Senior Capstone Projects

By the second semester of Junior Year, students have begun to formalize a plan for either a Senior Applied Research Project (SARP), which is a 15-credit sequence of 3 courses, or a Senior Project, which is a 6-credit sequence of 2 courses. Students may enroll in either one of these Capstone Learning Experiences in their Junior or Senior years as appropriate.

Senior Applied Research Project
The Senior Applied Research Project (SARP) is an integrated learning experience that requires students to develop and apply the theoretical knowledge necessary to tackle a real problem in their field of study. The SARP requires each student to research the chosen problem, propose a solution, present results in both oral and written form, and take at least one significant step toward implementing the solution. A faculty advisor works closely with each student to develop study plans, guide project design, and find a sponsoring organization that offers a project of appropriate scope. Through the Senior Applied Research Project, students begin to build a bridge between their college studies and the practical applications that constitute their future work.

Please find below documents from the 2009-2010 SARP Survival Guide that can help you at each stage of your project:

You can also download information about SARP sponsorship here:

The 6-credit Senior Project is a 2-course sequence of integrated study in a student's major area. Students work with a faculty advisor to co-create an independent project that may include field, library, or archival research, a creative application of a student's area of expertise, and/or an applied component appropriate in nature and scope to the project. A public presentation to the community is also required. Please see the following document for more information about applying for a Senior Project:

Senior Project Guidelines 

Note that students may elect to petition the Dean of Academics for a coursework only option in lieu of a research project.