The Capstone Project is the culminating academic experience for all Honors College Scholars representing a student’s deep engagement with a specific topic, question, or problem which requires a substantial, sustained, and original outcome — such as a written work, a research paper, a published article, a demonstrated experience, or a performance.
In the past, we have had students: write/perform/produce their own album [Situational Comedy]; open a local business [Crunch Cafe]; travel to Bolivia to interview healthcare workers; even coauthor a research paper published in a prestigious journal. While each Capstone is unique and there can be a myriad of ways in which a student undertakes this culminating experience, the single most important commonality is its academic integrity and showcasing of a student's skills and knowledge.
Project Requirements
What follows is an online Guide to the Honors Capstone (this information is also available on a Canvas page for students once you are actively working on a Capstone). Every student who wishes to graduate as an Honors College Scholar must complete a Capstone, beginning in the semesters or semester prior to graduation (*Note: Pharmacy students may do their Capstone in either their fourth or fifth years).
Depending upon a student's major school and type of project (there are six options for Capstone Projects available to Honors College students, see below), the project must:
- Require enrollment in four to six credits (this is determined by program and departments, not the student*)
- Span two semesters (a few programs are constructed as one semester; this is not decided by the student).
- Supervised by an approved faculty advisor or advisors (many projects require two advisors)
- Rely upon a foundation of relevant scholarly literature and accepted practice
- Publicly presented or shared, in an effort to extend the impact of one's scholarly work into the public realm. All Capstones require either a Scholarly Report or the submission of their final project, as defined by their project mentors/advisors. And all completed projects must also be presented at the HC Academic Showcase in the semester in which they are completed, unless the student can document a public presentation in another forum or venue.
*For any majors that earn less than six credits for their Capstone, those students are required to take the remaining two credits as honors level courses at a prior point in their education.
Project Timeline
A Capstone Project consists of several key components and a sustained progression.
- Capstone Workshop (required) and Proposal. Due: one full AY before anticipated completion.
- Final/Updated Proposal. Due: add/drop in the semester before completion.
- Mid-Project Update. Due: Reading Day in the semester before completion.
- Project Presentation / HC Academic Showcase. Due: semester of completion.
- Final Project. Due: Graduation.
The first step is to attend a required Capstone Workshop, envision the project, and submit a Capstone Proposal (link below). Initial proposals are due by either April 1 or November 1, depending upon one's semester of graduation, in order to indicate your intention to complete this requirement by a specific semester. This will include detailed discussions with your intended mentor(s)/faculty advisor(s) in order to conceive of, develop, and design a project and secure all of the commitments from faculty in order to make sure the project will run smoothly. Likewise, you will have to work with the advising team in the Honors College.
You then have until the start of the next semester before your updated and final proposal is due. Some School of Engineering students may not be able to meet this deadline, and will have alternative tasks explained to them.
During your first semester, you will begin working on the project as outlined in the proposal and schedule. Students will be expected to dedicate up to 100 hours to the project in this first semester, and there will be a required mid-project report and check-in required. If you have not been sustaining the schedule or meeting the agreed-upon expectations, students can be dropped from the program.
In the second and final semester, you will be required to prepare a presentation of your work to showcase the project to your fellow students, the Honors community, and anyone who would like to learn more about it. This will either take place in a formal setting agreed upon by the project's advisors or as part of the HC Academic Showcase held at the end of each semester.
Please refer to the Canvas page for more detailed information (and certain exceptions), as well as refer to the table below for the upcoming deadlines.
Graduation Date | Initial Capstone Proposal Due Date | Final Capstone Proposal Due Date |
| January 2027 | Nov 1, 2025 | Last day of FA26 add/drop |
| August 2026* | Nov 1, 2025 | Last day of SP26 add/drop |
| May 2026 | Apr 1, 2025 | Last day of FA25 add/drop |
| January 2026 | Nov 1, 2024 | Last day of FA25 add/drop |
| August 2025* | Nov 1, 2024 | Last day of SP25 add/drop |
May 2025 | Apr 1, 2024 | Last day of FA24 add/drop |
*Any student who would like to use a summer term (SU) as a Capstone term must get prior approval from the Honors College Dean's Office. Likewise, some students will have to update their proposal multiple times.
