Senior Project/Practicum

Senior Project

The Senior Project is intended to be the students’ culminating scholastic effort or capstone experience at the University. The objectives of the Senior Project are to refine communication skills, as well as to develop research and information retrieval skills, and other related academic competencies. Although the Senior Project is usually in a student’s specialization, students may select topics that require multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary study.

Process

  1. The Senior Project will be undertaken when a student has reached senior standing.
  2. Students must have the approval of their Senior Project faculty prior to registering for the Senior Project class. If a course request is for more than three (3) credits, additional justification and approvals are required.
  3. With the assistance of faculty, students should begin preparing the Senior Project proposals during the semester prior to enrollment in the course, if possible.
  4. Students must complete all prerequisites before registering for Senior Project courses unless exceptions are given by the discipline.
  5. Students and faculty should agree on (a) a well-defined set of goals and objectives, (b) scheduled meeting times. and (c) section and/or draft due dates before beginning work on the projects. These agreements may be in the form of syllabi or written contracts.
  6. Senior Projects must adhere to all writing-intensive guidelines.
  7. Senior Project students and faculty should hold a minimum of eight structured meetings during a semester.
  8. Students should work closely with faculty during all phases of the Senior Projects. Responsibility for completion of the work rests with the students.
  9. Students must submit a minimum of one outline and one draft of the Senior Project to the Senior Project class instructor (and the supervising faculty member when that faculty member is different from the class instructor) before submitting final papers.
  10. Grades should be based on the following guidelines: a. At least 40% of the grade on a written product, per writing-intensive guidelines. b. At least 10% of the grade on the oral presentations. c. When the Senior Project is taught as a class and when students work with a supervising faculty member different from the Senior Project class instructor, the grade will be given by the Senior Project class instructor in consultation with the supervising faculty member.

Product

  1. An original project related to a particular problem or issue.
  2. Oral presentations.

Senior Practicum

The following guidelines apply to Practicums within the State of Hawaiʻi and refer to both the process of conducting Senior Practicums and what should be produced from the course.

Process

  1. The faculty, student, and site supervisor must complete the UH West Oʻahu Memorandum of Agreement that includes the functions, objectives, and tasks for the Practicum experience. The Memorandum of Agreement describes the responsibilities and scope of assignments for the student and site supervisor.
  2. The UH West Oʻahu Memorandum of Agreement should be completed by the beginning of pre-registration the semester prior to enrollment in the Senior Practicum course.
  3. Students must complete all prerequisites before registering for Senior Practicum courses unless exceptions are given by the discipline.
  4. Students and faculty should agree on (a) a well-defined set of goals and objectives, (b) scheduled meeting times, and (c) section and/or draft due dates before beginning work on the Practicums. These agreements may be in the form of syllabi or written contracts.
  5. Senior Practicums must adhere to all writing-intensive guidelines.
  6. Senior Practicum students and faculty should hold a minimum of six structured meetings during a semester.
  7. Students should work closely with faculty during all phases of the Senior Practicums. Responsibility for completion of the work rests with the students.
  8. Students must submit a minimum of one outline and one draft of the Senior Practicum paper to the Senior Practicum class instructor (and the supervising faculty member when that faculty member is different from the class instructor) before submitting final papers.
  9. Grades will be assigned by the faculty. The evaluations of the site supervisor will be taken into consideration; however, the site supervisor will not be asked to recommend a letter grade. Grades must be based on the following guidelines: (a) At least 40% of the grade on written products, per writing intensive guidelines. (b) At least 10% of the grade on oral presentations.
  10. When the Senior Practicum is taught as a class and when students work with a supervising faculty member different from the Senior Practicum class instructor, the grade will be given by the Senior Practicum class instructor in consultation with the supervising faculty member.

Product

  1. Students must complete at least 160 hours of supervised experience with a minimum of 120 hours spent at the Practicum site.
  2. Students must complete regular journal entries about the Practicum experience. The journal should include a log of hours, tasks completed, reactions to tasks, etc.
  3. Students must complete a paper related to the Senior Practicum. The content and length of this paper are to be determined by the faculty.
  4. Students must give an oral presentation about their Practicum experience.