Graduate Studies Reports Access
Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - IDS6398
Tracking Number - 5383
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Current Status:
SCNS Liaison Notified of Graduate Council Approval - 2016-05-18
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments: For MA in Global Sust. Required. Prog. Chg approved. To GC. needs info on grade weighting. Emailed 4/14/16. Uptd 4/19 GC approved 5/5/16 To USF Sys 5/18/16; to SCNS after 5/25/16
Detail Information
- Date & Time Submitted: 2016-02-01
- Department:
- College: CS
- Budget Account Number: 321000
- Contact Person: George Philippidis
- Phone: 8139749333
- Email: gphilippidis@usf.edu
- Prefix: IDS
- Number: 6398
- Full Title: Capstone Research Project
- Credit Hours: 6
- Section Type: R -
Supervised Research
- Is the course title variable?: N
- Is a permit required for registration?: Y
- Are the credit hours variable?: N
- Is this course repeatable?: N
- If repeatable, how many times?: 0
- Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Capstone
- Course Online?: L -
Blended (1-99% online)
- Percentage Online: 50
- Grading Option:
R - Regular
- Prerequisites: None
- Corequisites: None
- Course Description: Students will identify the sustainability subject of their capstone project or pick from an existing selection of projects, discuss the scope and methodology with their faculty supervisor, and obtain their consent on a form supplied by the College.
- Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Needed for program/concentration/certificate change
- What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? It is a core requirement of the MA in Global Sustainability and will therefore be taken by all MA students
- Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? No
- What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) Ph.D.
- Objectives: The capstone course is intended to provide students with the opportunity to independently conduct a research project under faculty supervision. The capstone project is designed to incorporate and integrate the knowledge and skills the students acquired during their M.A. coursework at PCGS in their preferred area of concentration.
- Learning Outcomes: After completing this course, students should be able to:
- Apply quantitative and/or qualitative research methods to pursue individual research in the field of sustainability.
- Understand how to review primary literature and generate background information and collect data (or metadata)
- Learn how to use critical thinking to analyze research data and draw conclusions.
- Comprehend how to cite references
- Major Topics: Major course topics will vary depending on the topic of each capstone project, which will fit the student's selected are of concentration (energy, water, tourism, entrepreneurship, business, food, coastal, transportation). All topics, nevertheless, will pertain to the general field of sustainability.
- Textbooks: No textbook.
- Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: The students will be provided by the instructor with a list of peer reviewed publications, articles, and reference books to conduct their research. Those readings will be specified by the instructor to fit the topic selected by the student in their area of concentration.
- Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: - Conduct individual research using qualitative and/or quantitative methodology in a sustainability topic of their interest
- Describe the background, methodology, analysis, conclusions, and references of their research in 50-page report
- Summarize the research in a 10-minute oral presentation
(a) IDS 6398 – Capstone Research Project is a 6 credit hour capstone course in our MA program. Final project design should begin two semesters prior, and it is recommended that students begin writing their final report during their capstone experience. They are expected to become familiar with the literature surrounding the topic or problem, and be knowledgeable about the methods necessary to complete the project. They are also expected to generate recommendations, programs, policies or further research in a specified field that emerge from the capstone experience.
(b) When the Capstone Research Project is finished, copies of their Capstone Project Final Report will be submitted to their USF Supervisor and the Academic Capstone Director two weeks prior to the end of the semester. The page length of the Capstone Final Report will be dependent upon the nature of the study, and no less than 50-pages. The paper should be prepared in American Psychological Association (APA) style. You should use APA rules throughout your course of study.
(c) The Project Presentation of their research will be conducted with their USF Supervisor and/or in a public forum during the last week of the semester that they plan to graduate.
Grading of Capstones
The USF Supervisor and the Academic Capstone Director will jointly approve the Capstone Final Report as a gradable paper represented in the content, quality and effort expressed in the written document. A specific letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F) will be assigned to a student’s final grade in the capstone course based on a rubric and a tasks points sheet specific to Patel College requirements for research projects (see attachment).
Course Grading System (IDS 6398 – Capstone Research Project)
Tasks %:
1) Global Sustainability Research Project (GSRP) (10%)
2) Project Proposal (20%)
3) Project Updates (20%)
4) Final Report/Thesis (30%)
5) Project Presentation (20%)
*Patel College Capstone Tasks Rubric: 1000 points
1) Global Sustainability Research Project (GSRP): Submit completed 1-3 page GSRP with all signatures. (100 points)
2) Project Proposal: Submit completed 20-page PCGS Project Proposal and provide signed Internship Agreement. (200 points)
3) Project Updates: Submit 2 Progress Reports. (200 points)
4) Final Report or Thesis: Submit completed 50-page PCGS Capstone Project Final Report to be graded on content, quality and effort. (300 points)
5) Project Presentation: 15-slide PowerPoint. (200 points)
*points may be deducted for late task
- Assignments, Exams and Tests: (1) Written research report
(2) Presentation of research findings
- Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,
http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)
Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)
In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.
- Policy on Make-up Work: Automatic make-up examinations will be allowed ONLY for students involved in official University of South Florida activities (i.e. athletics, conferences, field trips, etc.). Students away on official USF business during scheduled exams must present a valid excuse on official USF stationary signed by the appropriate college personnel. Students missing examinations due to illness must verify their health problems with signed documentation from an acceptable corroborative source (e.g. your doctor). Students needing to miss examinations due to chronic health conditions or to death in the family should consult with the instructor. Late assignments will not be graded unless the instructor has granted permission in advance. The current university policy concerning incomplete grades will be followed. Incomplete grades are given only in situations where unexpected emergencies prevent a student from completing the course and the remaining work can be completed within a certain period of time specified by the course instructor. The instructor is the final authority on whether the student qualifies for an incomplete. Incomplete work must be finished by the set deadline or the “I” will automatically be recorded as an “F” on the student's transcript.
- Program This Course Supports: MA Program in Global Sustainability
- Course Concurrence Information: None
- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.