JMU Honors College Capstone in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies Pathway Overview

Students who complete a capstone in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies (instead of in their major or minor department) graduate with distinction in Honors. Typically, students earn six credits over three semesters as they undertake independent research or creative activity under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Projects vary by field and may include research theses, music recitals, curated art exhibits, screenplays, works of fiction, business plans, or other project types deemed appropriate by faculty in the capstone field. All projects require a substantial written component and a public presentation.

A capstone in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies should combine areas of study from two or more degree programs or otherwise extend beyond the boundaries of disciplines in a way that requires collaboration across fields. Students may pursue this option if they are interested in a project that: 

Spans two or more academic disciplines;  and

Does not clearly correspond with a specific major or minor at JMU

Direct questions about requirements for capstones in Honors to the Associate Dean for the Honors College, Dr. Allison Fagan (faganae@jmu.edu).

Expectations for Students

Students completing capstones in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies will:

Formulate a project addressing a meaningful idea, problem, or question appropriate to the capstone fields.

Support arguments and conclusions with evidence from a variety of sources in a convincing manner. Evidence may include primary and secondary sources as well as student-generated research.

Demonstrate initiative, dedication, and capacity to seek appropriate guidance and support to see a project through to completion.

Summarize their project by preparing and effectively delivering a well-organized presentation.

Timeline (3-semester capstone experience)

Semester 0 (semester prior to enrolling in first capstone course for credit - typically in the second half of the first semester of junior year)

Student requests permission to enroll in HON 499A. (Permission Request Form)

The student’s request must explain why their planned capstone project should be completed under the Honors College prefix (HON), rather than one of their majors or minors.

Requests to enroll in HON 499A are reviewed by Dr. Allison Fagan, Honors College Associate Dean.

Semester 1 (typically second semester of junior year)

Student enrolls in 499A with their capstone advisor,

Student meets regularly with their capstone advisor for guidance and feedback as they develop their capstone project proposal,

Student and capstone advisor identify one or more readers to serve on the capstone committee,

Student submits completed project proposal to the Honors College at the end of the semester. The capstone proposal must be approved by the capstone advisor (on behalf of the capstone committee) and the Honors College.

Note: For instructions on preparing and submitting the proposal, see Appendix 1 at the end of this document

Semester 2 (typically first semester of senior year)

Student enrolls in 499B with their capstone advisor,

Student works on their capstone project as outlined in the project proposal,

Student meets regularly with their capstone advisor to share progress, discuss challenges, and receive feedback and guidance as they execute their project.

Student regularly communicates with their reader(s) for guidance and feedback,

Student submits work in progress as requested by capstone advisor throughout the semester, which provides the basis of the assignment of a course grade for 499B.

Semester 3 (typically final semester of senior year)

Student enrolls in 499C with their capstone advisor,

Student meets regularly with their capstone advisor to share progress, discuss challenges, and receive feedback and guidance as they complete their project.

Student regularly communicates with their reader(s) for guidance and feedback,

Student presents project at Honors College Symposium, another departmental or college event, or an academic conference.

Student submits completed capstone project to the Honors College at the end of the semester. The capstone project must be approved by the capstone advisor (on behalf of the capstone committee) and the Honors College.

Capstone Advisors and Readers

Project advisors must be tenured, tenure-track, or RTA JMU faculty members. Readers may include full-time or part-time JMU faculty or non-JMU members with relevant expertise, but they must be from a disciplinary field that is different from the advisor’s. Both the advisor and reader must agree that the Honors Interdisciplinary capstone is the best option for student completion of the capstone. 

The advisor will consult with the reader to guide the student on capstone format, research approach, scope, and writing. The advisor is expected to be prompt in communicating with and giving feedback to the student.  

The reader is expected to read through the final rough draft of the capstone project and give feedback to the student in a written or oral format. All reader feedback should be sent to the advisor. 

Collaborative Projects

Honors College students may pursue collaborative capstone projects where collaboration enables projects that could not reasonably be achieved by one student working independently. Typical group sizes range from 2 to 5 students. A successful collaborative project will engage the participation of all partners, shared leadership and decision-making, collaboration, cooperative learning, and the integration of diverse perspectives, knowledge, and skills.

Capstone project proposals for collaborative projects should include a brief statement that clarifies how individual students will contribute to the project and the completed project must have substantial, quantifiable independent work. The final submission of the project should include either (a) clearly differentiated sections indicating which student was primarily responsible for each, or (2) a preface that delineates the contributions of each student.

Appendix 1: Preparing and Submitting Your Honors Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone Proposal

The key component of the capstone proposal process is the project proposal that you will develop. Your proposal should be a minimum of five pages long and should include the following information:

Project purpose and objectives

Tentative outline

An overview of your approach (e.g. methods of analysis, sources of data, information to be analyzed),

A timeline and work plan that includes intermediate deadlines,

A list and description of final deliverables,

A bibliography

Once your capstone advisor has indicated they are satisfied with your proposal, you should complete the Honors College Departmental Capstone Project Application Form. The online form requests information about you and your capstone project, names and contact information for your advisor and reader(s), and your plans for enrollment in courses for capstone credit (e.g., the planned sequence of HON 499 courses). You will upload a Word or PDF copy of your project proposal via the Project Application form.

Once you have completed the Departmental Capstone Project Application, it will be routed to your project advisor and then to the Honors College’s Associate Dean, who will review the proposal on behalf of the Honors College. You will receive a notification from the Honors College if one of the reviewers declines to approve the proposed project or when all required reviewers have approved the project. Your project advisor will also be notified when your project proposal is approved.