Capstone course

A capstone course, also known as capstone unit serves as the culminating and usually integrative experience of an educational program. A capstone course, unit, module or subject in the higher education context may also be referred to as a capstone experience, senior seminar (in the U.S.), or final year project or dissertation (more common in the U.K.).

The term derives from the final decorative ‘cap-stone’ used to complete a building or monument. The term has been in common use in American higher education since the mid-twentieth century, although there is evidence that it was in use as early as the late 1800s. It has gradually been gaining currency in other countries, particularly where attention has focused on student outcomes and employability in undergraduate studies. National grant projects in Australia and the U.K. have further raised the profile of the capstone experience.

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