Capstone is learning in action. Part of the core curriculum of the MPA and MUP programs at NYU Wagner, it provides students with both a critical learning experience and an opportunity to perform a public service. Over the course of an academic year, students work in teams - either to address challenges and identify opportunities for an outside organization or to conduct research on a pressing social question. Ultimately, Capstone contributes not only to the students' education, but also to the public good.
In architecture, the capstone is the crowning piece of an arch, the center stone that holds the arch together, giving it shape and strength. Wagner’s Capstone program plays a similar role, by integrating and enhancing student learning in several different arenas: a content or issue area; key process skills including project management and teamwork; and methods for gathering, analyzing and reporting data. Capstone requires students to interweave their learning in all these areas, and to do so in real time, in an unpredictable, complex real world environment.
Click here to view information on prerequisites.
You cannot register yourself for Capstone via Albert. Instead, you must request registration using the online form at http://wagner.nyu.edu/current/forms/ available April 15.
How do I decide which section of Capstone I should enroll in?
Your program specialization should guide your Capstone choice. Capstone's purpose is to refine and apply the skills you will need in your future endeavors, so you should choose the section focused on the appropriate skill set. Some students also choose their Capstone based on the faculty members who lead the particular section.
For a listing of which Capstones are appropriate for your specialization, please refer to information on prerequisites and capstone sections.
Click here to learn about the different Capstone course offerings, and which are appropriate for your specific course of study.
It is important that Capstone projects be relevant to the client when classes begin in the fall, and we want to provide you with the most up-to-date project descriptions as possible. Because organizations change so rapidly, it is impossible for them to know in the spring exactly what their needs will be in September. So while we understand that it may seem difficult to sign up for a class without knowing the specific projects it will cover, it is impossible to provide detailed descriptions of Capstone projects in April when students are first enrolling in classes. Detailed, accurate descriptions are available to students at the start of the fall term.
Capstone is about refining and applying the skills you will need in the future. It develops students' skills in project management and team dynamics, as well as honing research, data analysis, and presentation skills. The specific organization you ultimately focus on is not as important as enrolling in a Capstone section that will best help you obtain the skill sets you will need in the future.
It is important to keep in mind that Capstone is a process that is ultimately meant to provide students with broad content and experience within their program specializations. It is not meant to provide experience in a specific organization. We encourage students to seek out internship and job opportunities to get experience in specific organizations and not rely on the Capstone program to provide that experience.
Potential Capstone clients respond to a request for proposals in the spring. All proposals are vetted by Wagner administration and possible projects are submitted to capstone faculty leaders for comment. In autumn, Capstone faculty leaders present a slate of possible projects to students and students are assigned to Capstone groups.
The research Capstone is designed for students who know they want to pursue a career in quantitative research, most of whom expect to go on to pursue a Ph.D. Students still work in teams in the research Capstone section, they just don't have a formal outside client. Instead, students discuss their broad issue areas of interest in the beginning of the Capstone class, and then through a series of discussions break into similar-minded groups. These groups then discuss possible specific research questions/topics, and with the help of the faculty member, as well as the availability of primary data, determine a specific research question to pursue.
Several factors play a role in team composition: student interests, having the appropriate skill set for the given project, diversity of skill sets and experience, and team size. The specific team selection details vary depending on the individual Capstone instructors. Faculty are encouraged to get information from students, including their interest areas, resumes and transcripts, in order to help ensure that there is an appropriate team composition. Some faculty begin this process over the summer; others do it in the first weeks of the school year. Most teams have 3-5 students.
Course requirements include: enrollment in both semesters; attendance and participation in class activities and client and team meetings; completion of assignments on time; conducting field work; negotiating scope of work agreements with clients; occasional large group discussions out of class time; and the preparation and presentation of the team's findings. Capstone involves presentations from the instructor and guest speakers, class discussion, team meetings and project oriented fieldwork with a client organization. There may be additional requirements depending on the specific course or instructor, or based on the nature of a given project.
EXPENSES:
Each Capstone team will be reimbursed up to $500 for expenses such as reproduction, binding, local travel, and/or preparation of Capstone documents and display materials.
Supplemental travel funding may be available for airfare and train trips for Capstone students who are traveling beyond the northeast corridor to conduct their research. This supplemental funding does not cover accommodations or meals, and students who choose projects outside of the NYC region should expect to contribute financially to support their research.
TEAM SUPPORT:
All students are required to attend a 3-hour Advanced Team Development session in the beginning of September. In addition, support for teams is available on an as-needed basis throughout the year.
Students are graded on both the products they deliver to their clients and evidence of progressive learning throughout the course. Grading considers students' participation in the team's work and class activities and their ability to act on peer and faculty feedback. Assessment for grading purposes also includes evaluations by fellow team members, faculty and clients, as well as a self-evaluation.
Click here to review a sampling of past Capstone Projects
If you have a potential client for a Capstone project, the client needs to go through the formal request for proposal process. For details click here.
A Capstone proposal must be submitted by the client, not the student. Please note that students may not work on a project for their employer.
There are certain expectations that are required of students, clients, faculty and Wagner itself. Click here to learn about these mutual expectations.
The Capstone end event exhibition is an opportunity for all Capstone teams to come together and share process and findings with clients, faculty, administration and other students. Each team writes an abstract and creates a visual presentation that describes the project's purpose, methodology, key insights and recommendations. This is a great opportunity for teams to show off the fruit of their hard work and see what other Capstone teams have been working on.
