Capstone in Research

Program Description:

English majors who share curiosity about advanced study in English – that is, literature, language, rhetoric, media, and culture broadly – are guided through the steps of an independent research project that forms the basis of a long-form writing project. That writing project is an essay –  a well-crafted and even artful experiment in nonfiction prose that explains one’s well-informed ideas to other readers and in conversation with other writers – totaling 40-60 pages with citations.

The Capstone in Research requires two courses taken prior to the thesis year’s two seminars (English 495 + 496):

• One in “theory,” English 390 or 490
• One in “methods,” English 397 

All of these English courses earn credit in the major, with English 390/490 typically meeting various core requirements as well.

Across required capstone courses, students are exposed to a variety of approaches, genres, and methods – bibliographic and scholarly, critical and theoretical, creative and expressive, archival and material, linguistic and rhetorical, multimedia and digital. Although the Capstone Program in Research requires a sequence of preparatory courses, it is also intended that students build from knowledge and experiences based in any of their English courses taken outside of the capstone program. The Capstone Program in Research is an opportunity for students to integrate their unique and specific learning across the English major.

By completing a research-based thesis essay and required preparatory courses through the English Capstone in Research, students: 

• hone analytical and interpretive skills, 
• learn how to pose ambitious but answerable questions,
• manage large and varied sets of multimedia sources, 
• enter into dialogue with professional thinkers, 
• and bring passionate interests into public knowledge. 

The Capstone Research program, in sum, reflects the purpose of university education as well as the benefit of humanities study in college: understanding ourselves and other creators to the point of illumination as well as generating greater understanding of our world and how we might solve our human-made problems.

The Capstone Research thesis will, additionally, give practice in advanced skills required of traditional professions, writing-related careers, as well as graduate study in English students will: 

• define and develop a niche expertise, 
• learn how to communicate complex ideas clearly to a generally sophisticated audience, 
• strengthen ethical citation practices and verbal/rhetorical style, 
• demonstrate the deeply informed basis of their ideas to (other) expert readers, 
• and, finally, learn to meet the challenge of professional evaluation, all in the company of your peers. (A formal evaluation by members of the English faculty concludes the capstone’s second “drafting” course.) 

A draft of the thesis is due at the end of fall term and a final version in the middle of winter term (usually early March). The final essay is read by an impartial faculty reader who is asked to offer thoughtful commentary on your substantial essay. Milestone accomplishments are celebrated, culminating in a final convocation to which friends and family are invited, typically held on the day of the English Department Commencement.
 

Enrollment: 

Students are admitted to the program based on an application, and both second- and third-year students are eligible for admission. Students interested in the Capstone in Research are encouraged to meet with an English adviser to plan course enrollment. Pre-application discussions with the Capstone Directors are also encouraged. Students must earn at least an A- in 397 and 495 to continue in the program.  
 

General Calendar:

Applications can be submitted for either mid fall or mid winter deadlines. [See When to Apply to Capstone in Research]. Typically, students complete the required “theory” (390 or 490) and “methods” (397) in third year, with 397 offered only in winter term. Students complete the required thesis-writing courses (both 495 and 496) in fall and winter of their fourth year. 

Students who plan on studying abroad their third year or graduating fall term of fourth year should talk to the Capstone Director about how they might complete requirements for the capstone program.
 

LSA Honors:

It’s recommended that students who intend to earn an Honors credential with the capstone begin planning their work in the program earlier than third year to enjoy the fullest advantage of LSA Honors support: students can, for example, work on identifying appropriate advisers and perhaps enroll in the required courses in second rather than (the more typical) third year, and be ready to apply for research/travel funding in the winter of their third year.  [See Contact Information & Calendar for Capstones] The English Department’s Wagner Bursary provides funding to students for research activities. [See How to Earn Honors in English.]
 

Awards for Capstone Students:

All students enrolled in either the Creative Writing or Research capstone programs in English and who have completed a thesis meeting program requirements will be eligible for several academic prizes awarded at the end of the academic year.  Students who earn the award of Honors in the College with their thesis are additionally eligible for Honors Graduation awards.