic research projects . In other words, they’re academic projects that involve you undertaking research in a structured, systematic way. The research process typically involves the following steps :

• Asking a well-articulated and meaningful research question (or questions).
• Assessing what other researchers have said in relation to that question (this is usually called a literature review – you can learn more about that up here).
• Undertaking your own research using a clearly justified methodology – this often involves some sort of fieldwork such as interviews or surveys – and lastly,
• Deriving an answer to your research question based on your analysis.

In other words, theses and dissertations are both formal, structured research projects that involve using a clearly articulated methodology to draw out insights and answers to your research questions . So, in this respect, they are, for the most part, the same thing.

But, how are they different then?

Well, the key difference between a dissertation and a thesis is, for the most part, the level of study – in other words, undergrad, master or PhD. By extension, this also means that the complexity and rigorousness of the research differs between dissertations and theses.

So, which is which?

This is where it gets a bit confusing. The meaning of dissertation or thesis varies depending on the country or region of study. For example, in the UK, a dissertation is generally a research project that’s completed at the end of a Masters-level degree, whereas a thesis is completed for a Doctoral-level degree.

Conversely, the terminology is flipped around in the US (and some other countries). In other words, a thesis is completed for a Masters-level degree, while a dissertation is completed for PhD (or any other doctoral-level degree).

Simply put, a dissertation and a thesis are essentially the same thing, but at different levels of study . The exact terminology varies from country to country, and sometimes it even varies between universities in the same country. Some universities will also refer to this type of project as a capstone project . In addition, some universities will also require an oral exam or viva voce , especially for doctoral-level projects. 

Given that there are more than 25,000 universities scattered across the globe, all of this terminological complexity can cause some confusion. To be safe, make sure that you thoroughly read the brief provided by your university for your dissertation or thesis, and if possible, visit the university library to have a look at past students’ projects . This will help you get a feel for your institution’s norms and spot any nuances in terms of their specific requirements so that you can give them exactly what they want.

Let’s recap

Dissertations and theses are both formal academic research projects . The main difference is the level of study – undergrad, Masters or PhD. Terminology tends to vary from country to country, and even within countries.

Need help with your research project?

Get in touch with a friendly Grad Coach to discuss how we can help you fast-track your dissertation or thesis today. Book a free, no-obligation consultation here.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

You Might Also Like:

GRADCOACH youtube and materials are awesome for new researchers. Keep posting such materials so that many new researchers can benefit form them.

Am happy to be part of the family hope you will help me with more information through my email

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

• What Is Research Methodology? Simple Definition (With Examples) - Grad Coach - […] you’ve started working on your first piece of formal research – be it a dissertation, thesis or research project…

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Print Friendly

Online Students

For All Online Programs

International Students

On Campus, need or have Visa

Campus Students

For All Campus Programs

What is a Capstone Project in College?

The capstone project in college is the apogee, or completion marker, of a student's coursework leading to the culmination of their program with a degree in their chosen field of study. The original definition of a capstone focuses on the actual stone placed at the top of a wall or building, marking the successful completion of the structure. It's a significant and celebrated piece of architecture, considered to be the most important of an entire construction project.

"(Capstone projects are) the apex of all a student's work done throughout their college career," said Dr. Jeff Czarnec , a social sciences adjunct online and on-campus at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). Retired after 23 years in law enforcement, Czarnec served as an associate dean of criminal justice and social sciences at SNHU for nearly a decade. He now leverages his extensive background to teach social sciences, enriching the academic experience with his practical insights. 

When entering a capstone course, there's an expectation that you have all the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful. 

You have the opportunity to pick a research topic that is of interest to you and run with it. "After having to write research papers in all of their courses prior to (the capstone), the task is not one to dread, but to enjoy. It is their time to shine as students and to enjoy the journey," MacCarty said.

A capstone course is more than a potential degree requirement. It can serve as an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge mastery and creative thinking, which may help you stand out to potential employers.

What is Involved in a Capstone Project?

Each university, program and instructor may have different requirements — or models — for a capstone project. According to Czarnec, a general design might first include selecting a topic of interest that the instructor will approve. 

Czarnec said that, depending on the program, a capstone may include anything from a video presentation or an architectural model to an art exhibit or short film; however, it almost always includes a paper demonstrating an introduction, theory, evaluation, research and individual issues relevant to the proposal.

"Students are expected to be ready to enter the world as professionals in their field upon completion of the capstone course," said MacCarty.

The time it takes to complete a capstone project usually depends on the course's length. If you're in an undergraduate online program at SNHU, for instance, your capstone course would take eight weeks to complete, Czarnec said. 

Capstone courses are research-based, and you can choose your topic early on, allowing you more freedom to conduct research  independently. Capstone topics usually align with a program's specific disciplines, too.

For example, in the social sciences realm, "our focus is on human behavior and cognition, which may be different from a capstone course in business or STEM," MacCarty said.

Find Your Program

Types of capstones.

There are many types of capstone projects that you could consider, and they vary from learner to learner, Czarnec said. "Some will investigate issues or phenomenon that they are familiar with either professionally, personally or courtesy of a discipline-related source, such (as) a police or human services agency," he said. 

In a nutshell, a rough outline of a capstone, according to Czarnec, may look something like this:

• Select a topic and have it approved by the instructor
• Evaluate relevance to the proposal
• Perform necessary research
• Present results in the agreed-upon fashion

Czarnec said that if you're looking for a capstone topic, you may consider focusing on an area you're passionate about or you could also try to ask you instructor for some assistance. For example, Czarnec said that he can act as a guide, mentor, editor and research resource for his students to help them focus and narrow their search for a capstone topic.

Are Capstone Projects Difficult?

"Not necessarily," said Czarnec. "It does force you to be efficient and very specific to topic. No fluff. Straight forward. Razor sharp." 

The capstone is more of an opportunity to catch your breath, he said, and to retrace and pull up what you have learned in a more stress-free environment .

"It helps validate students as learners," Czarnec said.

Depending on the major and course requirements, there may be opportunities to connect with outside contacts, not only to assist with the capstone project research and problem statement but also to provide a networking community .

"Not every research project is, nor should they be, the same," Czarnec said. "Everyone has a different approach."

What is the Difference Between a Thesis and a Capstone Project?

A capstone is similar to a thesis in that the starting point involves the strengths needed for a thesis or dissertation work. For example, you may need to consider the skeletal structure of research and form your theory, hypothesis and problem statement.

"While a capstone is certainly a scholarly piece of work and does share some aspects of a thesis, the time and detail that is required of a master's thesis is greater," MacCarty said. 

A capstone paper may be 25 pages, whereas a thesis could be 100 or more. If you choose to further your education beyond a bachelor's degree, the capstone project could be an invaluable tool in preparing for a graduate thesis.

Capstone Projects are About Your Success

Capstones of all programs are leading you to the end game, Czarnec said. The goal is to develop you into a well-rounded thinker who can pull their work together in a coherent, articulate, well-organized fashion while considering the demands of the profession or vocation you're interested in.

The focus and intent of a capstone should be to create an effective device to assess and measure all that you've learned throughout your program in an aggregate fashion so you can demonstrate your life-long vocational skills in a nice, neat package. 

"My goal is for students to leave the program confident about their skills and abilities," said Czarnec.

MacCarty said that capstone courses should be structured to support your success in fulfilling program requirements and allow you the opportunity to showcase your academic abilities and skills gained throughout your degree program.

A degree can change your life. Choose your program  from 200+ SNHU degrees that can take you where you want to go.

Laurie Smith '14 is a writer, editor and communications specialist. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

Explore more content like this article

What is an MEd Degree?

What is a Bachelor of Arts Degree?

What are the 4 Types of College Degrees?

About southern new hampshire university.

SNHU is a nonprofit, accredited university with a mission to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

Founded in 1932, and online since 1995, we’ve helped countless students reach their goals with flexible, career-focused programs . Our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH is home to over 3,000 students, and we serve over 135,000 students online. Visit our about SNHU  page to learn more about our mission, accreditations, leadership team, national recognitions and awards.

Home » Education » What is the Difference Between Capstone and Thesis

What is the Difference Between Capstone and Thesis

The main difference between capstone and thesis is that capstone involves using existing knowledge to solve a problem in a particular field of study, whereas thesis is more scholarly in nature and contribute new knowledge to a particular field of study

Both capstone and thesis serve as the final projects of an academic course. They require a long-term commitment as students will have to spend a lot of time on their research. When done successfully, they can serve as the basis of a student’s professional portfolio.

Key Areas Covered

1.  What is a Capstone       – Definition, Features 2.  What is a Thesis     – Definition, Features 3.  Difference Between Capstone and Thesis      – Comparison of Key Differences

What is a Capstone

A capstone is a multilayered project that serves as a culminating academic experience for students, typically at the end of an academic program. Moreover, a capstone project may take many forms. In such projects, students select a topic or social problem that interests them, conduct research on that subject, record the results or findings, create a final product, showcasing their conclusions, as well as their learning acquisition. The final product can take many forms, such as papers, multimedia presentations, and short films. Students may also have to do an oral presentation on the project in front of a panel of teachers and experts who will evaluate the quality of the project.

Capstone projects encourage students to think critically and face challenges. They can also develop skills such as research skills, media literacy, teamwork, planning, goal setting, oral communication, public speaking, and self-sufficiency. These skills will help students in their careers as well as adult life. Furthermore, these projects tend to be interdisciplinary, i.e., students have to use various skills and research issues across many different domains of knowledge.

What is a Thesis

A thesis or dissertation is a long research paper that typically serves as the final project for a university degree. Submitting a thesis is generally required for completing undergraduate honours, masters , and doctoral degrees . The theses are very long and may contain hundreds of pages. They are also scholarly in nature and allows students to contribute valuable research in their field of study.

Moreover, a major part of a thesis work involves research and writing. It generally has advanced research design and analysis. When writing a thesis, the students will have to prove or disapprove a hypothesis , and their conclusions have to be backed by extensive research and an insightful, learned description of how they got to that conclusion. In some degree programs, students also have to perform an oral defence of the thesis paper in front of a panel of experts.

