The Capstone Proposal
Each student or student research team must prepare a detailed, written proposal of the work to be undertaken to fulfill the capstone requirement including a written description of the intended final report. All capstone proposals should be presented during the semester in which the student or students will complete the capstone seminar. Although the specific format of each proposal will vary depending on the nature of the product, all proposals must include the following:
- Description of the public policy and/or management problem to be studied
- Discussion of how the project integrates knowledge gained in PPM
- Delineation of the methodology to be used
- An overview of the final, written report (upon which the grade and capstone approval are based)
Once the capstone faculty advisor has approved the proposal, a capstone proposal presentation is scheduled. Students are required to schedule the presentation and post announcements notifying faculty, staff and students at least one week in advance of the anticipated date.
Procedurally, the student prepares a brief (two to five pages) proposal of his or her project that must be reviewed and approved by the faculty Capstone advisor and the HPM Capstone Project Coordinator. This review process takes place in an informal meeting that is open to other students interested in familiarizing themselves with the Capstone process, or who have an interest in the particular project’s subject area. When the Capstone is complete, the written report must be reviewed and approved by the Capstone Advisor and the Capstone Coordinator prior to the oral presentation. For the presentation, the student will post notices within the school and through the student listserv, at least a week in advance, stating the topic, the place and time. The faculty Capstone advisor evaluates and assigns a grade to the final project based on both the written product and oral presentation.