Capstone Resource Page

A capstone is a class in which senior psychology majors are required to pull together what they have learned in their previous classes and use this integrating experience to demonstrate they are capable of doing or should be able to do as they graduate from the program. Capstones can also provide an ideal opportunity to identify, assess, and document what students are learning to use in individual and program assessment. Recent APA task forces and publications have contained calls for more effective program assessment, developmentally coherent curricula, and creating capstone experiences for the major. In 2010, we formed an intercollegiate research team to investigate capstone experiences in undergraduate psychology programs. We received an STP Partnership Grant in 2011 and created an online survey about the use and characterization of capstones and portfolio use. From this research, we have created this Capstone Resource Page for the Society of Teaching of Psychology.

Capstone mentors to contact for free capstone advice:
- Dr. Jean Johnson, Governors State University, University Park, IL
  jjohnson@govst.edu
- Dr. Al Tuskenis, Governors State University, University Park, IL
  atuskenis@govst.edu
- Dr. Kristin Wesner, Clarke University, Dubuque, IO
  kristin.wesner@clarke.edu
- Dr. Patricia A. Marsh, Park University, Parkville, MO
  patricia.marsh@park.edu
- Dr. Jamie McMinn, Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA
  mcminnjg@westminster.edu
- Dr. Steve Hoekstra, Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina, KS
  hoekstr@kwu.edu
Capstone syllabi
Assignment ideas (including Portfolios)
- Revised Course Packet
Sample rubrics
How to gather capstone data (electronically)
Ways to use capstone data in assessment
- UCM Pre and Post Capstone Questionnaires_2010-2011
How to prepare students for a capstone experience (i.e, prerequisites, applications, motivation)
Strategies for large classes
How to prepare faculty for a capstone experience
How to have an effective capstone process in an online program
Ways to create "capstone experiences" with limited resources
Lobbying your administration for capstone support
Capstone References and Research