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MSTC Capstone Project Details

Students may choose to start their capstone project any time after they have completed 15 hours of coursework (and are maintaining a 3.0 GPA). Before submitting a proposal for a capstone project, students should talk with the Director of the MSTC program about their plans.

TCOM 6380 – Field Experience or TCOM 6390 – Directed Research Semester

After communicating with the Director about their plans, students will enroll in either TCOM 6380 - Field Experience or TCOM 6390 – Directed Research. During this semester, students will work up a capstone project proposal and begin completing work on the project through independent directed research or a field experience. A field experience may be an opportunity students identify on their own or an official internship. Students planning to complete a Field Experience will need to complete the Field Experience Application form. (PDF)

Students will email their capstone project proposal (.doc) to the Program Director by the fourth Monday of the semester in which they enroll in TCOM 6380 or TCOM 6390. The Program Director will share the proposal with the Graduate Advisory Council (GAC) for review.

The GAC has a rotating membership of four faculty members in the MSTC program. They will review the proposal and respond within 2 weeks in one of three ways:

  1. Approve the proposal
  2. Ask student to revise and resubmit the proposal
  3. Reject the proposal with the recommendation that students find another project or consider a different final experience option

If the proposal is approved, students will spend the rest of the semester working on the thesis.

If the proposal is not approved, students will meet with the Director to discuss other options.

TCOM 6392 – Capstone Project Semester

During this semester, students will work to complete their capstone project/field experience with a goal of defending their work in front of the committee before the end of the semester. Students are expected to keep the committee members informed about their progress throughout the semester. Prior to the defense, the Director of the program will assign a third committee member who acts as an “outside reader.” The third member will not see the earlier drafts.

In order to arrange for the defense of their work students are responsible for completing a defense request form (PDF). Students are also responsible for providing a complete and final draft of the capstone project rationale report and deliverables to all of the committee members at least two weeks before the defense.

Students should make sure to follow the university formatting guidelines (PDF).

Once their final draft is approved and they have the signature page filled out, students should complete the binding request form (PDF).

The following information provides details about the deliverables and deadlines:

 

If Taken in the Fall Semester:

  • Deliverables
  • Submit the 1st draft of the thesis (60% done) to the chair.
  • Submit the 2nd draft of the thesis (80% done) to all committee members.
    • Submit the final draft of the thesis (100% done) to all committee members
    • Schedule a defense date
  • Defend the thesis.
  • Submit revisions by
  • Submit thesis to the library for binding by
  • Deadline
  • September 1
  • September 15
    October 15

  • October 30 – November 6
  • December 1
  • December 15

 

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If Taken in the Spring Semester:

  • Deliverables
  • Submit the 1st draft of the thesis (60% done) to the chair.
  • Submit the 2nd draft of the thesis (80% done) to all committee members.
    • Submit the final draft of the thesis (100% done) to all committee members
    • Schedule a defense date
  • Defend the thesis.
  • Submit revisions by
  • Submit thesis to the library for binding by
  • Deadline
  • January 31
  • February 15
    March 15

  • March 31 – April 6
  • April 31
  • May 15