The Capstone is a culminating academic project that is completed within the confines of a semester-length course where you receive guidance and support from faculty and peers. Several Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) fields either require a capstone or offer the option to pursue one.
Capstones
In the capstone, you’ll draw upon your entire ALM scholarly training to produce an applied research or creative writing project worthy of a Harvard degree. These are projects where you showcase your talents to current or future employers by solving a real-world dilemma in your field/industry or demonstrate your creative expertise.
For some capstones you’ll work in a team and for others you’ll work individually. With all capstones, you’ll commit to full time study, while working in a supportive community of faculty and peers.
For example, our cybersecurity, data science, computer science, and systems engineering capstones are team-based projects that have a real-world industry partner for your research.
Our creative writing and journalism capstones allow for ample room to work on individual projects, but with the added benefit of weekly engagement with faculty and peers forming a writer’s community.
Human Subjects. If your capstone, regardless of field, will involve the use of human subjects (e.g., interviews, surveys, observations), you will need to have your research vetted by the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects (CUHS) of Harvard University. Please review the IRB Lifecycle Guide located on the CUHS website. Your capstone advisor will help you prepare a draft copy of the project protocol form that you will need to send to CUHS. If you need Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, factor in time to gain IRB approval as it can take several weeks.
Capstone Sequencing. The capstone is your last course. Due to heavy workload demands all your other degree requirements must be fulfilled prior to capstone registration. The capstone is taken alone as your one-and-only remaining degree requirement. You cannot register in any other courses along with the capstone.
Tip: Register on the first day of early degree-candidate registration to obtain a seat in these limited-enrollment courses.
For detailed course description information for all capstones, including specific registration requirements, such as prerequisites, credit minimums, and academic standing requirements, use the Degree Course Search.
Every effort is made to offer the same capstone topics each year; however, topics are subject to change.
Capstones Archiving. As part of your journey towards graduation, each degree candidate is required to submit a final copy of their capstone project to the Office of ALM Advising and Program Administration for official program archiving. This archival process ensures that the culmination of your academic endeavors is not only celebrated but also preserved for future reference. Your collaboration in this endeavor is greatly appreciated. Failure to submit may delay graduation.
Grading and Maximum Attempts, Academic Standing, and Academic Integrity
Grading and Maximum Attempts. You need to earn a grade of B- or higher to earn degree credit for the capstone requirement. If you earn a grade below a B– (including a WD), you will need to petition the DCE Administrative Board Office for permission to enroll in the capstone requirement for one final time. The Board only reviews cases in which extenuating circumstances prevented the successful completion of the capstone.
Moreover, the petition process is only available if your five-year, degree-completion deadline allows for more time. Your candidacy will automatically expire if you do not successfully complete the capstone requirement by your required deadline.
If approved for a second attempt, you may be required to repeat the precapstone.
Moreover, capstone topics are subject to change annually; therefore, there is no guarantee that your capstone topic will be offered the next year.
Academic Standing. If by not passing the capstone you fall into poor academic standing, you’ll need to take additional degree-applicable courses to return to good standing before enrolling in the capstone for your second and final time. This is only an option if your five-year, degree-completion deadline allows for more time to take additional courses.
Academic Integrity. All capstones are electronically reviewed for proper use of sources according to our academic integrity guidelines. Violations of our academic integrity policy will be referred to the Administrative Board.
Precapstones
Precapstone courses set the foundation for successful capstones. In the precapstone you may critically analyze the scholarly literature of the field, practice creative elements, narrow down your research question, and/or design as well as test research protocols. In sum, you do all the preproduction work necessary to be ready to execute, on day one, an intensive capstone project.
Precapstone Sequencing. You enroll in the precapstone and capstone courses in back-to-back semesters with the same instructor in your final academic year. Failure to register for the capstone immediately after completion of the precapstone is a violation of academic policy.
Tip: Register on the first day of early degree-candidate registration to obtain a seat in these limited-enrollment courses.
For detailed course description information, including specific registration requirements, such as prerequisites, credit minimums, and academic standing requirements, visit the Degree Course Search.
Grading and Maximum Attempts, Sequencing, Academic Standing, and Academic Integrity
Grading and Maximum Attempts. You have a maximum of two attempts at the precapstone course to earn the required grade of B- or higher. If after two attempts, you have not fulfilled the requirement your degree candidacy will expire (a WD grade is considered an attempt).
The second attempt policy is only available if your five-year, degree-completion date allows for more time. If you attempt to complete the precapstone in your final year and don’t pass (including a WD grade), your candidacy will automatically expire.
Sequencing. In the rare instance of extenuating circumstances that prevent the completion of the capstone immediately after the precapstone, you must formally petition for permission to postpone enrollment. Work and family responsibilities are rarely considered extenuating. Furthermore, as capstone topics are subject to change there is no guarantee that your capstone will be offered the following year, requiring you to enroll in a new precapstone/capstone sequence. If you have previously withdrawn from or received a grade below B- in the precapstone, you are not eligible to request deferred enrollment in the capstone. Additionally, extensions of time will not be granted, so you must have time remaining on your five-year degree completion deadline.
Academic Standing. If by not passing the precapstone you fall into poor academic standing, you will need to take additional degree-applicable courses to return to good standing before enrolling in the precapstone for your second and final time. This is only an option if your five-year, degree-completion deadline allows for more time to take additional courses.
Academic Integrity. All precapstones are electronically reviewed for proper use of sources according to our academic integrity guidelines. Violations of our academic integrity policy will be referred to the Administrative Board.
