The
Digital Communication Capstone asks you to expand a paper or project you worked on in class with a College of Communication professor. You and your professor should meet to discuss the requirements and design an agreement for the capstone.
The capstone should take approximately 10 hours to complete.
It does not come with course credit.
See capstone samples from DCMA alumni.
Eligibility
- Must be a student in the DCMA program (Digital Communication concentration)
- Must have at least a 3.5 GPA during the quarter when you choose a professor to work with
- Must have completed at least 10 courses (40 credits) in the Digital Communication and Media Arts program
- You can complete the capstone in the last or second-to-last quarter of the program. Summer graduates must complete the capstone in the spring quarter before graduation.
If you do not meet the 3.5 GPA requirement, you must submit two letters of recommendation to the graduate program director. These letters must be from faculty members with whom you have taken classes. The graduate program director will review the letters and decide whether you are eligible to pursue the capstone option.
Capstone Paper/Project Guidelines
Choose one of the following:
-
Expand on a paper you worked on in a previous class. The paper does not have to be published, but should be in a suitable state for submission if you want to publish it. Examples of how to expand the paper include (but are not limited to):
- Expand the paper by 10 pages
- Include 5-7 additional scholarly sources
- Add section about XYZ into the paper
-
Expand on a project you worked on in a previous class. Examples of how to expand a project include (but are not limited to):
- Add a web component
- Give a presentation
- Include 5-minute video
- Develop point about X
In addition to your paper or project, you must also submit a short (1,500–2,000 word) reflection on the capstone, addressing points such as:
- Why was this project of particular interest to you?
- What were the 2-3 greatest challenges you faced? How did you overcome them?
- How has completing this capstone contributed to your larger goals of completing the DCMA program?
Procedure
- Submit the
Degree Completion Option Form by the end of the first week of the quarter during which you will complete the capstone.
- The graduate program director will review the form and send you an approval email to complete the capstone.
- Once approved, contact the College of Communication professor with whom you want to work. You should have taken a course with this professor and want to expand a paper or project that you started in the class. This professor should have expertise in the capstone topic area.
- You should schedule a meeting with the professor to discuss the requirements and design an agreement for the capstone. You and the professor will agree to a deadline within that quarter for the capstone.
- With your professor, complete the DCMA Capstone Project Approval Form. The form should be signed by the student and the professor and then submitted to the Associate Director for Graduate Student Services via email or in-person. The Associate Director will send to the DCMA graduate program director for final approval.
- Complete the capstone by the agreed-upon deadline.
Degree Completion Option Form
You must submit the
Degree Completion Option Form by the end of the first week of the quarter that the paper/project will be completed. This form asks you to identify:
- the quarter you plan to graduate
- your chosen completion option (e.g., reflection paper, capstone or thesis)
- the proposed capstone paper or project
- the class in which the paper or project was started
- the Communication faculty member you plan to work with
Grading
You will be evaluated with a pass/fail. Specific guidelines for what constitutes “passing” will be outlined between the professor and the student when the capstone commences. The professor should email the final grade (pass or fail) to the associate director for graduate student services at the conclusion of the capstone.