Capstone Project

Capstone projects are required for all concentrators. The Capstone is intended to challenge you with an opportunity to synthesize at a high level of achievement the knowledge and understanding you have gained by concentrating in the History of Art and Architecture. Capstone projects embrace many possibilities. You can perfect a seminar paper in which you have developed a strong interest. You can participate in a graduate seminar to which the instructor has admitted you. You can develop work that you do as a museum or gallery intern. You might work on an archaeological excavation. You can participate in the Honors Program. Beyond these opportunities, the Department is open to other approaches. Capstones are often completed under the auspices of an independent study course. But a capstone may be completed under the umbrella of an existing course. All capstone’s must be discussed with and approved by a faculty sponsor and your concentration advisor.

Admissions to the Honors Program

Students concentrating in History of Art and Architecture and Architectural Studies will be invited the second semester of their junior year to apply for admission to the honors program. Honors students should:

• Maintain a GPA in the concentration close to A.
• Choose a thesis topic in consultation with an HIAA faculty member who will be the thesis advisor.  Ask the advisor to write a letter of support to submit along with your proposal.
• Submit a two-page double-space proposal for the thesis along with a one page bibliography of key sources.

Honors Presentations from May 2020      2020 Sample Senior Booklet

Writing the Honors Thesis

• Set up a schedule of regular meetings with your advisor
• Register in both semesters of the senior year for HIAA 1990, the Honors Seminar.  Each semester carries one credit. The Honors Seminar meets once a month.
• The Director of Undergraduate Study, Douglas Nickel, supervises the Honors Seminar and will establish a schedule for researching and writing the honors theses.