Parts of a Thesis

These are the components you will usually find in a thesis paper.

• Title Page                       
• Abstract           
• Table of Contents           
• List of Figures
• List of Tables           
• Introduction           
• Methods           
• Discussion             
• Conclusions
• Recommendations           
• Acknowledgements
• References             

Difference Between Capstone and Thesis

A capstone is a multilayered project that serves as a culminating academic experience for students, typically at the end of an academic program, whereas a thesis is a long research paper that typically serves as the final project for a university degree.

A thesis is more scholarly in nature than a capstone project.

Level of Education

Capstone projects can be done by high school students, college students, etc., whereas theses are required in higher levels of academia, usually in undergraduate honours degrees, masters, or doctorate levels.

Final Product

In a capstone project, the final product can take many forms, for example, paper, multimedia presentation, short film, etc. However, in a thesis, the final product is always a paper.

A capstone is a multilayered project that serves as a culminating academic experience for students, typically at the end of an academic program, whereas a thesis is a long research paper that typically serves as the final project for a university degree. Moreover, a thesis is more scholarly in nature than a capstone project. Therefore, this is is the main difference between capstone and thesis.

1. Stute, Martin. “ How to Write Your Thesis .” How to Write a Thesis. 2. “ Capstone Project Definition .” The Glossary of Education Reform, 23 Mar. 2016.

Image Courtesy:

1. “910524” (CC0) via Pxhere 2. “thesis” By Vectors Point, PK (CC0) via TheNounProject

About the Author: Hasa

Hasanthi is a seasoned content writer and editor with over 8 years of experience. Armed with a BA degree in English and a knack for digital marketing, she explores her passions for literature, history, culture, and food through her engaging and informative writing.

​You May Also Like These

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Theses and Capstone Projects: Writing your thesis or capstone project report

When a final project includes a written document of some sort, students are expected to follow the appropriate MSOE style guide. There are separate style guides for undergraduate and graduate work.

The applicable style guide can be found here:

• MSOE Graduate Student Documentation and Style Guide For Technical Documents
• MSOE Undergraduate Documentation and Style Guide

Thesis and Capstone Reports

MSOE librarians work closely with graduate students and their advisers during the thesis and capstone report phase of their education. The following resources, documents and information will help you complete your final project.

Graduate Thesis and Capstone Report Format Checks

In compliance with Graduate Programs Council (GPC) Policy 4.3.009, the library is responsible for verifying that all MSOE Graduate Thesis and Capstone Report documents comply with MSOE’s format requirements.

Graduate Thesis and Capstone Report Completion

• Graduate Thesis and Capstone Document Process This document walks through the process of completing a masters thesis or capstone document, including the library publication approval check and other considerations.
• Graduate Thesis and Capstone Publication Approval Form Complete this form and submit it to the library along with the thesis or capstone project to be reviewed.
• MSOE Electronic Thesis and Capstone Project Report Permission Form Use this Form to grant MSOE permission to electronically publish a graduate degree thesis or a graduate degree capstone project report or other independent graduate degree final report or essay.
• Library “Non-Circulation Status” Request Form Complete this from to request access restrictions for a thesis or capstone report.

Personal Thesis/Capstone Bindery Request

The library offers a bindery service for graduate students interested in having copies of their thesis or capstone report bound in a durable, sturdy, and attractive hardcover binding. Students are charged a fee per volume for the service. To request binding of a thesis or capstone report, please send an email to [email protected] .

Electronic Publications at MSOE

• Electronic Publications at MSOE A selection of theses and final capstone project reports completed by graduate students at MSOE that have been approved for electronic dissemination.

MSOE electronic publication provides the broadest possible method of disseminating your work. With electronic publication, the full text of your electronic thesis, capstone project report, or final independent report or essay is freely accessible world-wide on the Internet. Electronic publication of your document typically results in more recognition of your research work, wider dissemination of scholarly information, and acceleration of research.

The MSOE Library invites MSOE graduate students who have completed an approved master's thesis, capstone project report, or other independent final report or essay to submit their work to the MSOE Institutional Repository. In order to participate, graduate students must complete and submit a Permission Form in order to enable MSOE to electronically publish their work.

• About the Library
• List of all library guides
• Give feedback
• Print, scan, copy
• Troubleshoot digital access
• Book a study room
• Find eBooks
• Find Codes and Standards
• Find Patents
• References, Citations, and Study Guides
• Find a Journal

If you have suggestions for how to make this page better, please contact Elizabeth Jerow, Assistant Library Director ( [email protected] ).

• Last Updated: Feb 9, 2024 8:42 AM
• URL: https://libguides.msoe.edu/theses-capstone-projects

Thesis/Capstone for Master's in Data Science | Northwestern SPS - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

• Post-baccalaureate
• Undergraduate
• Professional Development
• Pre-College
• Center for Public Safety
• Get Information

Data Science

Capstone and thesis overview.

Capstone and thesis are similar in that they both represent a culminating, scholarly effort of high quality. Both should clearly state a problem or issue to be addressed. Both will allow students to complete a larger project and produce a product or publication that can be highlighted on their resumes. Students should consider the factors below when deciding whether a capstone or thesis may be more appropriate to pursue.

A capstone is a practical or real-world project that can emphasize preparation for professional practice. A capstone is more appropriate if:

• you don't necessarily need or want the experience of the research process or writing a big publication
• you want more input on your project, from fellow students and instructors
• you want more structure to your project, including assignment deadlines and due dates
• you want to complete the project or graduate in a timely manner

A student can enroll in MSDS 498 Capstone in any term. However, capstone specialization courses can provide a unique student experience and may be offered only twice a year. 

A thesis is an academic-focused research project with broader applicability. A thesis is more appropriate if:

• you want to get a PhD or other advanced degree and want the experience of the research process and writing for publication
• you want to work individually with a specific faculty member who serves as your thesis adviser
• you are more self-directed, are good at managing your own projects with very little supervision, and have a clear direction for your work
• you have a project that requires more time to pursue

Students can enroll in MSDS 590 Thesis as long as there is an approved thesis project proposal, identified thesis adviser, and all other required documentation at least two weeks before the start of any term.

From Faculty Director, Thomas W. Miller, PhD

Capstone projects and thesis research give students a chance to study topics of special interest to them. Students can highlight analytical skills developed in the program. Work on capstone and thesis research projects often leads to publications that students can highlight on their resumes.”

A thesis is an individual research project that usually takes two to four terms to complete. Capstone course sections, on the other hand, represent a one-term commitment.

Students need to evaluate their options prior to choosing a capstone course section because capstones vary widely from one instructor to the next. There are both general and specialization-focused capstone sections. Some capstone sections offer in individual research projects, others offer team research projects, and a few give students a choice of individual or team projects.

Students should refer to the SPS Graduate Student Handbook for more information regarding registration for either MSDS 590 Thesis or MSDS 498 Capstone.

Capstone Experience

If students wish to engage with an outside organization to work on a project for capstone, they can refer to this checklist and lessons learned for some helpful tips.

Capstone Checklist

• Start early — set aside a minimum of one to two months prior to the capstone quarter to determine the industry and modeling interests.
• Networking — pitch your idea to potential organizations for projects and focus on the business benefits you can provide.
• Permission request — make sure your final project can be shared with others in the course and the information can be made public.
• Engagement — engage with the capstone professor prior to and immediately after getting the dataset to ensure appropriate scope for the 10 weeks.
• Teambuilding — recruit team members who have similar interests for the type of project during the first week of the course.

Capstone Lesson Learned

• Access to company data can take longer than expected; not having this access before or at the start of the term can severely delay the progress
• Project timeline should align with coursework timeline as closely as possible
• One point of contact (POC) for business facing to ensure streamlined messages and more effective time management with the organization
• Expectation management on both sides: (business) this is pro-bono (students) this does not guarantee internship or job opportunities
• Data security/masking not executed in time can risk the opportunity completely

Publication of Work

Northwestern University Libraries offers an option for students to publish their master’s thesis or capstone in Arch, Northwestern’s open access research and data repository.

Benefits for publishing your thesis:

• Your work will be indexed by search engines and discoverable by researchers around the world, extending your work’s impact beyond Northwestern
• Your work will be assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to ensure perpetual online access and to facilitate scholarly citation
• Your work will help accelerate discovery and increase knowledge in your subject domain by adding to the global corpus of public scholarly information

Get started:

• Visit Arch online
• Log in with your NetID
• Describe your thesis: title, author, date, keywords, rights, license, subject, etc.
• Upload your thesis or capstone PDF and any related supplemental files (data, code, images, presentations, documentation, etc.)
• Select a visibility: Public, Northwestern-only, Embargo (i.e. delayed release)
• Save your work to the repository

Your thesis manuscript or capstone report will then be published on the MSDS page. You can view other published work here .

For questions or support in publishing your thesis or capstone, please contact [email protected] .

• Utility Menu

Guide to the ALM Capstone Project

Customstyles.

• Course Catalog

What is a Capstone?

Capstones are final courses that draw upon your entire ALM scholarly training to produce a faculty- or student-directed academic research project worthy of a Harvard degree.

Student-directed capstones require you to come up with a topic and make a case to your research advisor as to why the topic is worthy of investigation. The project represents your academic passion and professional interest. Once the topic is approved, you craft a capstone proposal--a research plan--where you outline the topic, share the background reading you've done to understand the topic, and state the research design and methods.

Faculty-directed capstones are semester-long academic seminars lead by an instructor, who brings together all the key learning outcomes of the field of study in a structured syllabus. The instructor may present a list of topics from which you can choose or you may work on the same project as other students. You could work in a team or on your own.

Prework. Most capstones require you to participate in either a noncredit capstone proposal tutorial or a 4-credit, graded precapstone course the semester right before capstone registration (no earlier). The guided prework in either the tutorial or course sets the foundation for academically strong capstones.

