Senior Capstone

Are you graduating in May 2009 or after? Here are the new Capstone Guidelines!!

To meet the college capstone requirement in Mathematics and Computer Science, every senior will write a paper and present their work at the department conference on Capstone Day in the spring of their senior year. Students double majoring in one of the mathematics paths and computer science may write a single paper, but it must be acceptable as a mathematics capstone paper and as a computer science capstone paper, and two separate presentations must be given. All graduating seniors must enroll and attend MATH 490 or COMP 490. COMP 490 meets for the entire year; MATH 490 meets in spring.

A form indicating intent for the topic of the paper, signed by a faculty adviser (the ‘first reader’) and a second reader, is due early in the fall of the senior year. The topic for the project is determined by the student, working together with a faculty adviser.

The capstone project typically is:

Mathematics:

• The extension of a project done in one of the following courses: MATH 312, MATH 354, MATH 355, MATH 365, MATH 371, MATH 373, MATH 376, MATH 377, MATH 379, MATH 432, MATH 437, MATH 469, MATH 471, MATH 476, MATH 477, MATH 478.
• The extension of a project done in an approved Topics course;
• An Honors thesis;
• A paper based on an approved summer research experience done during the summer between the junior and senior years;
• A paper that is required for an approved Independent Study that is taken in the spring of the junior year or fall of the senior year. This is a good option if you wish to further study a topic from a course other than those listed above.

Applied Mathematics and Statistics:

• The extension of a project done in one of the following courses: MATH 253, MATH 312, MATH 354, MATH 355, MATH 365, MATH 432, MATH 437, MATH 469, COMP 340, COMP 480, or COMP 484.
• A paper substantially involving applied math or statistics that coordinates with a project the student has done in another department or program;
• An Honors thesis;
• A paper based on an approved summer research experience or internship;
• A paper that is required for an approved Independent Study that is taken in the spring of the junior year or fall of the senior year. This is a good option if you wish to further study a topic from a course other than those listed above.

Computer Science:

• The extension of a project undertaken in one of the following courses: COMP 325, COMP 342, COMP 343, COMP 346, COMP 365, COMP 369, COMP 445, COMP 480, COMP 484;
• The extension of a project undertaken in an approved Topics course;
• An Honors Thesis;
• A paper based on an approved summer research experience done during the summer between the junior and senior years;
• A paper that is required for an approved Independent Study that is taken in the spring of the junior year or fall of the senior year. This is a good option if you wish to further study a topic from a course other than those listed above.

Additional Resources:

You should pay attention to how to choose an advisor, what kinds of research you can undertake, and how to prepare for your talk. We also have some resources that you will find quite useful.

The 2006 Book of Abstracts may be found here.

Deadlines: What do I need to do, and when?

Each semester, a detailed list of requirements, including deadlines for proposals, annotated bibliographies, outlines, drafts, and more detailed information, may be found on the Math/CS Capstone Moodle Page. Capstone Day is April 23, 2008!