Capstone Paper Option

Graduate students in the Applied Community Economic Development Sequence (and only those students) may choose to complete their degree by completing 39 hours of coursework with a capstone paper, rather than by writing a thesis or taking comprehensive examinations.

Required Courses for the Capstone Paper Option

• POL 470/SOA 470 Seminar in Community Development (3)
• POL 477/SOA 477 Community Project Design and Management (3)
• ECO/POL/SOA 478 Topics in Administration and Planning (2)
• ECO 490.04 Seminar in Local Economic Development (2)
• POL 498.12/498.90 Professional Practice: Community Development Practicum (8)
• POL 495 Graduate Research in Applied Community Development (3)
• POL 497 Introduction to Research Methodology (3) or POL 461 Seminar in Political Theory (3) Note: POL 461 is an option only for Master’s International students.

As part of the 39 hours, a student must complete POL 495 (Graduate Research in Applied Economic Community Development: 3 credit hours) as a "capstone" experience.  This is a paper dealing with the student's 498.12 Professional Practice experience, whether by a Fellow's internship or a Master's International student's Peace Corps assignment. 

See the requirements for this capstone paper.