The following ALM fields require student-directed capstones:

• Global Development Practice
• Journalism  *
• Museum Studies
• Sustainability

* All fields require the Capstone Proposal Tutorial, except Journalism.

The following ALM fields require faculty-directed capstones:

• Anthropology
• Biotechnology  
• Creative Writing and Literature
• Data Science
• Digital Media Design
• Government  
• International Relations
• Math for Teaching  
• Information Management Systems  
• Software Engineering  

How do I choose between a thesis and a capstone?

Some programs have the option to pursue either the thesis or capstone track., a thesis is the more appropriate choice if:.

• You want to earn a PhD or other advanced degree later on
• You want the experience of writing for a publication
• You want to work individually with a Research Advisor and Thesis Director
• You are more self-directed, are good at managing projects with little supervision, and have a clear direction for your work
• You have a project that requires more time (9-12 months) to pursue than can be done in a single class

The Capstone route is the more appropriate choice if:

• You want to focus on a smaller-scale project that highlights your technical skills to a current or future employer
• You want to work with a client or supervisor on a real-world project that can address a pressing business need
• You want more input on your project from fellow students and other instructors;  you prefer to work in a community instead of alone
• You want more structure to your project, including more internal milestones and due dates

For more information about the ALM Thesis option in the various programs that offer it, please see the Thesis Process  page on the Extension School Website. 

• Customer Reviews
• Extended Essays
• IB Internal Assessment
• Theory of Knowledge
• Literature Review
• Dissertations
• Essay Writing
• Research Writing
• Assignment Help
• Capstone Projects
• College Application
• Online Class

Capstone Project: Definition, Types, Structure, and Examples

by  Antony W

January 2, 2024

If you're reading this, chances are that you're in your final year of school and the words "capstone project" have come up somewhere in your first or second semester.

You're probably looking for a quick score on the topic - what it's about, a project template, or even a sample. If so, you're in the right place.

Before we get into it, you' need to know that you're in the hands of consummate capstone project experts.

Help for Assessment is composed of scholars at all levels of academic achievement including Masters and Ph.D., all inspired and motivated to help students like you achieve their academic goals. The expertise and experience we have spans years. Even better, this combined academic expertise is placed at your disposal. If your capstone research project is already giving you goosebumps, we will do it for you from scratch including the project proposal, research, write up, and final review before submission.

Remember, you can trust Help for Assessment to complete your capstone project successfully and earn you top grades. All you have to do is order the service here on our service page.

 In the meantime, let us explore the definition of the capstone project, types of projects for students, and a sample capstone project.

What Is a Capstone Project? 

A capstone project in college is a final independent project undertaken in a program of study designed to assess the skills, knowledge, and expertise acquired by the student.

As the name suggests, it is the capstone or crowning achievement of academic life and the last class taken before graduation. It gives you the final credits required to pass the course, which is why every student must take the project.

Since it is designed to assess knowledge and skills gained in a particular discipline, capstone projects vary from school to school and discipline to discipline.

Such a project might involve something as simple as research on a topic, an evaluation of a new technique or method, development of a health program, research into a historical figure or event, or even composing a skit or theatre presentation.

No matter what kind of project you choose to undertake, the result is the same. You get to showcase your understanding of the coursework material learned and display your readiness to enter the professional world to start your career. It is a rewarding experience if done right, but can mess up your final year and possibly your graduation if you manage to mess it up.

Do you know that a successful capstone project also helps to land you lucrative jobs? That’s right, capstone projects are one of the ways potential employers find out just how learned, resourceful, and talented you are. Think of it as a kind of thesis.

Capstone projects are also called culminating projects, experience, senior exhibition, or other similar names. The project is usually self-directed, and most students find it a challenge to even come up with the right capstone project topic. 

Capstone Project Vs. Thesis

A capstone project and a thesis are both very similar in that they represent a final effort from the student just before graduation.

They are done in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the course being undertaken. The comprehensive approach and assessment involved are very similar, and sometimes the structure and methodology might overlap.

Both also have to be reviewed and approved by the institution and will remain in the public domain after publishing.

However, there are some important differences.

• A thesis is purely academic while a capstone project focuses more on the practical preparation of the student for the real world/job market.
• A thesis is guided by a research question resulting in the addition of new knowledge to the field, while a capstone project is guided by the practical importance of the project to the field.
• A thesis involves academic research and analysis, while a capstone project can be anything including a dance or film.
• A thesis is expected to be original and authentic, while a capstone project will have more loose requirements. You can borrow another person’s capstone project ideas , so long as you demonstrate your own advancement in the field.
• A capstone project will usually only have a brief write-up or report, while a thesis generates a detailed, extensive writeup.
• The final presentation of a thesis, called a defense, is meant to prove and show that you have mastered the subject. You are supposed to be a mini-expert in the field. A capstone project presentation comes off as a kind of exhibition where you showcase your project without having to defend it.

Types of Capstone Projects

Capstone projects vary not just in the type of project, also in the level at which they are done.

There are projects for juniors and seniors in college as well as for postgraduate students.

Here are some examples of the forms of projects depending on the academic level.

• In-depth research projects.
• Developing the concept of a product, tool, or service.
• Expositions.
• Experiments.

Capstone projects can be conducted either individually or in a group.

However, the key thing is to make sure that the project proposal has been reviewed and approved by the instructor/panel/institution in charge before proceeding.

Senior Capstone Project

Senior projects are so called because they are done by high school students in their senior year.

Just like other projects, they represent a culmination of the coursework with an interdisciplinary application of knowledge and skills gained so far.

The project usually takes the better part of the final academic year and will have different parts to it, depending on the type of project chosen.

It will also require a presentation where the student(s) explain and describe the project to an audience, including their classmates.

Sample Capstone Project Outline

The write up for a project consists of several parts. However, even before starting the write-up, you need to do a few things:

• Come up with an idea for your project. What will be your subject matter, topic, or premise?
• Find sources for the project and review them beforehand to ensure that they will be of help to you.
• Come up with a step-by-step methodology for your project.

Using this information, you will then write a capstone project proposal for your project. It informs your instructor or review panel exactly what you intend to present so that they can approve or reject it.

Once approved, you can go on to the next stage. The final write-up has the following parts.

• A title page.
• Project outline.
• A description/abstract.
• Introduction
• Rationale/relevance/reason for doing the project.
• Objectives of the project.
• Procedures/methodology.
• Research and analysis.
• Evaluation of results and findings.
• Conclusion and future work/suggestions.
• Bibliography/works cited/reference list.

Note that the project is carried out in stages. Once approved, you will need to be submitting weekly or monthly status reports to your supervisor. After the project report is submitted, you will also have to make a presentation about the whole project.

This brief outline is only meant to be a rough guide. We have a much more detailed article detailing how you can do your capstone project, including a project template. 

Capstone Project Examples

Help for Assessment has extensive experience when it comes to capstone projects of all kinds.

Whether it’s a high school project, a college capstone, or a senior capstone project, you can trust us to carry it out successfully for you.

You can check out various project samples here . 

Get Help With Your Capstone Project

Capstone projects in every level of school are a make or break it deal. Given that they complete the graduation credits required, it makes sense to leave this important part of your coursework to experts.

We are proud to offer you a guide on how to write a capstone project here . If you need help, you can take advantage of our capstone project writing service at affordable, student-friendly rates with amazing discounts. 

Check it out here and make your order to experience excellence, peace of mind, and success thanks to our stellar services.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Table of Contents

What is a capstone project, importance of capstone project, purpose of capstone project, types of capstone projects, components of a capstone paper, capstone project vs thesis paper, capstone project: your gateway to professionalism.

A Capstone Project is where academia meets real-world impact. Crucial to any certification course or college degree educational program, it can take multiple structures but offers the same purpose. According to the International Journal of Higher Education, over 85% of universities and colleges worldwide now incorporate capstone projects into their curriculum, recognizing their unparalleled ability to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application.

This project gives students a unique chance to perform independent research to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. The scale and degree of this project can be tested, and it is also exceptionally fulfilling. The capstone project was last year's activity and is an essential part of helping students prepare for the world of professionalism.

For those wondering what is capstone, it is the final assignment that is to be completed by the students in the final year of their academic program. This project needs multiple scholarly exercises. 

This project includes multiple varieties of structures, which means that it can be submitted in multiple forms, including a paper, execution, film, or multimedia presentation. This project is similar to any college thesis.

These projects are crafted to boost the students' critical thinking, oral communication, teamwork abilities, research, and problem-solving skills. In addition, this project helps students understand the process of connecting with local areas and identifying significant problems, issues, and ideas. Some tasks even include experiences outside of school, such as scientific observations and interviews.

Along with various other significant factors, a capstone project expands the austerity of academic studies during the final year.

• Capstone projects serve as a culmination of a student's academic journey. It requires them to draw upon knowledge and skills acquired throughout their studies. This integration of various disciplines provides a deeper understanding and appreciation of the interconnectedness of different subjects.
• A capstone project also increases students' individual inspiration. Its activities require creative work on fascinating themes, boosting students' inspiration.
• Through research, experimentation, and analysis, students develop essential problem-solving skills that employers across various industries highly seek.
• Capstone projects are an amazing approach to display learning capability. These kinds of projects help youngsters decide their preparation and capability to represent what they have learned from the project.

The major purposes behind incorporating capstone projects for the students include the following:

Overall Students Development

The meaning of capstone is a stone placed on the highest point of a structure to complete its construction. Hence, a capstone project refers to the advancement of students through their course. This project helps students improve their public speaking, teamwork, relational abilities, planning, and handling challenging problems. Students explore multiple ideas and implement their abilities while performing this project. It also helps students encounter learning techniques, such as intentions, research, etc.

Hones Skills that are Highly in Demand by Employers

The capstone project includes a disciplined, working society, planning to implement certain skills that are highly valued by employers and align well with the students' careers. While entering your career field or proceeding with how you study, how you implement and boost your skills is important. With each task, you polish your skills eventually. Moreover, you also develop better skills with the length and complexity of the assigned capstone project. Working on a capstone project includes selecting valid, relevant, and correct information, and these activities make it essential to boost your critical thinking skills. For instance, a capstone project helps you enhance your communication skills, which will be essential when you appear for an interview.