Six Options for Capstone Projects
Option 1: Departmental Honors
Students may choose to fulfill their Capstone requirement by completing a senior honors thesis or project within their major-granting department (in select cases, a student may opt to fulfill this project through their minor field of study as well). Please note, not all departments have an honors or a Capstone track.
The Departmental Honors option must be supervised by a faculty advisor in the selected department and fulfill that department’s requirements for an honors thesis.
Information on the available departmental majors and Schools, through which a supervised thesis may be available, can be found at nb.rutgers.edu/academics/academic-departments-programs. A list of known departments, by School, is given below.
All Capstones require either a Scholarly Report or the submission of their final project, as defined by their project mentors/advisors. All completed projects must also be presented at the HC Academic Showcase in the semester in which they are completed, unless the student can document a public presentation in another forum or venue. Traditionally written projects often culminate in a written thesis (requiring an oral defense before a faculty committee), satisfying the presentation component.
Any RBS student wishing to complete their Capstone through departmental honors must complete both the HC proposal form and the RBS proposal form which can be obtained through the Associate Advising Dean (currently Dr. Kersten Schnatter).
Students should contact their Honors College advisor for more information on the Departmental Honors option.
Departments with known Honors Capstone Options
This list is not intended to be exhaustive, but simply an overview of available programs. Any of these links is a good place to start, but it is essential to talk to advisors and faculty in your department.
SAS
Information Technology and Informatics
Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Theater Arts – Contact Department
Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
RBS
Student is responsible for selecting a research topic and finding a Faculty Advisor. Any RBS student wishing to complete their Capstone through departmental honors must complete both the HC proposal form AND the RBS proposal form which can be obtained from Dean Schnatter.
SEBS
George H. Cook Scholars Program
SOE
James J. Slade Scholars Program
EMSOP
PharmD Honors Research Program. Any Pharmacy student wishing to complete their Capstone with the Pharmacy Honors Research Program will receive eight credits instead of six credits for Capstone and are required to complete a Scholarly Report or submit a research outcome product.
MGSA
Option 2: School Based Honors Projects
This option is reserved for Honors College students enrolled in Schools with school-wide requirements for senior projects or experiences, such as the School of Engineering Senior Design Project, Mason Gross School of the Arts Student Performance, Public Health, Health Administration, and Public Policy Internships, and School of Social Work Field Experiences.
Students completing these programs may have an alternate timeline to completing their Capstone. Students must meet with an HC Academic Advisor if they plan to select this option.
School of Engineering students who select this as their Capstone Option may receive four credits instead of six credits for their Capstone. For any majors that earn less than six credits for their Capstone, those students are required to take the remaining two credits as honors level courses at any point in their education.
- Aerospace Engineering – 4 credits across Fall and Spring
- Biomedical Engineering – 6 credits across Fall and Spring
- Chemical and Biochemical Engineering – 4 credits in Spring
- Civil Engineering – 4 credits in Spring
- Electrical and Computer Engineering – 4 credits across Fall and Spring
- Environmental Engineering - 4 credits across Fall and Spring
- Industrial Engineering – 6 credits across junior year Spring and senior year Fall
- Material Science and Engineering - 6 credits across junior year Spring and senior year Fall
- Mechanical Engineering – 4 credits across Fall and Spring
- Packaging Engineering - 6 credits across Fall and Spring
All School-based Honors Project Capstones require either a Scholarly Report or the submission of their final project, as defined by their project mentors/advisors. All completed projects must also be presented at the HC Academic Showcase in the semester in which they are completed, unless the student can document a public presentation in another forum or venue.
Option 3: Interdisciplinary Honors Thesis or Project
The Interdisciplinary Honors Thesis is a two-semester independent project that culminates in a written thesis (requiring an oral defense before a faculty committee) or an innovative project that crosses disciplinary boundaries. Students are free to propose any distinctive idea that does not fit any of the other categories or take on a traditional deep research and writing project. Prior projects have included the aforementioned albums, travel study, a complete podcast series, and large artistic productions (both in performance art and in display art).
The Interdisciplinary Honors Thesis option is best for students who have an interest in a topic that spans more than one academic discipline or who are in a major that does not have a departmental honors program. Students may also choose to complete a research project outside of their major. In this case, the student must use the IHT option.
