As a BS Physics major, you are required to complete a Capstone Thesis on a research project. This is for your benefit, because in the “real-world” you will have to solve problems for which you can’t find the answers on the internet, and you will be evaluated for your hard work, creativity, initiative, and ability to obtain and communicate results. Capstone advising is not part of the regular instruction, and your professor adds a significant burden by agreeing to mentor you, but is willing to do it because we believe this is essential to your success.
The Capstone Thesis should be well structured, start with an Abstract, continue with an Introduction, then present the Theory of the problem to be researched, followed by Methods, Results and end with a Discussion or Conclusion.
You will have to give a 40 minutes Public Presentation of your research, usually scheduled in the Final week of your last semester. Physics usually schedules all Capstone presentations in one day. All the Physics faculty are invited to attend your talk. You can invite family, friends and colleagues.
In order to schedule your presentation, you must submit the title and abstract of your thesis, including your and mentor’s names, to the department office, together with the time chosen to be included in the announcement/invitation.
Besides the presentation, Physics requires also a committee consisting of three faculty members, who will vote to give your grade after the presentation.
You must send the digital copy of your Capstone thesis to all members of the committee at least 5 days before the presentation for review.
The hard copy of the Capstone thesis, with covers, should be given to the Department after the presentation.
If you do not finish your Capstone Thesis in the last semester of your last year, you will not be able to graduate.