Provides Valuable Practical Experience

Grabbing your dream job as soon as possible can be challenging because several jobs need practical experience. This is why all capstone projects offer the students practical and theoretical experience. As employers are constantly searching for candidates who are well-versed in the practical application of the learned information, the capstone project proves extremely beneficial for the students' careers. 

Prepare Yourself For the Outside World

The capstone project is structured to consolidate the student's previous years of learning with appropriate practical experience to help them build themselves into well-learned graduates. Students combine into small groups to develop creative answers for reasonable issues, all while learning the crucial experiences required in the responsibilities and demands of the real world.

Stand Competitive in the Job Market and Build an Attractive CV

When you undertake a capstone project, you represent to employers that you’re passionate about building essential skills and fundamental academic qualifications. Your dedication level is displayed when you invest effort and time in boosting your skills, gaining practical work experience, and working hard for the project. Moreover, by completing a capstone project, you stand out from other candidates when applying for a job. 

Become a Data Science & Business Analytics Professional

• 11.5 M Expected New Jobs For Data Science And Analytics
• 28% Annual Job Growth By 2026
• Rs. 3L-11L Average Annual Salary

Professional Certificate Course in Data Analytics

• Program completion certificate from E&ICT Academy, IIT Kanpur
• Live masterclasses delivered by distinguished IIT Kanpur faculty

Here's what learners are saying regarding our programs:

Dhanya krishna

Thank you for introducing us to Python and Data Science techniques. I appreciate the effort. All instructors were very knowledgeable and patiently answered all questions.

The program is very well designed, and the live classes have personal attention in resolving doubts.

There are multiple capstone project examples. Each student is assigned a capstone project that best suits their skills and degree. Each project requires the students to implement the best process of doing things and to be creative. Every capstone project is highly research-intensive and requires students to present their skills and implement strategies that help them understand things better, along with developing critical and analytical skills.

Applied Research Capstone Project

In the applied research capstone projects, the students collaborate with international partners to conduct research that connects borders. This idea is to research subjects about the global context to explore things happening around the world. This project aims to bring solutions that can bring improvement to the world.

Creative Capstone Research Project

A creative capstone project is a project where students come up with excellent ideas to explore. The main motive behind this project is that students must be forced to think creatively and out of the box by making the best use of their critical thinking abilities. This project results in receiving useful insights from students in different fields, which improves the situation in regard to practical implications.

Action Research Capstone Project

In an action research capstone project, students promote continuous improvement and learning in a particular field. These projects are usually performed in education, psychology, medicine, and other fields. The main motive is to promote research and invent new methods through continuous research about new topics that may have crucial implications for the world.

Traditional Capstone Project

A traditional capstone project is like a regular capstone project in which students perform in-depth research in the field in which they are studying. The main goal is to conduct research that allows you to explore the things you are studying. Hence, selecting the right research question is important. You must select something that you have an interest in, and that will provide you with in-depth insights.

A capstone project is like any other project, with the primary goal of providing you with practice and experience in your particular field. It allows for a broader range of methodologies, potentially incorporating experiential learning, case studies, or simulations.

The main components of a capstone paper are as follows:

• Introduction
• Literature review
• Methodology
• Recommendations

Many people believe that a thesis paper and a capstone project are similar; however, they are not. The thesis focuses more on an exploration-based approach to evaluate the students' capacities. On the other hand, a capstone project evaluates the type and status of the student. One similarity between a thesis and a capstone project is that both need project execution, data collection, and outcome. In a thesis, students are required to add new learnings and thoughts. However, in a capstone project, students must collect data and provide outcomes regarding their benefit or as per their formal education.

Undertaking a capstone project requires students to gather information, conduct interviews, and examine subjects. Moreover, the whole procedure, from starting to work on your paper to completing it, raises the value of your resume and demonstrates that you hold the inspiration and diligence to complete all capstone projects.

Moreover, it helps the students boost their project management, oral communication, examination, and critical thinking abilities when working on their capstone project. If you want to upscale new-age technologies and essential industry skills, enrolling in these programs would be a better start:

• Professional Certificate Course In Data Analytics
• Professional Certificate Course In Generative AI And Machine Learning

Practice hands-on learning with Capstone Projects across various domains and build a profession you’ve always wanted!

1. What are the objectives of a Capstone Project?

The major objective of a capstone project is to produce original, high-quality work that contributes to the students' professional and academic development.

2. Who typically completes a Capstone Project?

A capstone project, which is a multi-faceted academic experience, is basically required for final-year students of an academic program to complete this project.

3. What disciplines require Capstone Projects?

Usually, Capstones are needed in programs, including practical learning and application of skills. These programs include business, computer, science, engineering, education, healthcare, and social sciences.

4. How long does a Capstone Project take to complete?

Completing a Capstone project might include a few beats or several months. Therefore, time management and project planning are essential to ensure that students can complete the project within the provided time frame.

5. How are Capstone Projects assessed?

The capstone project is assessed based on the capstone grading algorithm. An individual's grade is based on their team product development project performance (80%) and professional development (20%).

Data Science & Business Analytics Courses Duration and Fees

Data Science & Business Analytics programs typically range from a few weeks to several months, with fees varying based on program and institution.

Recommended Reads

The Rise of the Data-Driven Professional: 6 Non-Data Roles That Need Data Analytics Skills

Emerging Challenges that Create New Opportunities for Data Analytics Professionals

What is Data Analytics and its Future Scope in 2024

Data Analytics Basics: A Beginner’s Guide

Find Out How CompTIA Certifications Can Help IT Professionals to Retain the Edge?

Data Analytics with Python: Use Case Demo

Get Affiliated Certifications with Live Class programs

• PMP, PMI, PMBOK, CAPM, PgMP, PfMP, ACP, PBA, RMP, SP, and OPM3 are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

• CSUMB Library

Home > Capstones & Theses

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This digital archive of Capstone projects and Master's theses gathers the culminating experiences of both undergraduate and graduate students at CSUMB.

To view capstones and theses separately, please see the links below:

• Capstone Projects
• Master's Theses

Capstones/Theses from 2024 2024

Capstone Project: Addressing Youth Mental Health in Monterey County: Initiating Help-seeking Behavior , Arianna Campos

Capstone Project: Allowing Latinx Students’ Voices to be Heard , Sofie Jamieson

Capstone Project: Benefits of Adapted Physical Activities for Students with Disabilities , Jason Mazzuca

Capstone Project: Benefits of Alternative Assessment for College Students’ Academic Success and Mental Well-Being , Calista Gabriel

Capstone Project: Benefits of Dual Immersion Programs on Elementary School Students , Belle Sanchez

Capstone Project: Benefits of Early Childhood Education on Later Adult Life , Chelsie N. Jones

Capstone Project: Benefits of Speech Language Pathologists on Elementary School Students , Gisel Reynoso

Capstone Project: Cocina de Raizes / Roots and Recipes: A Family Cookbook , Jenises Gonzalez

Capstone Project: Community Benefits Awareness Presentations , Marlene Ramirez

Capstone Project: County Compensation Proposal: Bridging Benefit Gaps for Employees , Danny Jaramillo

Capstone Project: Diversity Coordinator Training , Norma Victoria

Capstone Project: Educating Hispanic Parents through an Informative Video in Monterey County , Jonathan Hernandez Hernandez

Capstone Project: Effects of Bullying on Elementary School Students , Deivid Joel Perez

Capstone Project: Effects of Parental Involvement in Elementary Students Acadmics , Jasmen Acosta

Capstone Project: Empowering Vidas by Affirming Motivation, Optimism, Resilience in Educators , Irene Castro

Capstone Project: Exploring the Cultural Significance of Mexican food: A Personal and Global perspective , Robert Treto

Capstone Project: Family Engagement: Identifying and Meeting Family Needs , Clara Beas

Capstone Project: Food and Culture in Challenged Books , Noah Hawkins

Capstone Project: Food Literacy and Applying Learnings Towards English Literacy , Andrew Wirtz

Capstone Project: Fueling Performance: Tailored Nutrition Strategies for Female Athletes , Capri Pezzella

Capstone Project: Genetically Modified Organisms: Progress or Blight? , Martin Lopez

Capstone Project: Healthy Teen Dating Relationships , Thalia Hernandez

Capstone Project: How Monitoring Food is Protecting People , Grace Sugden

Capstone Project: Implementing an Enhanced Care Management Program Serving Post-Incarcerated Individuals , Brianna Tome

Capstone Project: Improving Mental Health and Well-Being in Elementary School Students through Stress Management Activities , Shya Vasquez

Capstone Project: Journalistic Quality in the Digital Age Relating to Newsroom Diversity , Max Guerrera

Capstone Project: Mentoring At-Risk Students , Ana Cecilia Muñoz

Capstone Project: Music isn’t Just a Special: Amplifying Music's Power in Fostering Social-Emotional Skills in Students , Angelina Davis

Capstone Project: Parenting a Child Who Has an Autistic Sibling: Effects on Adjustment and Mental Health , Jess Del Mundo

Capstone Project: Pedestrian Safety: Crossing Language Barriers , Monica Corral

Capstone Project: Political Accountability and the Censure or Rep. Tlaib , Mabel Cummings

Capstone Project: Production Process of Music Videos and Significance of Understanding Music , Amanda Grace Dalmacio

Capstone Project: "Say What You Can't" by Nick Oliveri , Nicholas Oliveri

Capstone Project: Self-Care Techniques to Decrease Special Education Teacher Burnout , Carrie Frost

Capstone Project: Sexual Wellness Across Abilities: Reimagining Education for Adults with Disabilities , Damiana Kelsey

Capstone Project: Socio-Emotional Learning Interventions for Student Achievement , Alexis Campos