Students are required to work with two faculty from differing areas of expertise to develop and complete their IHT; both need to be selected and identified at the time of submission of the Capstone Proposal.
All IHT credits will be provided through the Honors College using courses 01:090:497H (3 credits) and 01:090:498H (3 credits). The HC also handles the registration and SPN elements of these courses. Students taking this option will not receive an evaluative and permanent letter grade for the 497H section until the conclusion of the Capstone. Students will receive an "H" grade at the conclusion of their first Capstone course that will be updated with a letter grade after the completion of their project.
All IHTs require the submission of the final project, as defined by their project mentors/advisors. All completed projects must also be presented at the HC Academic Showcase in the semester in which they are completed, unless the student can document a public presentation in another forum or venue.
Option 4: Graduate Study
Undergraduate students can fulfill their Capstone requirement by enrolling in two or more sequential or related graduate-level courses in the same department or program. A student must consider the interrelated nature and integrity of the content of both courses and present them as a combination.
Enrolling in graduate courses requires prior permission of the instructor and approval of the department's graduate director as well as approval from the Honors College's Dean or Advisors. Students should also work with their departmental director of Undergraduate Studies in order to be certain that the courses they seek are acceptable to be used for meeting graduation requirements.
The process for each School is slightly different:
- School of Arts and Sciences students must submit the Graduate Request Form to the School of Arts and Sciences Office of Academic Services.
- Rutgers Business School students must contact the RBS Honors Advising Dean with their name, RUID, and the name, course code, and section number of 1-2 graduate courses you are interested in taking to fulfill your Capstone for the following semester. They will get back to you with a decision from the Graduate Director. This option is very limited.
- Students enrolled in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences must visit that school's Academic Services Office to request permission to enroll in graduate courses.
- School of Engineering students in good academic standing must request permission to enroll in graduate courses through the Graduate Program Director.
- Mason Gross School of the Arts (MGSA) students must contact the Mason Gross Office of Academic Services for permission to enroll in any graduate-level Mason Gross courses.
All students using this option need only list their Undergraduate Studies Director, Graduate Program Director, or Program Lead Faculty as their Primary Advisor for the Capstone. These programs require a Scholarly Report that is focused on the intellectual and skills development that came through as a result of adding this higher-level learning format into a student's studies.
Note that online, asynchronous graduate courses cannot be used for Capstone completion. Likewise, a student may only use one online, synchronous course (and even this should be considered sparingly), but never two.
Unfortunately, this option is becoming increasingly limited to undergraduate students. Programs such as Psychology and Finance do not allow undergraduate students to enter their graduate courses. Programs like Computer Science, on the other hand, robustly encourage it and even design their own departmental honors sequences along these same lines. Students who wish to select this option should do so well in advance and make certain that it is feasible and confirmed before proceeding.
Option 5: Graduate Program
Students who are admitted and enroll in a Rutgers dual degree program that combines undergraduate and graduate coursework can complete their Capstone with two courses from their program during their last two undergraduate semesters before advancing into full-time graduate study. Coursework must be taken in consecutive semesters.
Eligible programs include, but are not limited to:
- Five-Year Graduate School of Education Teacher Education programs
- Five-Year Master of Communication and Information
- Accelerated Graduate Business Programs (i.e. BA or BS/MBA)
- Health Professions Joint Programs (BA/MD, BA/DMD, BA/MS)
Note that the PharmD program does not fulfill this option (students must choose the departmental or School-based options).
All students using this option need only list their Undergraduate Studies Director, Graduate Program Director, or Program Lead Faculty as their Primary Advisor for the Capstone. These programs require a Scholarly Report that is focused on the intellectual and skills development that came through as a result of adding this higher-level learning format into a student's studies.
Students selecting the DMD program should list their Honors College Dean as their Primary Advisor.
Option 6: Experiential Capstone
Students can fulfill their Capstone requirement by completing an approved two-semester professional, certificate, or credit-bearing 1) service learning experience, 2) field placement, or 3) internship under the supervision of a sponsoring department or academic unit.
Only coursework completed through approved programs run by academic departments and university centers, bureaus, and institutes will be recognized.
