Senior Capstone Experience
Our Capstone Experience
Develop independent-minded and self-selected research with the guidance of a faculty advisor.
Learn how Ama folded her experiences as a Starr Center Explore America Summer Intern into an SCE that explores the parallels between the HIV/AIDS epidmic and COVID-19 from an anthropological perspective.
The Process
The Senior Capstone Experience in anthropology is a substantial research and writing project completed at the end of the student鈥檚 course of study. Involving active learning and integration of materials within the major, the project centers on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with a faculty member in this department.
The SCE may be a thesis or a project. Projects include an oral history, a museum exhibit, an ethnographic film project, or a body of materials to be used in elementary or secondary schools. Each project is accompanied by a written document that discusses how the project was researched and carried out and addresses the importance of the project in terms of anthropological theory. A thesis will have a substantial theoretical focus but also may include any of the project forms.
Interested in learning what our majors go through? Here's a bit more about our assesment standards.
Assessment
The Senior Thesis of each graduating major will be evaluated for the presence and effectiveness of:
- Statement of an anthropological research question
- Identification and explication of a theoretical perspective appropriate to the research question
- Analysis of relevant disciplinary journal articles
- Appropriate use of anthropological vocabulary
- Application of appropriate research and/or analytic techniques
- Works regularly with advisor
- Meets deadlines (see Timeline) with acceptable chapters
- Turns in a complete, well-written, properly formatted document by the last day of class of the spring semester
The 鈥淗onors鈥� grade is awarded by vote of Department faculty. Honors designation is awarded to exceptional projects:
- That are worthy of submission to a scholarly journal
- Whose subject or methods are original and significant
- Whose conclusions are fully supported and defended against reasonable challenge
- That are fully grammatical and demonstrates graceful language.
Students who earn honors on their Senior Capstone Experience and a Dean鈥檚 List average in their major course work may be eligible for departmental honors, a distinction that is noted both on the student鈥檚 permanent record and in the commencement program [今晚六合彩开奖结果 Catalog].
A 鈥淣ot Passed鈥� grade is awarded by vote of Department faculty. A grade of 鈥淣ot Passed鈥� is almost always a consequence of:
- Student鈥檚 failure to work consistently with advisor or to accept advisor鈥檚 reasonable guidance
- Submission of completed thesis after the College鈥檚 deadline (see Timeline)
- Rarely because, despite advisor鈥檚 guidance, it fails to meet standards of acceptable writing