Capstone Project: Sonidos de Aztlán: A Historical Analysis of Chicano Music , Alejandro Gomez

Capstone Project: The Good, the Bad, and the in Between: The Effects of Covid19 & Remote Learning , Samantha Rivera

Capstone Project: The Impact of Parental Involvement on the Self-Concept and Academic Success on Elementary School Students , Alexis Randall

Capstone Project: The Importance of an Operations Manual , Richard Schlotthauer

Capstone Project: The Need For Volunteer Engagement , Brittney Portillo

Capstone Project: The Startup Spotlight: Chronicles of Innovation (2016-2023) , Dawn Hightree

Capstone Project: Transitioning Coordinated Family Support Services from the For-Profit to the Nonprofit Sector , Yesenia Zavala

Capstone Project: Unchecked Consumption? The Unbridled Access to Processed Foods in America , Jordan Perry

Capstone Project: Voices from the inside: Enhancing Co-Teaching experiences through Student Perspectives at 'Small University' , Nina Cruz

Capstone Project: Voices from the inside: Enhancing Co-Teaching experiences through Student Perspectives at 'Small University' , Hope Brightman

Capstone Project: Whispers of Thyme: Echoes of Herbal Wisdom , Gianna Constantine

Capstone Project: Adapting Fundraising to Fit the Needs of Modernized Philanthropy , Allie Heinz

Capstone Project: Benefits of Implementing Environmental Education Programs in Special Education Classrooms , Victoria Rudolph

Capstone Project: Blueprint for Wellness: Assessing Blue Zones Impact in Monterey County , Charlene Salinas

Capstone Project: Bridging the Gap with Personalized Case Management Support , Claudia Sanchez

Capstone Project: Building Paths to Housing Stability , Rosa Gonzalez Mojarro

Capstone Project: Developing Kids' Activities for Everyone's Harvest , Mitzi Camacho

Capstone Project: Feria de Salud , Linda A. Sanchez

Capstone Project: Impact of African American Teachers as Role Models for Improving Education for African American Students , Nina Faumuina-Eze

Capstone Project: Justice in Education: Examining the Discipline Disparities Approached by AB2598 , Kiyara Molina

Capstone Project: Matching people struggling with mental health and homelessness to resources , Jaleesa Barnum

Capstone Project: Navigating Mental Wellness: Guide to Santa Clara County Resources , Yazmin Vallejo-Gonzalez

Capstone Project: Youth Mental Health , Cynthia Jaramillo

Master's Thesis: Cultivating Confidence: The Impact of Goal Setting and Self Assessment on Self- Efficacy Among At-Risk Secondary Students in English Language Arts , Stevie Marie Miles Gonzales

Master's Thesis: Developing Metrics of Ecological Integrity for Wetlands on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation , Rebecca Baggott

Master's Thesis: Drivers Of Intertidal Purple Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) Reproductive Capacity Along The Central Coast Of California and Implications For Kelp Forest Recovery , Isaak Haberman

Master's Thesis: Effectiveness of Aerial Monitoring of Spatial and Temporal Changes of Santa Catalina Island Rhodolith Beds , Charnelle Wickliff

Master's Thesis: Evaluating Ecological Conditions of the Salinas River After the Removal of Arundo donax During Wet and Dry Years , Savannah Y. Saldaña

Master's Thesis: Multi-tissue Analysis of Combined Fluctuating Environmental Stressors in Juvenile Copper Rockfish, Sebastes Caurinus , Arie Dash

Capstones/Theses from 2023 2023

Capstone Project: Academy Based Learning: The High School Education You Wish You Had , Derek Gomez

Capstone Project: Academy-Based Learning: The High School Education You Wish You Had , Desiree Gomez

Capstone Project: Academy-Based Learning: The High School Education You Wish You Had , Marion Ramos

Capstone Project: A Cultural Analysis of Ethnic Identity, Socialization, and Familism from the Perspective of Latino CSUMB Students , Angelica Gutierrez Del Toro

Capstone Project: Addressing Life Stressors in High School , Jocelyn Romero

Capstone Project: Adjusting Emotional Intelligence and Coping Mechanisms to Improve Classroom Behavior , Emilia Davies-England

Capstone Project: Adolescent Girls and Self-Esteem , Susannah Lee Maddox

Capstone Project: Adolescent Mother's Experiences in Mental Health: Bringing Forth Awareness , Nylda E. Jaramillo

Capstone Project: Analyzing Family Strength & Needs Assessment , Jerusalen Valdez-De Leon

Capstone Project: Artistic Expression as a Pathway to Mental Wellness , Rio Ochoa

Capstone Project: At Least Eight Poems , Stone McDonald

Capstone Project: At-Risk Youth Community Engagement Valley Health Associates , Nathalie Suarez

Capstone Project: Attending Excellence: Supporting Elite Athletes in Elementary School , Jazmin Arellano

Capstone Project: Attention to Attendance at Marina Vista , Jaylord Gapol

Capstone Project: Awareness of Mental Health Among Adolescents , Gloria Ortiz-Wilson

Capstone Project: Basic Needs Housing Advocate Program , Loyce Jewell Bryant

Capstone Project: Benefits of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy for In-Service Educators , Megan E. Roberts

Capstone Project: Benefits of Existing Educational Programs for Migrant Elementary School Students , Jasmin Rodriguez

Capstone Project: Benefits of Learning Without Homework for Middle School Students , Ashley Garcia Marquez

Capstone Project: Benefits of Montessori Pedagogy for Special Needs Students , Madisyn Yonkers

Capstone Project: Benefits of Multicultural Education on Diverse Student Populations , Liliana Moreno

Capstone Project: Benefits of Using the Montessori Method to Teach Literacy to TK-2 , Taylor Holter

Capstone Project: Better Budtender Training , Vincent McDonald Castillo

Capstone Project: Boys Wear Blue and Girls Wear Pink - The Evolution of Masculinity , Connor Plant

Capstone Project: Breaking the Silence: What Isn't Being Said About Grieving Students , Robin Farian

Capstone Project: Bringing Awareness of Non-Traditional Family Structures to Elementary Education , Britney Itzel Melendez

Capstone Project: Bringing the Outdoors In: Creating Classroom Environments with Plants and Animals , Ethan Conti

Capstone Project: Building Anger Management Skills in Preschoolers , Manuelita Valdez Aceves

Capstone Project: Chinatown Outreach - Targeted Resources for the Unhoused Population , Jesus Herrera

Capstone Project: Classroom Management in Our Brave New World , Raquel Spaulding

Capstone Project: Coded Daily Communication Log Providing Client’s Health Updates , Joy Hodson

Capstone Project: Community Program Resource Guide of Activities for Youth , Bernadette M. Delariva

Capstone Project: Conquering and Combating Isolation , Nicholas DeAnda

Capstone Project: Coping with Stress and Developing Self-Care Skills for First-Generation College Students , Marissa Jost

Capstone Project: Crafting Journalism: The Pseudonyms of American Reform , Sierra Fishman

Page 1 of 29

Advanced Search

• Faculty Research Profiles
• Faculty Bookshelf
• Capstone Archive FAQ
• Capstone Submission Guidelines
• Thesis Submission Guidelines
• Submit Capstone

Browse This Collection By:

• Sustainability
• Social Justice
• Regional Impact

Home | About | FAQ | My Account | Accessibility Statement

Privacy Copyright

Undergraduate Capstone Projects and Graduate Thesis Projects that involve Human Subjects Research will need to coordinate with the IRB. Some notes:

• Check the Review Categories for an overview about what category your project might be in.
• Note that the Educational Research page talks about some types of educational research that may be exempt from review, but that this exemption will never apply to Capstone and Thesis Projects, because these are intended to be publicly shareable.
• Consistent with policies that are common across universities, the "Primary Investigator" on human subjects research must be a qualified professor or staff member and not a student, even if the student is doing most of the work. The PI can be the advisor on your project, or can be someone else. For example, perhaps a project is being done through the Minerva Psychology Lab and the PI is a professor in the Lab. In this case, the PI and your advisor would coordinate with each other (and you) about responsibilities.

IRB Homepage

Review Categories

Frequently Asked Questions

Pages For Specific Project Types

Class Assignments

Capstone and Thesis Projects

Civic Projects

External Projects (and IL199)

Student Initiatives

Educational Research (Faculty/Staff)

Graduate profiles

Meet the class of 2024, harvard college.

Meet more Harvard College graduates

Isabella Madrigal

Isabella’s senior thesis screenplay, a genre-bending family drama full of magical realism, centers the issues of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and two-spirit people.

Read more about Isabella

Dora Woodruff

Dora will next pursue a Ph.D. at MIT in algebraic combinatorics, a branch of mathematics that applies methods found in abstract algebra to discrete counting problems.

Aaron Shirley

Aaron dove into the world of medieval medicine with his thesis, “Holiness to Wholeness: Restoring Medieval Surgery to its Religious Cultural Context.”

Harvard Business School

Meet more HBS graduates

Davida Bynum

As a dual-degree candidate studying business and government, Davida is exploring the best ways to serve the public and private sectors.

Eduardo Avalos

With a focus on social entrepreneurship, Eduardo is hoping to create more equitable opportunities for those with fewer resources and less access.

Claudia Hill

By combining a degree in biomedical engineering with an M.B.A., Claudia plans to change millions of lives by creating life-saving drugs that can be distributed equitably.

Harvard Divinity School

Meet more Divinity School graduates

The growth I’ve experienced at HDS, both personal and academic, has been beyond anything I expected.” Samirah Jaigirdar Master of Theological Studies Learn more about Samirah’s studies

Jude Terna Ayua

Jude says his time at HDS changed his perspective about other faith traditions. After graduation, he will work as a private attorney and also run his non-profit, Keep Hope Alive Nigeria.

Christopher Siuzdak

While studying at HDS, Christopher’s favorite class was “Trends in World Christianity, 1900-2050,” which explored shifts in Christian confessions around the globe from a historical and social scientific perspective.

