MAPW Capstone Project

Before beginning work on the capstone project, the student must prepare a proposal and have it approved by the two faculty members who will be their committee members. The student must have the proposal approved and the cover sheet signed by both committee members prior to registering for the capstone project. It is strongly recommended to plan well in advance to ensure that committee members are available to help with the project.

PRWR 7960: MAPW Capstone Project (6 Credit Hours)

1-6. Prerequisite: Completion of 27 credit hours in the MAPW program and at least four courses in the concentration; approval of capstone project.

A project designated as a thesis, portfolio or practicum and accompanied by a rationale for its purpose and design that involves electronic and/or print media and is relevant to the student's concentration in professional writing. After submitting an approved capstone proposal, the candidate works under the direction and advice of two faculty members to produce the project. The candidate must submit the capstone project at least two weeks before either 1) a discussion about the project with the faculty committee, or 2) a public presentation about the project or a reading from the project for an audience of faculty and peers. The candidate will consult with the capstone committee chair and committee member about which option to choose.

Capstone projects are the culmination of the writer's work in the MAPW program. Candidates for the MAPW degree demonstrate their achievements in one of three formats:

1. The Professional Portfolio
2. The MAPW Thesis
3. The Practicum

The nature of these capstones is described in detail under Capstone Guidelines.

All three capstone formats require an introductory essay of self-assessment and reflection that frames, informs, and contextualizes the documents that the writer chooses to present as the portfolio, thesis, or practicum for an audience of MAPW faculty, students, and alumni. This essay should relate the materials in the capstone project to the writer's development during the time of his or her MAPW coursework, joining together academic understanding, writing workshop experience, workplace experience, and future professional goals.