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BSHS Capstone Experiences
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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  1. What is a capstone?
  2. When do I apply for my capstone?
  3. How do I apply for my capstone?
  4. How many credits will I receive for my capstone experience?
  5. Can I do my capstone somewhere other than Rochester?
  6. If I do an internship as a part of my capstone, will I still graduate in 4 years?
  7. Will I have to interview for my capstone?
  8. Who will approve and supervise my capstone?
  9. Are capstones competitive?
  10. Can I study abroad or away as part of my capstone experience?
  11. How do I learn about my capstone options?
  12. When do I need to decide what to do for my capstone?
  13. What if I do not like my capstone experience?
  14. Can more than one person have the same capstone?
  15. What is expected of me to successfully complete my capstone?
  16. Will my capstone involve taking courses and an internship at the same time?
  17. Could my capstone experience consist of coursework only?
  18. How long will it take me to complete my capstone?
  19. What if I am not admitted or accepted into my selected capstone?
  20. Where can I find information about internship opportunities?
  21. If I am interested in doing a research experience as part of my capstone, where do I start?
  22. How do I apply for a Mayo School of Health Sciences (MSHS) program for my capstone?
  23. What other certificate or minor options could I complete as my capstone?
  24. Who will oversee my capstone?

1.  What is a capstone?

You will have the unique opportunity to personalize your education with a capstone experience. Capstones will be completed after you finish the first two years of your BSHS coursework, and can include up to 30 academic credits. Every capstone plan must be approved by the faculty capstone committee and the planning process will be guided by your coach. You will enroll in a capstone reflections seminar course while completing your capstone experience. You will design your capstone experience based on your career and professional goals. Components may include, but are not limited to:

  • Upper division coursework in relevant disciplines
  • Upper division coursework or other appropriate experiences during study abroad or national student exchange experiences
  • Internship experiences working in a health sciences industry environment, such as nonprofit, regulatory affairs, medical information technology, public health, informatics, medical device, or the pharmaceutical industry
  • Research experiences that demonstrate interest in and commitment to health sciences professions or serve as preparation for graduate school or professional school
  • Allied health certificate completion (in collaboration with the Mayo School of Health Sciences) or completion of other approved certificates
  • Community-based research, service, or work experience that is approved for academic credit by a faculty advisor

To learn more about BSHS capstone opportunities, contact Jenny Hegland, Capstone Coordinator, at (507) 258-8229 or jjheglan@umn.edu. 

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2.  When do I apply for my capstone?

You will complete your capstone during your third and/or fourth year at UMR. You will write and submit your capstone proposal at least one semester prior to the semester in which you plan to begin your capstone. Most students will write and submit their capstone proposals for approval during the spring semester of the junior year.

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3.  How do I apply for my capstone?

You will complete a capstone proposal that will be reviewed by a faculty committee. The capstone proposal template is available online. You will need to receive approval prior to beginning your capstone experience. 

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4.  How many credits will I receive for my capstone experience?

Your capstone will consist of up to 30 academic credits (which may include upper-division required or elective coursework as well as internship and/or research experience for academic credit). In general, courses taken as a part of your capstone must be upper-division. The number of credits you register for will depend on your capstone plan.

For internship or research experiences:

  • Approximately 10 hrs. per week working in an internship or research experience per semester = 3 credits
  • Approximately 20 hrs. per week working in an internship or research experience per semester = 6 credits
  • Approximately 40 hrs. per week working in an internship or research experience per semester = 12 credits

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5.  Can I do my capstone somewhere other than Rochester?

Yes. Upper division online courses are also options that can be incorporated into your capstone. Learning abroad options that work well as BSHS capstones can be viewed at http://r.umn.edu/academics-research/cli/capstones/learning-abroad/.

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6.  If I do an internship as a part of my capstone, will I still graduate in 4 years?

Yes. Our BSHS curriculum allows you to incorporate an internship experience during your 3rd or 4th year. However, it is important to plan ahead if your internship will be outside of the Rochester area so your required course sequence can still be completed within a 4-year timeframe. Your student success coaches are available to help you plan a four-year experience that will have you on track to graduate within that timeframe.

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7.  Will I have to interview for my capstone?

Most organizations will conduct interviews for research or internship positions. You will have the opportunity to develop and practice your interview skills through the CLI seminar courses.  

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8.  Who will approve and supervise my capstone?

All capstone proposals will be reviewed and approved by the faculty capstone committee. Two faculty members from the committee will review each proposal. If your capstone experience involves an internship or research experience, you will be assigned a faculty sponsor to monitor that experience. You will also need to have an on-site supervisor to oversee your work. You will be required to write a formal paper in conjunction with any internship or research experience you receive credit for. Your capstone coordinator will not supervise the academic content of any internship or research experiences, however she is available to answer questions about the process, assist with the formulation of capstone proposals, and help communicate with on-site supervisors or community partners you will be interacting with.

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9.  Are capstones competitive?

Most internship and research opportunities that you could incorporate as a component of your capstone experience are extremely competitive. If you wish to pursue an allied health certificate through the Mayo School of Health Sciences as your capstone experience, you should research the programs thoroughly in advance as they involve a competitive application process and most of the programs admit less than 20 students per year. As a BSHS student, you are not guaranteed admission to any certificate, internship, or research programs. You must prepare yourself to be a competitive applicant for any programs you wish to receive credit for through the BSHS.

