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Capstone Program

College of Engineering seniors work in small teams on real-world, industry-specific challenges that demand analysis, proposals, prototypes, and solutions.

The most successful projects are an overlap of industry priorities with student expertise and interests. The college works with partners in industry and government to develop both product and process projects—as relevant to the specific engineering disciplines. We encourage a mentorship component that helps students devise solutions that meet actual sponsor needs.

Each capstone group works together to:

  • Conduct background research
  • Translate project requirements into quantitative and testable specifications
  • Complete benchmarking
  • Consider multiple potential solutions to design problem
  • Devise testing procedures; select and specify one design solution
  • Construct a prototype (product projects)
  • Prepare for implementation (process projects)
  • Test and revise prototype or process to meet project requirements
  • Evaluate prototype or process

Along the way, students prepare and present professional-level project documents, from a background report to preliminary and final proposals and a final report. Departmental capstone project presentations are a highlight of the spring semester.

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