{"id":43,"date":"2009-10-13T16:01:35","date_gmt":"2009-10-13T20:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/?page_id=43"},"modified":"2025-08-30T14:18:42","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T18:18:42","slug":"capstone-courses","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/capstone-courses\/","title":{"rendered":"Honours Capstone Courses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-max  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n        \n                    \n                    \n            \n    <div class=\"cu-wideimage relative flex items-center justify-center mx-auto px-8 overflow-hidden md:px-16 rounded-xl not-prose  my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 bg-opacity-50 bg-cover bg-cu-black-50 py-24 md:py-28 lg:py-36 xl:py-48\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/93\/2025\/05\/MG_0121-768x336.jpg); background-position: 50% 50%;\">\n\n                    <div class=\"absolute top-0 w-full h-screen\" style=\"background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.600);\"><\/div>\n        \n        <div class=\"relative z-[2] max-w-4xl w-full flex flex-col items-center gap-2 cu-wideimage-image cu-zero-first-last\">\n            <header class=\"mx-auto mb-6 text-center text-white cu-pageheader cu-component-updated cu-pageheader--center md:mb-12\">\n\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold mb-2 text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] cu-pageheader--center text-center mx-auto after:left-px\">\n                        Honours Capstone Courses\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                            <\/header>\n        <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    \n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-2xl md:text-3xl lg:text-4xl lg:leading-[3rem] pb-4 after:w-8 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        What are Honours capstone courses?\n                    <\/h2>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                            \n\n<p>Capstone courses are final-year research experiences. They are sometimes called Honours Thesis Courses or Honours Research Projects. Capstone courses consolidate knowledge and skills gained during your degree and challenge you to apply them to a specific area of research.<\/p>\n\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Worth 1.0 credit&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Two terms long (Fall + Winter OR Early + Late Summer)&nbsp;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Should be completed in the final year of study&nbsp;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Involve research with a faculty member in the Institute of Biochemistry<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Requires at least 8 hours of work per week<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">Course assessment centres on a thesis and poster presentation<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">No lectures, seminars, textbooks or tests&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n    \n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--grey ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl bg-cu-black-50 max-w-screen-2xl mx-auto rounded-xl px-6 py-5 md:px-14 md:py-12 md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-2xl md:text-3xl lg:text-4xl lg:leading-[3rem] pb-4 after:w-8 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Which course should I choose?\n                    <\/h2>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                            \n\n<p>In each course, you must describe your research in a thesis and poster presentation. If you enjoy being in the lab, register for BIOC 4908.<\/p>\n\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n    \n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--grey ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl bg-cu-black-50 max-w-screen-2xl mx-auto rounded-xl px-6 py-5 md:px-14 md:py-12 md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n                \n        <div class=\"cu-column cu-component not-contained mx-auto grid max-w-5xl md:grid-cols-2 gap-6 md:gap-10\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"not-prose cu-card rounded-lg @container md:max-w-xl flex flex-col gap-3 bg-white shadow-lg shadow-cu-black-100   \">\n    \n                        <header class=\"flex flex-col gap-3  px-6 first:mt-6\">\n                \n        \n    \n    <h2 class=\"line-clamp-3 text-lg font-semibold text-cu-black @sm:md:text-xl leading-6 @sm:md:leading-8\">\n        BIOC 4907 Honours Essay and Research Proposal\n    <\/h2>\n\n            <\/header>\n\n        \n                    <div class=\"flex flex-col px-6\">\n                <p class=\"text-base text-cu-black-700\">\n                    Your research is conducted in a wet or computational lab setting. You carry out experiments to collect data, analyze and interpret data, and consider their meaning in the context of existing literature.\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        \n                                \n            <footer class=\"px-6 pt-3 mt-auto text-white md:pt-5\">\n                <a  href=\"https:\/\/calendar.carleton.ca\/search\/?P=BIOC%204907\" class=\"cu-button cu-button--red cu-button--small\">\n                    BIOC 4907\n                <\/a>\n            <\/footer>\n            <\/div>\n    \n\n\n<div class=\"not-prose cu-card rounded-lg @container md:max-w-xl flex flex-col gap-3 bg-white shadow-lg shadow-cu-black-100   \">\n    \n                        <header class=\"flex flex-col gap-3  px-6 first:mt-6\">\n                \n        \n    \n    <h2 class=\"line-clamp-3 text-lg font-semibold text-cu-black @sm:md:text-xl leading-6 @sm:md:leading-8\">\n        BIOC 4908 Research Project\n    <\/h2>\n\n            <\/header>\n\n        \n                    <div class=\"flex flex-col px-6\">\n                <p class=\"text-base text-cu-black-700\">\n                    Your research setting is wherever your computer is. You conduct an extensive literature review to identify research gaps in a particular field and propose new research to address those gaps in knowledge.\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        \n                                \n            <footer class=\"px-6 pt-3 mt-auto text-white md:pt-5\">\n                <a  href=\"https:\/\/calendar.carleton.ca\/search\/?P=BIOC%204908\" class=\"cu-button cu-button--red cu-button--small\">\n                    BIOC 4908\n                <\/a>\n            <\/footer>\n            <\/div>\n    \n\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row-reverse mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-2xl md:text-3xl lg:text-4xl lg:leading-[3rem] pb-4 after:w-8 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        When should I start planning for my capstone course?