Harvard Extension School

Meet more Extension School graduates

Tomas Hernandez

Extension School graduate Tomas was able to complete his Master of Liberal Arts in Finance degree while working a full-time job, being a dad to three children, and pursuing his love of karate.

Vivien Kocsis

For her Master of Liberal Arts in Data Science capstone project, Vivien had a very specific sponsor in mind: NASA.

Brian Mazmanian

Of his journey at Harvard Extension School, Brian said, “I can honestly say that I’ve loved every minute of it.”

Harvard Graduate School of Design

Meet more graduates

For the first time, I truly felt like I was doing work that was very in touch with what GSD wants people to do, which is working with communities.” Priyanka Pillai Master in Design Engineering A joint Graduate School of Design and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences program Learn more about Priyanka’s work

Harvard Graduate School of Education

Meet more School of Education graduates

Kavya Krishna

Kavya was recently named among Forbes’ “30 Under 30” for her dedication to empowering girls with the digital literacy skills necessary to excel in a technology-driven society.

Alria and Vyankatesh Kharage

Alria and Vyankatesh met as undergraduates, fell in love, and began building a life together when their shared passion for education brought them to Harvard.

Moriah has turned her own struggles with sobriety and recovery into an opportunity to help others seeking higher education opportunities.

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Meet more SEAS graduates

Ben Schroeder

During his internship at SpaceX, Ben talked to experts to help him finalize his design for a robotic hand to help astronauts perform tasks remotely without the fatigue imposed by a suit glove.

Maria Emilia Mazzolenis

While pursuing a master’s degree in data science, Maria always kept her focus on the responsibility and impact that technology can have on society.

Lachlain McGranahan

Whether on the Charles River as a skipper on the Harvard Crimson sailing team or on the ocean helping to decipher sperm whale communications, Lachlain was never too far from his love for water and engineering.

Harvard Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Meet more GSAS graduates

Thomas found a way to identify otherwise unrecorded 20th-century hurricanes, laying the foundation for a new field of historical environmental seismology.

Dylan Renaud

Dylan’s Harvard Horizons project combines research in the emerging field of nanoscale photonics—how light interacts with very small objects—with practical computing applications to create novel devices that move information via light.

Juhee Kang, who studied history and East Asian languages and civilizations, explored how psychological testing and mass data collection evolved in 20th-century Japan, where they became central across society.

Harvard Kennedy School

Meet more Kennedy School graduates

Ananya Chhaochharia

While pursuing a Master in Public Policy, Ananya learned how to turn a political campaign into an art form.

Adebayo Alonge

After founding a platform that provides safe pharmaceuticals in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda, Adebayo decided to pursue a mid-career master’s degree to help him understand how to expand to even more countries.

For her capstone research project, Maya sought to understand and find solutions for the inequality in Boston’s core city services, which aren’t equitably distributed across its diverse neighborhoods and communities.

Harvard Law School

Meet more Harvard Law graduates

Nicholas Gonzalez

Nicholas was instantly smitten with the law when he took part in mock trial and moot court competitions in high school. The performative part of arguing a case felt both familiar and alluring.  

Phoebe Kotlikoff

After becoming one of the first female U.S. Navy submariners, Phoebe was inspired by the integration of submarine service and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to attend law school.

Harvard Medical School

Meet more HMS graduates

I often tell students two things: ‘You can do it,’ and ‘but not alone.’” David Velasquez Doctor of Medicine Learn what inspired David to earn a third Harvard degree

Deborah Plana

Personal experience with cancer in her family cemented Deborah’s determination to pursue a career that combines her passions for analysis and improving patient care.

Mitchell Winkie

There are only a handful of residency positions in dermatology for the U.S. military each year. There was only one spot in the Navy open to graduating medical students, and Mitchell was selected to fill it.

It was an online search for “science internships, Boston” that set Irene on a 10-year path to Harvard where she would ultimately complete a Ph.D. in biological and biomedical sciences.

Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Meet more School of Dental Medicine graduates

Sheridan Danquah

Growing up, Sheridan didn’t encounter a dentist until after moving from Ghana to the U.S. when he was 10. The experience made a profound impression on him and influenced him to enter the field.

Explore how Sheridan found his purpose

Jessica Latimer

Jessica turned a passion for doodling into a side job creating scientific illustrations that have landed in well-known medical and dental journals across the country.

Read about Jessica’s unique skill set

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Meet more Harvard Chan School graduates

I heard of people who had given birth during their incarceration, and I was really shocked.” Bethany Kotlar, who studied the impact of maternal incarceration during pregnancy and after birth on child development Learn more about Bethany’s research

Irfan Chaudhuri

Watching his grandmother battle Alzheimer’s disease inspired Irfan to explore the role public health could play in Alzheimer’s prevention.

After navigating the roadblocks involved in gender-affirming care, Ivan founded the startup Trans Health HQ to decrease barriers for clinicians and patients.

James Frater

As a child with asthma, James saw the dangers that come from inadequate health care. That’s why he decided to gain the skills to understand health systems and improve health equity across the globe.

• The Student Experience
• Financial Aid
• Degree Finder
• Undergraduate Arts & Sciences
• Departments and Programs
• Research, Scholarship & Creativity
• Centers & Institutes
• Geisel School of Medicine
• Guarini School of Graduate & Advanced Studies
• Thayer School of Engineering
• Tuck School of Business

Campus Life

• Diversity & Inclusion
• Athletics & Recreation
• Student Groups & Activities
• Residential Life

Kennedy Hamblen

I'm Kennedy, a literature nerd and creative writer from the outskirts of Memphis. I'm also a senior here at Dartmouth. When I'm not working in admissions as a senior fellow, I'm a student employee at the library and a research and teaching assistant in the English department. I love music (I collect vinyl!) and analyzing teen drama TV (think Riverdale and Pretty Little Liars). I'm currently applying to law schools. I've had such a great time at Dartmouth and am excited to share that with you!

Academic Program 

Favorite thing right now .

Pumpkin bread

Hometown 

Pronouns , you are here.

• People Places Pines

My English Honors Thesis: Chapter Three

Kennedy's d-plan, fall hanover, nh.

Professor McCann is my advisor, but that's not the only reason I took this class. Since it was a senior seminar with only 9 students, we got to dive deep into the fascinating material, including with Victorian-era pulp fiction books, advertisements, and psychological treatises, plus some good old fashioned canonical works like The Picture of Dorian Gray and Dracula. [Fun fact: I've read Dracula three times at Dartmouth... it's an English department favorite!]

Winter Hanover, NH

This was an off term for me, but I love Hanover so much I hung around anyways! I worked for admissions and Baker-Berry Library, read a ton of J.G. Ballard, and stared out the window at the snow for an embarrassingly long amount of time. I also visited my parents in Tennessee during Christmas.

Spring Hanover, NH

Professor Nachlis went out of his way to act as an unofficial pre-law advisor for all of us in this class, not only by introducing us to some of the most pressing issues in American government, but also by dedicating the final two weeks of class to a module called "Should you go to law school?" A question I was asking myself!

Summer Hanover, NH

Another off term again, and this time I'm working full-time for admissions as a senior fellow! I'm also doing a lot of preliminary reading for my honors thesis. Anyone heard of Friedrich Kittler's Discourse Networks? Well, I'll have read it twice by the time this term is over.

So, actually, this "chapter" of my blog post series about my English thesis is going to cover two chapters of my actual thesis because I wrote an additional chapter. Oops.

Also, here are Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 .

But the two authors are, despite all of their differences, writing (approximately) at the same time. And just as Aldous Huxley and William Burroughs wrote contemporaneously despite producing vastly different material, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that a lot of seniors are doing honors theses and other capstone projects alongside me. Spencer (whom I've interviewed about the history major) is polishing up his amazing rhetorical analysis of English Naval sermons during the Interregnum. Eliza, another senior fellow and English major, is writing about narrative constructions of madness in Victorian gothic novels. And I have friends writing and researching on everything from natural history to hip-hop in the Philippines to lead in baby teeth from the 1950s. I cannot stress how accessible independent study and projects are at Dartmouth if you want to do them. Just as I have had multiple professors go out of their way to advise me, read and comment upon my work, and help orient me in unfamiliar areas of study, so too have I heard from my friends and acquaintances that they are well-supported in their projects, whatever those may look like.

And while I could talk about these guys for… well, probably at least 60 double-spaced pages, seeing as that's the amount of space their respective chapters take up in my thesis, I instead want to talk about why I am doing this project. Interest, firstly, and I will likely never get a chance to write something like this again. But also, what theses and other independent research projects allow you to do as an undergraduate is undertake a prolonged research project for the first time in a relatively low-stakes environment. When I'm in law school, I'll need that skillset—not only the writing ability, but the know-how to find and organize materials for a large, ongoing research question. You learn best by doing, and that's what this is—actively trying for yourself something a lot of people don't get to do until graduate school or their career. It's a little headstart that can mean a lot.

Click to show post info Post Information

• english department
• honors thesis
• independent study
• Copy This Link
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter

Posts You Might Like

Experimental Phonetics

Another fun class I'm taking this term!

Spring term back at Dartmouth!

Here's a run-down of my sophomore Spring term classes!

A Look Inside of Physics 13 and 14: My Labs!

Here's some information on labs at Dartmouth and my experience with the physics labs I've had here so far!

Indo-European Linguistics: My Senior Seminar

Come learn more about the final class of my linguistics major!

Research Funding for all Interests

In the Winter term of 2024, I composed and performed an hour-long, avant-garde concert as the culmination of the grant award. Here is more on my experiences with research as a musician.

Officially a History Major!

Coming into Dartmouth, I would have never thought that I would end up declaring a history major. Now that it's official, what did this process entail?

Tuck Business Classes at Dartmouth!

Not having a business major offered does not mean Dartmouth doesn't offer any business-related courses. Let me take you through TUCK 1, 2, and 3!

When One Course Reminds You of Another

Sometimes in my courses I find myself thinking, "Hey that seems familiar!" I think it speaks to Dartmouth professors' ability to cover a broad range of relevant topics and the interdisciplinary nature of the College.

