LASS 4881 - General Studies Capstone Part 1
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 02, CRN 43868,
Credit hours: 2
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Kyle Starkey
Email: ktstarkey@ysu.edu
Course Description
4881. General Studies Capstone Part 1. Practical and applied learning within the primary concentration area. Development of a capstone project over two courses. Part 1 is conception and approval of the project and initial research. Part 2 is execution of the project. The project may be a field experience or scholarly thesis. The capstone project must be approved by the professor in Part 1. Prereq.: Completion of 20 s.h. 2 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | What is career readiness? | NACE – National Association of Colleges + Employers | |
| Required | Explore all Eight Career Readiness Competencies | NACE – National Association of Colleges + Employers. | |
| Required | Understanding the Capstone Experience Through the Voices of Students. | McGill, P.T. | |
| Required | The Capstone Project – Jenn Poggi | TEDx Talks | |
| Required | Capstone and Thesis Research Guide: Choosing a Topic | University of Wisconsin-Superior – Jim Dan Hill Library | |
| Required | Essay Writing | Purdue University | |
| Required | Writing a Literature Review | Online Writing Lab (OWL) | |
| Required | Literature Reviews | UNC-Chapel Hill – The Writing Center | |
| Required | Capstone and Thesis Research Guide: Writing a Research Proposal | University of Wisconsin-Superior – Jim Dan Hill Library | |
| Required | Proposal Examples | Utah State University | |
| Required | How to Write a Research Methodology for Your Academic Article | Expert Journals | |
| Required | Capstone and Thesis Research Guide: The Methodology | Jim Dan Hill Library – University of Wisconsin-Superior |
All readings will be provided through links, pdfs, and videos
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Course Schedule
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | What is career readiness? NACE – National Association of Colleges + Employers. https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/career-readiness-defined/ Explore all Eight Career Readiness Competencies. NACE – National Association of Colleges + Employers. https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/career-readiness-defined/#competencies |
Module 1: Applying the BGS Degree | Module 1 Discussion (Due: 08/30) Pre-Assessment Form (Due: 08/30) |
| 8/31 | McGill, P.T. (2012). Understanding the Capstone Experience Through the Voices of Students. The Journal of General Education 61(4), 488-504. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/jge.2012.0029. The Capstone Project – Jenn Poggi. TEDx Talks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWxwwLP2THU. What is career readiness? NACE – National Association of Colleges + Employers. https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/career-readiness-defined/ Explore all Eight Career Readiness Competencies. NACE – National Association of Colleges + Employers. https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/career-readiness-defined/#competencies |
Module 2: What is a Capstone Project? | Feedback Fruits Activity (Due: 09/06) Module 2 Discussion (Due: 09/06) Career Readiness & Competency Reflection (Due: 09/06) |
| 9/7 | Capstone and Thesis Research Guide: Choosing a Topic. University of Wisconsin-Superior – Jim Dan Hill Library. (n.d.) https://library.uwsuper.edu/Capstone/Topic. Essay Writing. Purdue University. (n.d.) https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/index.html. |
Module 3: Choosing a Topic | Module 3 Discussion (Due: 09/13) Capstone Paper Topic Assignment (Due: 09/13) |
| 9/14 | Writing a Literature Review. Online Writing Lab (OWL), Purdue University (n.d.). https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/conducting_research/writing_a_literature_review.html Literature Reviews. UNC-Chapel Hill – The Writing Center (n.d.). https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/literature-reviews/. |
Module 4: The Larger Discussion | Module 4 Discussion (Due: 09/20) |
| 9/21 | Capstone and Thesis Research Guide: Writing a Research Proposal. University of Wisconsin-Superior – Jim Dan Hill Library (n.d.). https://library.uwsuper.edu/Capstone/Proposal Proposal Examples. Utah State University (n.d.). https://qanr.usu.edu/mnr/proposal-examples |
Module 5: Creating Your “Sales Pitch” | Research Proposal w/ Annotated Bibliography [Draft Peer Revision] (Due: 09/27) Research Proposal w/ Annotated Bibliography [Draft to Instructor] (Due: 09/27) |
| 9/28 | How to Write a Research Methodology for Your Academic Article. Expert Journals. June 21, 2017. https://expertjournals.com/how-to-write-a-research-methodology-for-your-academic-article/ Capstone and Thesis Research Guide: The Methodology. Jim Dan Hill Library – University of Wisconsin-Superior. (n.d.). https://library.uwsuper.edu/Capstone/MethodSection. |
Module 6: Implementing a Methodology | Module 6 Discussion (Due: 10/04) |
| 10/5 | No Readings in this Module | Module 7: Finalizing the Sales Pitch | Research Proposal w/ Annotated Bibliography [Final] (Due: 10/11) |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.