Capstone Requirement
As you pursue the Master of Science in Dietetics, you will have the opportunity to develop a project that is based on evidenced-based research. The project could be research-based or practice-based. Before starting on the major components of the course, a topic and project/writing timeline will be discussed and approved by the faculty adviser. The course instructor is available for individual meetings throughout the semester. You will meet with a University of Northern Colorado Research Librarian during the capstone course. If your capstone project involves research with human subjects, you will be required to complete a University of Northern Colorado Institutional Review Board (IRB) application before the start of the capstone project. Note that you will be expected to work on your capstone project during the summer between your first and second academic year.
The course has three major components:
- Research Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography
- Comprehensive Paper (e.g. Manuscript, Grant Proposal, Professional Paper) - Successful completion of this written project will also fulfill the Graduate School comprehensive exam requirement. Comprehensive exam results will be due to the Graduate School early in April of the semester you plan to graduate; therefore, the written project will need to be submitted prior to this time. Your faculty adviser will assist you during this process.
- Final Presentation of the Project (oral and poster presentations). The oral presentation could be completed at the University of Northern Colorado, at a local or state association conference, or at a community site. The presentation should be of the quality expected for a professional or scientific meeting. The poster presentation could either be done in person or online on a Learning Management System. This course is distance/online based and so different approaches to present will be incorporated.
