Successful completion of IDS 210 Interdisciplinary Capstone Project (3 credits) is a requirement of the Doral College Associate in Arts degree and fulfills academic program outcome six: “the student will participate in a project that incorporates the liberal arts curriculum in order to demonstrate the application and value of an interdisciplinary educational approach”. This course requires students to complete an interdisciplinary research-based project that combines at least two of disciplines addressed by the College’s academic program. Prior to this course, students must complete the Introduction to Capstone Research course (IDS 209– 1 credit) in which they initiate the process of defining a research topic. Considered the culminating effort of a student’s study with the College, the Capstone Project requires students to incorporate a variety of the skills they have mastered, including oral communication, synthesis, and in-depth research.

The project is developed in four stages, divided in two semesters, as follows:

1. Project Identification:  During the first semester students take the Introduction to Capstone Research course. At this stage, a student should begin considering which disciplines and topics he/she wishes to explore, and who he/she would like to select as a Mentor for the project. Mentors must be credentialed by the Academic Dean to participate in the process. Students must register for this course, as it is a pre-requisite for IDS 210.
2. Project Proposal: Next, the student will submit a project proposal to explain the goals and structure of the proposed project. This is a requirement for the completion of the Introduction to Capstone Research course. The project proposal is then approved by the Capstone Chair and the Mentor.
3. Project Completion: During the second semester students will enroll in a section of IDS 210. A Capstone Coordinator will be in charge of a section with a limited number of students and he/she will work with the students and Mentors. Students work throughout the semester in conjunction with the Mentor to ensure the project is complete by the due date (early April).
4. Project Defense: After the project has been submitted to the Capstone Committee (composed by the Coordinator and the Mentor), each student will be scheduled for defense. The defense period lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Below, we have compiled a number of resources related to the project.

Course Outline: This master document further explains each of the project’s stages mentioned above. All students who intend to graduate should read and understand this document thoroughly.

Disciplines List: Updated periodically, this document lists all disciplines currently addressed by the College’s AA program in order to assist students with selecting topics.

Sample Capstone Projects: Selected sample Capstone projects from students.

For additional assistance with the Capstone Project, visit Academic Support.