All Things Entrepreneurship

Do you enjoy Shark Tank-style pitches or fantasize about creating your own venture? Or are you even mildly interested in startups? Look no further than the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship!

Six seniors recognized with Dean’s Awards for outstanding capstone projects

Topics include a method to detect earthquake victims and an image-to-text application for the visually impaired.

Six SEAS students have been recognized with Dean’s Award for Outstanding Engineering Projects (Eliza Grinnell/SEAS)

Six students from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) were recognized with the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Engineering Projects at the recent SEAS Design and Project Fair at the Science and Engineering Complex. Recipients participated in ES100, a year-long capstone course for seniors in the SB engineering program, where each student develops a project to address a real-world engineering problem. The award comes with a prize of $500.

“SEAS students make things that may be really cool, quirky, or fun,” said SEAS Dean David Parkes. “And just as often, their work will help solve a real-world problem and have a significant impact on people’s lives. During ES100, a year-long capstone course for seniors in the SB engineering program, students tackle specific problems. They develop technical specs, design solutions, test their ideas using quantitative analysis and simulations, prototype, and build.”

For the 2023-24 academic year, 42 students completed ES100 projects. Five projects, including one two-student team project, were selected for the award. The award-winning projects covered a broad range of topics, including a remote sensor network for detecting earthquake victims trapped under rubble, an image-to-text application for the visually impaired, a quadcopter drone with enhanced maneuverability, and tool for determining potential water contaminants and suggested filtration solutions in wells.

Serena Zhao’s bioengineering capstone, “Developing Uniform, Photon-Emitting Nanoprobes for Multi-Color Electron Microscopy,” designed nanoprobes that emit colored light when hit by protons from an electron microscope, allowing for much more detailed imaging at the nanoscale level.

“Electron microscopy (EM) images are black and white,” Zhao said. “There’s no specificity, no color labeling. When it comes to studying complex biological processes, that’s a huge disadvantage. My project was trying to build these nanoprobes that emit color under EM, so we can get an electron image, a colored probe image, and then we can overlay them into a colored, labeled image that still has specificity and high resolution.”

The other four award winners were:

• Arba Shkreli and Molly Bosworth , electrical engineering, for their project, “SeASAR: Sensor Application for Search & Rescue in Urban Settings”
• Yasmine Omri, electrical engineering, for her project, “Towards a Real-Time Image-to-Speech Tool for the Visually Impaired: Efficient Hardware for On-device Image Classification”
• Lachlan McGranahan , mechanical engineering, for his project, “Modeling, Simulation, and Control for a Tilt-Rotor Quadcopter”
• Layla Seaver, environmental science and engineering, for her project, “Addressing Forever Chemicals: An Algorithm for PFAS Prediction Modeling and Filter Selection for Private Well-Users”

“I’m interested in using my engineering background to serve actual human needs,” Omri said. “My project falls into a field that we call ‘tiny machine learning.’ I wanted to find a way to run a very complex system locally, with energy efficiency and performance speed. I tried to consolidate it into a practical, application-based system focused specifically on the visually impaired.”

Four SEAS students received Honorable Mention for their senior capstone projects (Eliza Grinnell/SEAS)

Four additional SEAS students received Honorable Mentions for their capstone projects. They are:

• Cherish Jongwe, bioengineering, for his project, “Biofilm-Enhanced Household Water Filtration System for Heavy Metals Removal”
• Nicholas Laws , mechanical engineering, for his project, “Visualization Tool for Chemical Kinetic Pathways in Plasma-Assisted Combustion”
• Anna Ramos, electrical engineering, for her project, “Eye Controls for Quadriplegic Gamers”
• Emma Zuckerman , mechanical engineering, for her project, “Low Reynolds Number Anemometer for Earth’s Stratosphere and the Martian Atmosphere”

Seaver also received a $500 award from the Society of American Military Engineers. A former project lead and co-president of the Harvard chapter of Engineers Without Borders, Seaver has devoted most of her Harvard career to water research and infrastructure development.

“I took Elsie Sunderland’s class on toxicology, which introduced the idea of forever chemicals and contaminants like PFAS,” Seaver said. “When it came time to choose a thesis topic, I thought about the importance of these emerging contaminants for water quality and public health, and how I had the opportunity to work with one of the leading experts in this field through Elsie’s lab. If I could create a tool to make that information from the lab more readily available to users, that’d be the best way I could have an impact with my thesis.”

After she graduates, she’ll be working on water projects at the Boston office of Kleinfelder, an engineering firm.

“One of their most recent developments is looking at PFAS removal technology at the municipal level, which I’m really excited about,” she said.

Topics: Academics , Dean , Awards , Bioengineering , Electrical Engineering , Environmental Science & Engineering , Materials Science & Mechanical Engineering

Cutting-edge science delivered direct to your inbox.

Join the Harvard SEAS mailing list.

Press Contact

Matt Goisman | [email protected]

Related News

An engineer for every interest

Design Fair highlights range of engineering projects at SEAS

Academics , Active Learning Labs , REEF Makerspace , Allston Campus , Bioengineering , Design , Electrical Engineering , Environmental Science & Engineering , Materials Science & Mechanical Engineering , Robotics , Student Organizations

Kozinsky receives McDonald Mentoring Award

Materials scientist honored for thoughtful, effective advising

Three SEAS ventures take top prizes at President’s Innovation Challenge

Start-ups in emergency medicine, older adult care and quantum sensing all take home $75,000

Applied Physics , Awards , Computer Science , Entrepreneurship , Health / Medicine , Industry , Master of Design Engineering , Materials Science & Mechanical Engineering , MS/MBA , Quantum Engineering

What Six Senior Music Majors’ Say About Their Theses

As the Spring semester concludes and in anticipation for the Class of 2024’s graduation, the Music Department asked six Senior Music Majors to expand on their creative theses and offer advice to future students preparing their own. The Music Department is proud to share the results of each Music Major’s cumulative work at Princeton, which highlights scholarly research and true mastery of their disciplines. 

Jared Bozinko

Thesis: SIN PHONY for two soprano clarinets, two auxiliary clarinets, two saxophones, and two horns

Jared:  In the process of writing  SIN PHONY , I found inspiration in seemingly twee places. Poulenc’s  Sonata for horn, trumpet and trombone,  Prokofiev’s  Romeo and Juliet , a 1995 clarinet quartet by Met Opera clarinetist Sean Osborn, and Ligeti’s  Six Bagatelles , a quirky wind quintet version of his  Musica ricercata .  SIN PHONY  is a chamber piece, technically an octet, for clarinets, saxes, and horns. My advisor, Dr. Dmitri Tymoczko, has been indispensable to the process, guiding me all fall semester in writing short chamber music sketches, which became the basis of the material that makes up my thesis. The process was so smooth and, at points, genuinely fun, and it was a great challenge as a composer to blend disparate thematic material from sketches written completely separately into cohesive, compelling music that had cohesion and let my compositional voice shine through.

Tanaka Dunbar Ngwara

Thesis: Paivapo ’76: A New Musical 

Tanaka:  My thesis was an original musical entitled Paivapo ’76 and set in Domboshava Zimbabwe in 1976, during the Zimbabwean Liberation War. The show deals with the conflict between traditional practice/spirituality and Christianity, and explores themes of community, first love and grief. I received the Alex Adam ’07 Award to conduct research for this project over the summer and since the musical also served as independent work for my theater and music theater certificates, I was able to premiere the piece on May 3rd, 4th and 5th in the Wallace Theater in the Lewis Center Complex. 

Thesis: Flung Into Space: A Collection of Songs

Nina:   My thesis is a collection of six songs titled  Flung Into Space . It consists of three story heavy songs about my life, along with an electronic counterpart for each which explores the same topic from a new perspective. 

Rupert Peacock

Thesis: John Farrant’s “O Lord Allmighty (ca. 1570):  The English Anthem at Ely Cathedral With Critical Edition

Rupert:  My thesis is a critical edition and history surrounding a piece of unpublished English choral music. The piece is called “O Lord Almighty” by John Farrant. I went to the library at Cambridge University and looked through manuscripts from Ely cathedral, which is about 10 minutes from where I live in the UK. I found lots of great and famous choral works, but stumbled across this piece by Farrant almost by accident. Professor Wendy Heller taught me everything I needed to know to get this done. She’s an expert in critical editions and this kind of research. I couldn’t have done it without her.

Molly Trueman

Thesis: Angels & Aliens: The Making of an Album

Molly:  For my thesis, I wrote and recorded my debut full-length album entitled  Angels & Aliens . Based around acoustic guitar and vocals, the album has an alternative indie-folk feel. This is a milestone I’ve been working towards for a few years now, so I’m incredibly grateful that this album ended up being my thesis.

Gabriela Veciana

Thesis: Breaking the Sound Barrier: Investigating Latine Racial Bias Through Reggaetón Music

Gabriela:  For my thesis, I researched colorism within Latine communities through reggaetón music. I knew I was interested in looking at identity and Latin music, but it wasn’t until I heard my advisor, Lisa Margulis, present her work in music cognition that I saw a potential connection with psychology fields. 

If you were to describe your thesis in one word, what would it be?

Jared :  Darksided (hehe)

Tanaka:  Fusion

Nina:  Honest

Rupert:  Difficult!

Molly:  Extraterrestrial

Gabriela:  Interdisciplinary!

What advice would you give to future seniors on creating a successful thesis?

Jared:  Don’t be afraid that your thesis isn’t going to materialize in time, instead, always try to remember just why you chose this amazing department, and to remember your likely lifelong personal devotion to music. There’s a lot to love about being able to share your art as the capstone of your work at Princeton. 

Tanaka:  If you can, use the thesis as an opportunity to work on something that you’ve always wanted to do, but never had the time to do! It’s amazing to have the excuse of a thesis project to give you the drive and space to complete it. 