This work must be a culminating experience and the student must earn at least six credits over two consecutive semesters. Credits can come through either the program or department hours and courses, or through the Honors College's IHT courses (see IHT section, above). Completion of any type of experiential learning prior to your last two semesters will not count towards Capstone completion. All students selecting this option are responsible for ensuring that they possess the requisite criteria and qualities expected of those who undertake such work, prior to starting the experience. If a program is more than a year, students will submit coursework for their last year of completion.
Examples of experiences that students have used to complete their Capstone include:
CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
- Leadership Scholars Certificate Program – The Institute for Women’s Leadership
- Certificate in Chemistry Education – Chemistry department (Please consult with an HC Advisor if interested)
- Genetic Counseling Certificate Program – Genetics department
- Undergraduate Associates Program – Eagleton Institute
- Public History Certificate
- Certificate in Spanish-English Translation and Interpreting
- Data Science Undergraduate Certificate
Only students who complete this Certificate without overlap in more than 2 courses with their major can use this Certificate to complete their Capstone. Two courses and the mini Capstone course must be taken across your two semesters of Capstone. Per departmental policy, students with a major or minor in Data Science are not eligible for the Certificate.
INTERNSHIPS/PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
- MBS Externship Exchange Program
- NJ Healthy Kids Initiative Internship Program
- Autism Fieldwork/Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center
- Child Development Fieldwork/ Rutgers Psychology Child Development Center
- Internship Program in Applied, School, & Community Psychology
This is a one-semester Capstone Experience.
SERVICE-LEARNING EXPERIENCES
All Experiential Capstones require the submission of a final project, as defined by their project mentors/advisors or, in the absence of such a product, a Scholarly Report that is focused on the intellectual and skills development that came through as a result of adding this experiential learning format into a student's studies. All completed projects must also be presented at the HC Academic Showcase in the semester in which they are completed, unless the student can document a public presentation in another forum or venue.
- The Honors College has several partnerships with Rutgers Programs that students can participate in to fulfill the Capstone requirement such as the MBS Externship Exchange and the New Jersey Healthy Kids Initiative (NJHKI) Internship.
- Examples of projects also include programs in the Genetic Counseling Certificate Program and the Institute for Women's Leadership.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I complete my Capstone early?
Unless approved by the Honors College Dean, students are not permitted to complete their Capstone prior to their last two semesters. Students that graduate early are expected to complete their Capstone in their last two semesters.
Why was my Capstone Proposal “Rejected” or “Pending”?
To be approved, students are required to submit a viable Capstone Proposal that includes: finalized project description, uploaded one-page justification on the “why” of your Capstone selection, specific course names and numbers, and advisor information. For all information that cannot be confirmed within the Initial Capstone Proposal, it must be confirmed within the Updated Capstone Proposal (see due dates for submission of each proposal).
How can I learn more about the Capstone Options?
Meet with an HC Academic Advisor to go over the options and for contact information for certain options, such as Experiential Capstone options. The Honors College Dean will also host Capstone Workshops every semester that are required for every student to attend.
For the Experiential Capstone, can I propose an opportunity not listed?
Yes, but the Experience must be in two-consecutive semesters (a one semester experience must be approved by the HC Academic Team) and must be with a Rutgers academic departments, university centers, and institutes, and approved by the HC Academic Team.
I am currently completing Graduate Study or a Graduate Program, and I need to change my second Graduate Course, what should I do?
Please meet with or contact an HC Academic Advisor to approve your second Graduate Course. Courses must be in-person or hybrid. They cannot be asynchronous. For Graduate Program students, on a case-by-case basis, we may approve undergraduate work counting for your graduate program.
Can I change my Capstone after my first semester of the project?
Please meet with or contact an HC Academic Advisor or the Honors College Dean to discuss the possibility of changing. We do not recommend changing your Capstone as there is a risk you will no longer be able to complete your Capstone and graduate as an Honors College Scholar.
I am a Pharmacy Student, what are my Capstone Options?
Please meet with or contact an HC Academic Advisor to discuss your Options. Pharmacy Students are expected to complete their Capstone in either their fourth or fifth year. Students who select the Pharmacy Honors Research Program will start as early as their third year, but will be expected to submit a proposal when there are four more Research Credits left to complete.
Questions
If you have any additional questions regarding the Capstone project, please email Honors College Advising.