The Mason Apex category will replace the Capstone/Synthesis requirement for students entering Mason starting in the Fall of 2024. The Capstone category will gradually be phased out with no new Capstone courses approved after the 2022-2023 academic year.
The purpose of the Capstone course or sequence of courses is to provide a high impact, culminating element of an undergraduate education, helping students develop a more comprehensive and integrative understanding of their area of study and to utilize critical thinking skills. Capstone courses provide students opportunities to apply and demonstrate their knowledge and generally involve integrative /applied/experiential projects. Student learning in a Capstone course is assessed using a set of identified program-level learning outcomes, as well as for critical thinking, as defined by the American Association of Colleges & Universities.
While each academic degree program defines its learning outcomes, a Capstone course or sequence should follow these guidelines:
- Minimum of 3 credits
- Later in the curriculum, after a student has taken at least 85 credits, and at the 400 course level
- No more than 35 students in the course or equivalent instructional/mentored support
- Emphasis on experiential/applied/integrative learning
- Allow students to apply critical thinking skills
- Learning outcomes defined by the degree program
Required: One approved upper-division course. Please speak with an advisor to determine the appropriate course to fulfill your major’s requirement.
Approved Courses: For the current list of approved courses, please see the Catalog.