All students must complete a Capstone course requirement for graduation. Capstone courses should be taken in a student’s last semester of study before graduation.
Course Description
With supervision from an applied science Faculty Advisor, students will complete a practicum or internship of 120 hours with an appropriate community agency or institution related to their concentration area. As an intern, the student is delegated the responsibility of developing the solution to a well-defined problem, or is asked to complete a field-relevant task. Students report on the experience using their understanding of the field in which they are working. Students will share the results of this learning process with peers and will assist each other in refining communications skills. The course primarily focuses on security throughout the software development life cycle. This means knowing and understanding common risks (including implementation bugs and architectural flaws), designing for security, and subjecting all software artifacts to thorough, objective risk analyses and testing.
APSC 490 meets in person for the first two weeks of the semester, as scheduled, and at the end of the semester for presentations. During the semester you will schedule four individual meetings with your faculty advisor.
Prerequisites
- ENG 209 or equivalent
- Completion of ITS 410
- Completion of one upper-division (300 or 400 level) Writing Intensive (WI) course
- Completion or concurrent enrollment of concentration requirements
- Completion or concurrent enrollment of all BAS degree requirements
Student Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate critical thinking, research, and communication skills as applied to the public and private sectors (ILO1,3; DLO1, BASLO2,3; ITLO3,4; ISALO3).
- Demonstrate integrative knowledge, skills, and ethics necessary for responsible administrative, technical, and leadership positions in information technology and cyberspace career fields (ILO1,3,4; DLO5,6; BASLO3, 4; ITLO2, 3, 4; ISALO2,3).
- Write, document, research, and provide evidence to support an argument within information technology and cyberspace career fields (ILO1,3,4; DLO4; BASLO1,3; 4; ITLO3,4; ISALO3,4).
Registration
A registration override is required for students to register for a capstone course. Department approval is granted by the Business Administration Division Capstone Coordinator.
Visit the Capstone Registration Information page for more information on how to request a Capstone registration override.
Students planning to graduate and enroll in a Senior Capstone course need to contact their Academic Advisor for a Degree Audit to go over graduation requirements.
Additional Information
How do I find a practicum site?
Students can work in a variety of business and professional organizations. Most students find their own practicum sites, however, placement assistance can be offered. Practicum sites are subject to approval by the professor. If a student decides to arrange a practicum at his/her current job, the practicum tasks and responsibilities must be different from the current work position held.
Where do I start?
- Think about your career goals and job sites where people are doing what you would like to do after leaving school. Consider if you were to do an internship at one of the job sites and make a list of objectives and goals.
- Identify potential internship providers/employers that meet your objectives and goals and rank them according to preference. Attend campus events such as the Opportunities Fair or Internship Fair to learn more about companies looking for interns.
- Schedule and attend interviews with potential internship providers/employers. If the interview is successful and you obtain an internship, a practicum forms must be completed and signed.
How do I complete my internship?
- Complete all required hours at the practicum site (at least 120 hours).
- Submit written assignments by the posted deadlines.
- Complete required number of meetings with the professor and/or Capstone Coordinator. Complete practicum draft report, final report, and journal.
- Submit completed midterm and final supervisor evaluations.
- Present practicum experience to classmates and professor.
APSC 490 Faculty will provide more detailed information about assignments and expectations in the class syllabus.
When is APSC 490 offered?
APSC 490 is not offered during the summer semester. The required 120 hours may not begin until the first day of scheduled classes for the semester.
To receive credit, students must be officially registered for the internship course during the semester in which they complete the internship hours. UH West O‘ahu will not grant retroactive internship credit (e.g., you complete an internship but weren’t registered for the course).
