Capstones Taxonomy

The capstone is a signature, culminating experience that requires students to integrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions acquired during college and apply them in a situation that approximates some aspect of disciplinary practice. Students are prepared to achieve excellence in the capstone when the unit has intentionally designed a pathway that strategically places the capstone at the end of the students’ journey. In this way, the capstone is integrated and connected to the undergraduate experience, and is not a stand-alone course or experience. The Capstones Taxonomy differentiates the five attributes of capstones along three dimensions of impact. The common thread that works across all five attributes is as follows: High Impact: The capstone impacts students in the short-term for the duration of the course. The positive impact of the capstone accrues to each individual student. Higher Impact: The capstone impacts the entire class as students share experiences with each other. The impact of the capstone should be felt after the class concludes. Highest Impact: The capstone supports or advances the engagement of students with their next steps and impacts their trajectory in a lasting way. Students see the interdependent connections between their work and the world