Capstone and Honors

Dolores Park, San Francisco - Taylor McAdam
Dolores Park, SF. Photo credit: Taylor McAdam

The Urban Studies Capstone is the culmination of your undergraduate education. It provides students in the major an opportunity to take what they've learned over four years, and apply it to a topic they are passionate about.

All Urban Studies majors must carry out a capstone project. Through coursework and advising, Urban Studies provides support for these projects to ensure that every student successfully emerges with a product that represents the summit of their academic achievement. There are several ways of meeting this requirement.

Honors Thesis

An original, academic research project of substantial breadth and depth. Honors students usually begin to work on their project in their mid-junior year, and continue through their entire senior year. 

Synthesis Project

An opportunity to bring your learning together in a more original way or with a non-academic audience in mind. Work usually begins in mid-junior year, and may conclude in fall or spring of senior year.  

Senior Project

An original, academic research project, but somewhat more modest in scope than an honors thesis. Work usually begins in mid-junior year, and concludes at the end of senior fall. 

Funding

Many Urban Studies students receive grants to support their capstone work.