Capstone Experience and Theses

Student presents poster about thesis.

All Honors majors and Honors special majors complete a two-credit thesis as one of their honors preparations, and as their capstone experience.

Students select the focus of their thesis work; theses typically build on coursework and methods training in Educational Studies (and the other department comprising the special major, if it is a special major thesis). Honors major theses are supervised by a faculty member in Educational Studies; honors special major theses are supervised by a faculty member in Educational Studies and a faculty member in the other discipline. Copies of honors major and special major theses can be accessed through Triceratops in the Swarthmore College Library.

 All course majors and special majors complete a capstone experience that either consists of:

  • completing a two-credit Honors Seminar that includes a research component. 
    Seminars in the next two years with a research component include: Motivation and Learning; Special and Cultural Perspectives on Education; Urban Politics,  Policy, and Education; Immigration and Education; and possibly more.
  • writing a one- or two-credit thesis.
    Students select the focus of their thesis work; theses typically build on coursework and methods training in Educational Studies (and the other department comprising the special major, if it is a special major thesis). Major theses are supervised by a faculty member in Educational Studies; special major theses are supervised by a faculty member in Educational Studies and the other department comprising the special major, if it is a special major thesis.

The thesis involves independent research that can result in many different final forms, including but not limited to a literature review, a research proposal, an empirical study (2-credit only), a curriculum, podcast, or documentary film.

Faculty members use a rubric developed by the Department of Educational Studies to evaluate one- and two-credit theses. These rubrics represent the department's learning goals for students and are provided to students as they begin their thesis work.