Capstone Experiences

We receive many inquiries about what capstone experiences are possible. Below are some examples from past certificate students. Certificate students can alternatively propose their own idea for a capstone experience (email idea to mcap@purdue.edu).

Past approved capstones:

• Serving as a teaching assistant (TA) for a graduate-level method course
  • E.g., Students have TA'ed for SOC680, SOC 681, POL605, and others
  • Some instructors allow students to TA as an independent study to fulfill the capstone
• Serving as a methodological resource for a research project
  • One student served as a methodological expert for a research project that developed and fielded an online survey.
• Writing a journal article-length methods paper or dissertation chapter
  • Papers must primarily focus on research methods
  • Student must be first/lead author
  • We do not require method papers to be published for the capstone. However, the papers must be of high quality that are suitable for publication
• Conducting an interdisciplinary workshop on an advanced methodological technique
  • Workshops are typically designed to be two or three hours on method-related topics.
  • Students can co-teach a workshop. E.g. Two certificate students taught a workshop on "data collection in the transnational context"
• Participating in an approved Data Mine project
• RA'ing for MCAP
  • MCAP offers a year-long full-time RA'ship to one student each year

Although the above are examples of past capstone experiences, students can propose their own capstone experience (mcap@purdue.edu). We are open to student ideas for their own capstones.