\n                    <\/h2>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                            \n\n<p>We recommend the following timeline:<\/p>\n\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n        \n    \n            <div class=\"relative cu-timeline cu-component\">\n            \n<div class=\"flex flex-col border-l border-solid cu-timeline-item md:gap-10 md:flex-row border-cu-black-100 md:border-none\">\n            <div class=\"flex-none w-full max-w-60 md:text-right md:border-r md:border-cu-black-100 md:border-solid\">\n            <p class=\"relative pl-6 mt-4 text-base italic cu-timeline-aside not-prose md:mt-0 md:py-6 text-cu-black-500 md:pr-10 md:pl-0\">\n                September-December\n            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"cu-prose cu-prose-dark cu-prose-first-last flex-1 mt-5 lg:mt-3.5 pb-10 pl-6 md:pl-0\">\n        <header class=\"cu-pageheader cu-component cu-prose-first-last \">\n            <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 text-xl md:text-2xl lg:text-3xl lg:leading-[2.5rem]   after:left-px\">\n                Fall Term, 3rd Year\n            <\/h2>\n        <\/header>\n        \n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Explore research areas of faculty members in the Institute of Biochemistry<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attend the Thesis Night Information organized by our student society<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Request meetings with faculty members to discuss opportunities in their lab<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"flex flex-col border-l border-solid cu-timeline-item md:gap-10 md:flex-row border-cu-black-100 md:border-none\">\n            <div class=\"flex-none w-full max-w-60 md:text-right md:border-r md:border-cu-black-100 md:border-solid\">\n            <p class=\"relative pl-6 mt-4 text-base italic cu-timeline-aside not-prose md:mt-0 md:py-6 text-cu-black-500 md:pr-10 md:pl-0\">\n                January-March\n            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"cu-prose cu-prose-dark cu-prose-first-last flex-1 mt-5 lg:mt-3.5 pb-10 pl-6 md:pl-0\">\n        <header class=\"cu-pageheader cu-component cu-prose-first-last \">\n            <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 text-xl md:text-2xl lg:text-3xl lg:leading-[2.5rem]   after:left-px\">\n                Winter Term, 3rd Year\n            <\/h2>\n        <\/header>\n        \n\n<ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Finalize arrangements with a supervisor<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Submit the <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/cu-files\/undergraduate-research-course-for-credit-registration-request-form\/\">Undergraduate Research Courses for Credit form<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n        <\/div>\n    \n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"register\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Register<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If starting in <strong class=\"myprefix-text-bold\">Summer<\/strong>: register during the March registration period<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If starting in <strong class=\"myprefix-text-bold\">Fall<\/strong>: register during the July registration period<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n    \n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--grey ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl bg-cu-black-50 max-w-screen-2xl mx-auto rounded-xl px-6 py-5 md:px-14 md:py-12 md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-2xl md:text-3xl lg:text-4xl lg:leading-[3rem] pb-4 after:w-8 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Who can be a capstone course supervisor?\n                    <\/h2>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                            \n\n<p>Supervisors can be any <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/facultystaff\/faculty\/\">faculty member<\/a> in the Institute of Biochemistry.&nbsp; Adjunct professors in the <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biology\/facultystaff-listing\/adjunct-professors\/\">Department of Biology<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/chemistry\/staff-and-faculty-listing\/#adjunct\">Department of Chemistry<\/a> may also act as supervisors. Working with adjunct professors may enable you to conduct research in labs outside Carleton University. You must, however, identify a faculty member within the Institute to act as your co-supervisor.<\/p>\n\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-2xl md:text-3xl lg:text-4xl lg:leading-[3rem] pb-4 after:w-8 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        How do I secure a supervisor?\n                    <\/h2>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                            \n\n<p>Students must show a good deal of initiative and persistence in finding a capstone supervisor. Your prospects for securing a supervisor will be enhanced if you follow the tips listed below:<\/p>\n\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Do your homework.<\/strong> Most faculty members are looking for students who can work on aspects of on-going research in their lab. Be familiar with a professor\u2019s research before approaching them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Be flexible.<\/strong> Your interests are important, but being flexible in your choice of lab will increase your chances of securing a supervisor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Write an informative email<\/strong>. Professors may receive hundreds of emails per day. For your request to stand out:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use a clear subject heading; e.g., Conducting a capstone project in your laboratory in [academic year]<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Briefly describe your research interests, relevant courses you have taken related to this research area, and your performance in those courses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ask for willingness to meet to discuss capstone course possibilities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Go prepared<\/strong>. When meeting with prospective supervisors, ask prepared questions about their research program, their lab group, and mentoring approaches. Bring a copy of your academic audit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n    \n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--grey ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl bg-cu-black-50 max-w-screen-2xl mx-auto rounded-xl px-6 py-5 md:px-14 md:py-12 md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-2xl md:text-3xl lg:text-4xl lg:leading-[3rem] pb-4 after:w-8 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        I secured a capstone supervisor. Now what?\n                    <\/h2>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                            \n\n<p>As soon as you have confirmed a faculty supervisor, please submit a completed <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/cu-files\/undergraduate-research-course-for-credit-registration-request-form\/\">Undergraduate Research Courses for Credit form<\/a> to the Institute of Biochemistry Undergraduate Administrator via email <a href=\"mailto:%20Biochem@carleton.ca\">(Biochem@carleton.ca)<\/a> or in person in 209 Nesbitt Building.<\/p>\n\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Register<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cu_dining_location_slug":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_page_type":[40],"class_list":["post-43","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","cu_page_type-general"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/43","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/43\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4150,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/43\/revisions\/4150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=43"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}