The
Capstone Project: Level Four
The
culminating piece of work at CPCS is the capstone competency.
It is designed to build upon competencies students have demonstrated
at earlier levels of the curriculum – Core Knowledge and Skills,
Major, and Concentration competencies. Capstone work gives students
a chance to pull together learning that has been important to
them in their time at CPCS and to produce something of value both
for themselves and for the larger community. Ideally, planning
for the capstone competency begins early in a student's career
and builds on competencies demonstrated at earlier levels.
There
are four capstone competencies: Reflective Social Action, Public
Advocacy, Applied Social Research, and Critical Analysis. Students
choose the one which interests them the most. All capstones require
written documentation as well as an oral presentation.
Below
are some examples of capstone projects.
Using
the Reflective Social Action Competency, students have presented:
- Organizing
for a referendum on single-payer health insurance
- Working
to empower street prostitutes thru a drop-in center
- Building
community in a diverse neighborhood: Dorchester Parish
Using
the Public Advocacy Competency, a student presented:
- Advocating
the case for reparations for African-American descendants of
slavery
Using
the Critical Analysis Competency, a student presented:
- A
critical analysis of the U.S.A. Patriot Act
Using
the Applied Social Research Competency, a student presented:
- Survey
of CPCS graduates' experiences at and attitudes toward the college
