The capstone committee is selected through a process established by the academic program or department that oversees the capstone project. Typically, the student works closely with their academic advisor to identify potential committee members and get their agreement to serve on the committee.
The committee is usually composed of 3 people – the committee chair and two additional members. Committees may also have an additional external member from outside the university to bring an outside perspective. The committee chair acts as the lead advisor and guide for the student throughout the capstone process.
The committee chair is usually a faculty member from the student’s major department or program who has expertise in the topic area of the capstone project. They work most closely with the student from the initial project planning phases all the way through to completion. Students identify a potential chair early on who can help scope and define the project. The chair must agree their schedule can accommodate the time commitment of advising a capstone.
The two additional committee members provide guidance, feedback and evaluation of the capstone work. They should have skills, knowledge or experience relevant to the project topic or methodology. For example, if a project involves data analysis, one committee member may have expertise in research methods or statistics. If the project relates to a professional field, one member could be a practitioner in that field.
Committee members are selected based on their ability to contribute constructively to the capstone. Students submit brief bios or CVs of potential members to their advisor for approval. Advisors ensure committee compositions follow any university or departmental guidelines regarding qualifications and that members’ areas of expertise align and complement each other.
Once finalized, the capstone committee formally agrees to serve and provides their signatures indicating this on the capstone committee form submitted to the university. Committees may be modified later if needed due to member availability or changing project focus, but major changes require advisor approval.
The committee’s main roles are to work closely with the student in an advisory capacity throughout the capstone process, provide feedback and guidance at specific checkpoints, and evaluate the final capstone presentation and written work. Specifically, committee responsibilities include:
Helping the student refine their capstone topic, scope it appropriately, and develop a clear plan and timeline for completion. This involves initial discussions and signing off on the capstone proposal.
Providing guidance to the student as they conduct background research, review literature, choose appropriate methods, collect and analyze data or information if applicable. Committees meet periodically throughout this stage to check progress and offer advice.
Reading draft sections of the capstone paper or portions of the project as they are completed to provide feedback and recommendations for improvement prior to the final version. Committees may request revisions.
Evaluating the quality of the final written capstone document submitted by checking it meets requirements for content, structure, analysis, conclusions, and adheres to style guidelines.
Attending the capstone presentation given by the student, asking questions, and providing an assessment of their presentation skills and ability to synthesize and discuss their work.
Formally evaluating both the final written document and oral presentation using a standardized rubric or evaluation form. This includes assigning a letter grade which contributes to the student’s overall final grade.
Being available as a resource should the student have additional questions even after submitting their final work in case revisions are needed before graduation.
The carefully selected capstone committee plays an integral role in advising and guiding the student, ensuring high quality outcomes, and formally assessing their completed capstone project. It is a collaborative effort between the student and committee that aims to maximize the student’s learning experience and produce work that demonstrates mastery of their field of study.