Honors Capstone Experience

The Honors Capstone curriculum provides upper-division students the opportunity to engage in in-depth study of a topic either within or outside of their major degree program and culminates in an Honors Capstone Project.

Capstone Project Pathways

• Research: Research project or senior thesis based on field research, survey research, qualitative research, experimentation, or library or archival research or any other discipline-based research methodology
• Applied: applied or civically-engaged business, non-profit, or curriculum design and delivery project
• Creative: creative work in humanities or the arts, including visual arts, performing arts, music, creative writing, photography or other creative works.

All projects require a written component with critical, research-based, reflective analysis, and all students present their project in a public forum to educate others on their topic. Completed projects are bound and placed in the permanent collection of the James A. Michener Library, and Honors students also are encouraged to submit their final written project for inclusion in a scholarly journal, such as UNC’s undergraduate research journal. During their Honors Capstone experience students work individually with a faculty mentor to strengthen their research, writing, creative, and presentation skills.

General Curriculum Requirements

Completion of Honors Capstone course requirements (4 credits).

Completion of Honors Capstone project approved by the Honors Program and presented in a public forum. Participation in at least two Honors Connect activities.

Achieve and maintain a minimum cumulative 3.00 UNC GPA

Honors Capstone Project Design — 2 credits

Take at least two credits from the following.

HON 351	Junior Honors Seminar	1- 3
	or
UNIV 432	McNair Scholars Research Studies II	2
LIB 251	Research as Inquiry: Exploration for Beginning Researchers	1

Notes: HON 351 is repeatable for a maximum of 3 credit hours.

UNIV 432 is restricted to students enrolled in the McNair Scholars Research Program. For more information about the program, see https://www.unco.edu/mcnair/.

Honors Capstone Project — 2 credits

Note: HON 451 is repeatable with a maximum of 3 credit hours. Students may complete their Capstone Project through HON 451 or any equivalent departmental capstone course on the list below.

HON 451

Senior Honors Research Thesis

1- 3

AFS 490	Seminar in Africana Studies	3
ANT 470	Seminar in Anthropology	3
ASIA 499	Asian Studies Thesis	3
BACS 488	Senior CIS Project	3
CHEM 499	Seminar and Research in Chemistry	1- 3
COMM 491	Communication Theory Capstone	3
CS 497	Senior Project	1- 8
ECON 475	Senior Seminar	3
ENST 491	Senior Capstone	2
GEOG 491	Senior Capstone	2
HIST 480	Seminar in History	3
HIST 580	Seminar in History	3
INTR 450	Senior Capstone	3
MUS 414	Transitional Capstone Course in Music Education	2
NURS 446	Clinical Practice Capstone	5
PHIL 495	Advanced Seminar	3
PHYS 470	Research II	1- 3
PSCI 405	Senior Seminar in American Politics	3
PSCI 415	Senior Seminar in Comparative Politics	3
PSCI 425	Senior Seminar in International Relations	3
PSCI 435	Senior Seminar in Political Philosophy	3
RTH 490	Evaluation and Research in Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality	3
SOC 400	Senior Seminar	3
STAT 489	Project in Data Science	2
THEA 454	Theatre Studies Senior Seminar	1
THEA 464	Audition Techniques	3

Every final Honors Capstone project must be approved by the Honors Program and presented in a public forum to fulfill the capstone requirement. Students who choose a departmental capstone course should consult regularly with the Honors program to ensure they are on track to meet this requirement.

Transcript Designation

Students who complete the Honors Capstone Project without participating in the full University Honors experience will receive an "Honors Capstone" designation on their transcript.

The Honors Capstone is also embedded in the full University Honors program. Students who complete the full program earn recognition at commencement and a designation of “University Honors” on both their transcript and diploma. See the University Honors tab for details.