Nina:  Try to start without judgement. The hardest part of writing my thesis was my own expectations of what my thesis should look like. 

Rupert:  It has to be something you care about and/or are passionate about. It got to the point where I was actually looking forward to the next steps in my thesis and enjoyed working on it. That was crucial for motivation!

Molly:  In terms of creating a thesis, my biggest piece of advice is to find a topic that you’re truly passionate about. Don’t settle for something you don’t care about.

Gabriela:  You don’t always have to have a topic and then find an advisor, you can start by finding an advisor you are interested in working with and craft your topic from there.

What are your plans after graduation?

Jared:  Still figuring it out, though I’m certain I want music to be a core component of my everyday life. I am trying to move to Philadelphia and get involved with their variety of music scenes, from DIY punk basement shows to chamber orchestras to early music groups. I also want to continue composing and am eager to hone my craft even further wherever I go. 

Tanaka:  I’m going to attend the Royal Academy of Music for Music Theater vocal performance! I’m very excited to be in a new city, and get to do another music degree in a conservatory.

Nina:  I’m moving to Nashville, TN and pursuing a career as a performing musician. I’ll also be releasing music soon as a part of the band Upwhirl, as well as later this year releasing my thesis. 

Rupert:  I am going to split my time between singing and construction!

Molly:  After graduation, I’m going to McGill University to study in the Sound Recording program.

Gabriela:  I hope to work in theater administration in New York!

In Other News

Student Perspectives: The Musical Odyssey of Princeton’s Adrian Thananopavarn

Jan 18, 2024

Adrian P. Thananopavarn ’24, Math major with certificates in Computer Science and Music Composition, premieres “March of Dusk” with Princeton University Sinfonia

How 3 Princeton Students Spend a Monday at the Royal College of Music

Dec 7, 2023

Dorothy Junginger ’25, Kyle Tsai ’25, and Audrey Yang ’25 are currently participating in Princeton’s immersive abroad program this semester at the Royal College of Music in London.

Music Major Kasey Shao Named 2024 Gilmore Young Artist

Sep 18, 2023

The Department of Music congratulates Kasey Shao (Class of 2025), a Music Major who is pursuing Minors in Piano Performance and Engineering Biology, who was one of two students named 2024 Gilmore Young Artists. We caught up with Kasey this summer following the official announcement to discuss how she found out she’d been selected, what she has planned for her 2024 Gilmore recitals and piano commission, and what’s on the docket for her final two years at Princeton.

• Clark School Administration
• Ways to Give
• Contact Us About Giving
• Directories
• Corporate Partners
• A Ventilation Coach for Opioid Overdose...

A Ventilation Coach for Opioid Overdose Bystanders Takes Top Prize at Inaugural Capstone Design Expo

• student competition
• undergraduate
• capstone design expo

Dean's Award winners with Testudo, Dean Samuel Graham, Jr., and Fischell Department of Bioengineering Chair John Fisher

The opioid overdose epidemic—which claimed more than 110,000 lives in the U.S. last year alone—has prompted an urgent need for accessible solutions to save lives outside of hospital settings.

Maryland bioengineering seniors rose to the challenge in the Clark School’s inaugural Capstone Design Expo by developing a device that empowers bystanders and non-EMTs to properly and safely provide overdose victims with rescue breaths.

Their capstone design project, “ Accessible Ventilation Coach for Opioid Overdose Bystanders ,” won the Dean’s Award (and a $1,000 prize) at the May 1 event, held on UMD’s College Park campus at the XFINITY Center. The bioengineering team’s innovative adjunctive device, which uses a printed circuit board, connects to a bag valve mask (BVM) and provides visual guide LEDs for the proper rate and depth of breath compressions, along with feedback LEDs synchronized with the user’s performance. An audio system also provides coaching during use, guiding users in real time to increase or decrease their speed or pressure of compressions. Advisors to the team were Associate Professor Ian White of the Fischell Department of Bioengineering and Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices , and physician scientist, entrepreneur, and Associate Dean for Innovation and Physician Science Development at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Dr. Jason Rose.

“The number one cause of death from opioids is respiratory failure,” explained team lead and Clark School senior Kelly Yeung, “so the best immediate treatment is to support respirations. But safe use of a BVM requires training: That’s why we developed this device, to empower people to perform life-saving breaths before EMS arrives,” said Yeung, who also works as an additive technician at Terrapin Works . “We’ve imagined that this could be similar to an automated external defibrillator for cardiac arrest—and stationed in similar locations.”

The Capstone Design Expo brought more than 500 senior-level students from across Maryland Engineering’s civil and environmental, aerospace, mechanical, and bioengineering programs to present their capstone projects. Working under the guidance of faculty members and industry experts, students engaged in a year-long engineering project process that culminated in the design competition judged by experts in their respective fields.

“I want to thank our students for designing these innovative engineering solutions to some of the grand challenges we’re facing. We are very proud. These projects point to your quality work and collaboration—and to your desire to make a difference in the world through engineering,” Clark School Dean Samuel Graham, Jr., told the participants at the event.

Capstone Design Expo Photo Gallery

Civil and environmental engineering senior projects ranged from heat index and power outage emergency frameworks, to analysis of roadway infrastructure, to “cooler” solutions for bus stop design in Washington, D.C. Working under the guidance of Professor Deb Niemeier , the Clark Distinguished Chair in Energy and Sustainability, with senior project manager at Allan Myers Will Sigafoose as client contact, the department’s winning project, “ Alternative Central Avenue Conduit System ,” provides a case study in response to the Central Avenue Design-Build project in Baltimore and serves as a general guide for future conduit redevelopment projects.

“The students are eager to show what they’ve accomplished, not only solving engineering problems but helping to solve ethical and social issues, too,” said Nii O. Attoh-Okine , chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “It’s not all about profit, but it’s about answering the question, ‘how did we touch others with our design’?”

Bioengineering and biocomputational engineering majors worked to make medicine safer, more effective, and more accessible through projects that aim to improve current standards of care for treating aneurysms, diagnosing Covid-19, improving the tracheostomy process, and more. The winning team’s project, “ A Modified Syringe Design to Simplify the Preparation of Weight-Based Pediatric Medication ,” proposes a cost-effective, user-friendly, syringe-like device that features an adjustment dial to reduce risk of error and improve pediatric patient outcomes.

Project judge Matthew Dowling ’12 is founder and chief scientific officer of biotechnology research company Medcura and a member of the department’s advisory board. Having participated in departmental capstone showcases for several years, he said he always enjoys the interaction with students. “I get to hear how they’re learning about bioengineering and applying what they learn,” he said. “It’s great how they’re partnered with clinicians who introduce them to real, unmet needs—that’s huge.”

Alison Flatau , chair of the Department of Aerospace Engineering, called the Capstone Design Expo “a fantastic opportunity for students and faculty.” She said she was impressed with how well teams of more than twenty students tasked with mission challenges were able to integrate their pieces of the larger, system-level scope. “It gave me a great sense of pride seeing how well prepared our students are for taking on the big and high-impact challenges that are ahead of them.”

Project judge Megan Bock ’06, M.Eng. ’10 , a missions systems engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, remembers her own capstone process as a Clark School student. “I know what the capstone experience did for me. I learned a ton, and it was probably the most realistic simulation of life as a NASA engineer,” she said. That’s why she returns to campus: “I view this as part of the cycle of life, and I want to come back and see who I’m going to be working with someday.”

Harry Dankowicz , chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, noted the enormous diversity—and coverages—he saw at Capstone Design Expo. “Even in different engineering disciplines, our students are often tasked with the same kinds of challenges, and they have to bring in tools from outside of what they’re immediately learning,” he said. “There’s both the diversification of the problems and the convergences that really make a difference to solutions.”

As executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, mechanical engineering alumna and project judge Monica Watkins ’94 is always on the lookout for tomorrow’s engineers. “I have made it my personal mission to be involved,” she said, and she liked what she saw. “What I’m observing is the thought process—the intentionality, the critical thinking, the strategic planning and design. We value those skills. Not just that you’re an engineer, but that you have the mindset to work through problems and recommend solutions that we may not have considered.”

For the Dean’s Award winners, the team is looking ahead to what’s next for their medical device to empower opioid overdose bystanders. “I was super stoked to hear from everyone that they wanted to see this go to market and that they see this as a viable solution,” said Yeung. “Moving forward I want to see where this goes. I think it could be something big.”

To read more about all 98 student teams, visit the Capstone Design Expo site .

Published May 8, 2024

Related Stories

Stories / April 26, 2024

Engineering Students Fabricate Tomorrow’s Solutions Today

Stories / April 30, 2024

79 Undergrads Recognized at Annual Honors & Awards Celebration

Stories / February 29, 2024

Inside Alumni Cup

Stories / April 8, 2024

Seven Maryland Students Receive Vertical Flight Foundation...

Stories / January 4, 2024

Three UMD Students Named Among Aviation Week Network’s Class...

Stories / November 28, 2023

Meet the A. James Clark Scholars Class of '27

Stories / October 17, 2023

Introducing the Clark Scholars Program Network

Stories / August 2, 2023

Making Engineering Make 'Cents' to Teens

Stories / July 13, 2023

Terrapin Rocket Team Flies High, Takes Second in Category at...

Stories / June 29, 2023

UMD Takes Second at VFS Design-Build-Vertical-Flight Competition

Pelletier to Present in UW’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition!

Posted: 5/16/2024 (CSDE Research)

CSDE Trainee Lizzy Pelletier (Evans School of Public Policy & Governance) will be presenting at this year’s  UW Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition ! Lizzy’s talk is titled ‘Does Paid Leave Help All Parents?’. UW 3MT is a professional development competition that celebrates the exciting capstone and research experiences of master’s and doctoral students at the University of Washington. The competition supports graduate students’ capacity to effectively explain their research or capstone project in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a public audience. The event will occur on Thursday, May 23, 2024 from 3:00-4:00 in the auditorium of Alder Hall. Doors open at 2:30 pm. RSVP here and cheer Lizzy on!