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10. Can I study abroad or away as part of my capstone experience?

Yes. You should begin planning as early as possible so you can complete your required coursework in the appropriate sequence within four years. UMR partners with the International Office and National Student Exchange (NSE) to provide you with opportunities to study away or abroad.

To learn more about international study opportunities, please visit the University of Minnesota Learning Abroad Center at http://umabroad.umn.edu. To view options which can work well as BSHS capstones, visit http://r.umn.edu/academics-research/cli/capstones/learning-abroad/You may also contact Michael Fridgen, UMR International Program Coordinator, at frid0014@umn.edu for additional information.

To learn more about National Student Exchange, visit http://www.r.umn.edu/student-life/nse/. With NSE, you can study away for one or two semesters. NSE locations encompass nearly 200 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. Kendra Weber is the UMR coordinator for NSE, and can be reached at weber362@r.umn.edu.

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11. How do I learn about my capstone options?

Throughout your first two years at UMR, you will be exposed to a variety of career pathways through the CLI seminar courses, career fairs, and optional community events both on and off campus. It is your responsibility to seek out additional opportunities to help you explore your career interests so you can design a capstone experience that aligns with your career and professional goals. Your student coach is available to talk with you about your options and help direct you to information about your opportunities.

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12. When do I need to decide what to do for my capstone?

You should start exploring options for your capstone experience during your first semester at UMR; however you won’t need to formally submit your capstone proposal until the spring semester of your junior year (or at least one semester prior to beginning your capstone). There may be special circumstances that would require you to submit your proposal earlier if there are experiences you wish to begin prior to the fall semester of your senior year.

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13. What if I do not like my capstone experience?

If you do not like aspects of your capstone experience, you’re encouraged to first talk with your coach or capstone coordinator. Together, the two of you will decide the best options for moving forward. Depending on the timing of your capstone, you may be able to make adjustments to your plan that would still allow you to graduate within four years.

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14. Can more than one person have the same capstone?

Yes. Some capstone options will have standardized applications students can submit, including certificate options through the Mayo School of Health Sciences.

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15. What is expected of me to successfully complete my capstone?

After your capstone is approved, you will be required to complete the necessary paperwork and assignments that accompany the specific experiences you participate in. These requirements will vary depending on your capstone, but may involve tracking your hours, writing a formal report, participating in the CLI reflection seminar, and reporting your progress to your faculty sponsor. As you approach your capstone, your capstone coordinator will work with you to outline the specific requirements necessary for your individualized capstone.

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16. Will my capstone involve taking courses and an internship at the same time?

Most capstone experiences will involve taking upper-division coursework. If you elect to do an internship during fall or spring semester, you may or may not take courses concurrently depending on the number of hours your internship involves per week.

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17. Could my capstone experience consist of coursework only?

You are not required to complete an internship, research, or travel experience as a component of your capstone. However, you will be more competitive in most fields if you have some experiences that extend beyond the classroom. If you decide to take coursework only as your capstone, you will be required to complete a senior thesis in addition to the coursework.

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18. How long will it take me to complete my capstone?

Most capstone experiences will last between one and two semesters. Depending on your goals, you might choose to complete an experience during the summer that could extend the length of your capstone. This will vary depending on the experiences and coursework you select.

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19. What if I am not admitted or accepted into my selected capstone?

You are encouraged to explore multiple career pathways and capstone options as a BSHS student. If you are not accepted to your first program of interest, you will be encouraged to apply for alternative options that also align with your career and professional goals. It will also behoove you to learn as much as you can in advance about program admission and what it takes to be competitive so you will have a good sense of whether or not you’re qualified for the specific programs you may wish to pursue. 

BSHS students interested in learning how to become competitive for specific University of Minnesota graduate programs can access specific information at the Graduate Pathways section of the website. 

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20. Where can I find information about internship opportunities?

There are many resources available to help you access information about internship opportunities.You may wish to start your research using the following resources: 

Internship Opportunities: 

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21. If I am interested in doing a research experience as part of my capstone, where do I start?

There are many research programs designed to provide students with research experiences during the summer, as well as throughout the academic year. Most summer research experiences last 8-10 weeks and require students to apply well in advance. You should begin looking into research opportunities as early as possible or at least one year prior to when you wish to participate in research. Research opportunities at UMR can also be explored with individual faculty. 

You can learn more about research programs that may be of interest here: 

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22. How do I apply for a Mayo School of Health Sciences (MSHS) program for my capstone?

Which Mayo School of Health Sciences (MSHS) certificates could I apply to for my capstone?
There are currently two approved MSHS certificates which students may apply to complete as BSHS capstones: Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Cytotechnology. Additional information is outlined here [insert link to brochures here once we have them]

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23. What other certificate or minor options could I complete as my capstone?


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24. Who will oversee my capstone?

All capstones will be overseen by UMR faculty sponsors. You will be assigned a faculty sponsor unless your capstone involves direct research with a member of the CLI faculty. In this case, you may request that faculty member serve as your capstone sponsor. You must then complete the Faculty Research Sponsor Agreement.

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Last modified on May 11, 2012

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