Purdue’s data-informed Online Capstone Experience rooted in proficiency and reflective of evolving workforce needs
In today’s dynamic workforce, staying ahead of technological change is the key to sustained success. Meeting the pace of technological evolution is also one of the greatest challenges that universities currently face. After all, what is innovative or the best practice today may be old news tomorrow, especially in rapidly evolving fields such as artificial intelligence and data science.
Purdue’s University’s recently launched Online Capstone Experience is directly confronting these challenges by providing students in Purdue’s online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) and online Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) programs access to educational experiences at the cutting-edge of technological innovation. According to Keith Ellis, assistant director for the Purdue Online Capstone Experience, this program provides resources and support for students to complete a hands-on project, work with multidisciplinary teams and experience the project lifecycle from start to completion. The Capstone also connects them with professionals across a variety of industries through a speaker series and direct engagements.
“We’re committed to providing students with a rigorous, relevant, and rewarding educational experience,” said Ellis. “Students are provided with opportunities to showcase their skills by solving impactful, real-world challenges alongside partners, faculty and other motivated graduate students.”
Developed using learning engineering principles and data-informed approaches, The Online Capstone Experience supports Purdue’s online MSAI and MSDS programs, serving as a culminating educational experience that bridges the divide between academic theory and real-world application. Students in The Capstone use the knowledge and skillsets they learned in their online master’s program to solve complex, real-world problems. In the process, they build a portfolio that shows prospective employers what they can achieve.
“They’re going to be building upon that knowledge and applying and practicing it in close to a real-world scenario of being in a multidisciplinary team, doing the project management part of it, the documentation and the actual deliverables,” said Ellis. “It’s not just an assignment or a simulation. There are real projects with real partners and real results that are informing partner business decisions.”
Matched with a corporate, municipal or non-profit partner, students in The Capstone design, develop and implement innovative solutions to high-impact business, operational or technical challenges, aiming to drive transformative progress and shape the future.
The question is how to maintain alignment of the capstones with industry needs and industry standards that are guaranteed to change regularly. One answer, Ellis said, is to partner with industry organizations that set and document those standards.
For example, Purdue University is an academic member of the International Institute of Business for Analytics ™ (IIBA®), an independent nonprofit professional association with more than 30,000 members, 120 chapters and 500 partners worldwide. The organization supports academic institutions in educating their students on business analysis industry-recognized standards and practices and empowering them with tools to increase their marketability.
Business analysis is a natural field for students in Purdue’s online AI and data science master’s programs. The partnership with IIBA® gives students, and Purdue faculty, access to supplemental resources such as case studies and learning resources as well as the institute’s Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®) guide and Agile (project management) extension to apply in the capstones and in the programs’ curriculum in general.
According to Ellis, all of The Capstone’s fall 2025 partners are planning to return in the future, and The Capstone has more than doubled the amount of partners it’s working with for the spring — a testament to how these partnerships benefit not only students, but the partners themselves.
In addition to partnerships, The Capstone also supports a virtual speaker series where students can engage with professionals, researchers and industry leaders to supplement their learning. The speaker series explores topics like how to develop innovative technological solutions and drive AI adoption across industries.
“The goal is to make the Capstone process reproducible and scalable while maintaining strong alignment between academic expectations, student goals and partner or industry needs,” said Ellis. “Each course and section should demonstrate how academic learning outcomes connect directly to the skills, tools, and standards used in professional practice. The Capstone proves it.”
The Capstone Experience is currently seeking Purdue faculty mentors and project partners for future Capstone Experiences. Faculty mentors work with students to help guide them through completing their capstone project, and project partners help develop meaningful projects. Sign up at the capstone’s website or email POCapstone@purdue.edu.