Doctoral Capstone
Capstone process
Each entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (E-OTD) student is required to complete a doctoral capstone.
The capstone has two components: The capstone project and the capstone experience.
Students work with their capstone mentor (clinical, community, or academic partner) and capstone advisors (UIC OT faculty) to plan their capstone project. The capstone project is implemented during the capstone experience.
The doctoral capstone provides students with in-depth exposure to a practice area. The project is planned over several semesters and implemented during the capstone experience. As students plan and execute their projects they synthesize knowledge from the entire curriculum, including capstone- specific courses.
Students work closely with a UIC OT faculty member who serves as their capstone advisor to plan their project in one or more of the following concentrated areas:
- Program development and evaluation
- Policy development
- Advocacy
- Leadership
- Administration
- Education
- Clinical skills (e.g., advancing clinical practice)
- Research skills (e.g., case study)
Through their capstone experience and individual related capstone projects, students demonstrate synthesis and application of knowledge gained.
Capstone experience
The capstone experience is a 14-week, full-time, immersive learning opportunity that provides in-depth exposure in a concentrated area of practice. It includes activities designed to support the individualized goals and objectives established for the capstone project. The experience begins after students complete all required coursework and Level II fieldwork.
What Makes the UIC Doctoral Capstone an Exceptional Learning Experience?
Commitment to the Scholarship of Practice: Students produce meaningful projects stemming from real needs identified by community, clinical or academic partners. All projects are informed by theory, existing research and stakeholders’ perspectives.
Multiple Sources of Support: UIC students are supported throughout the planning and implementation of their doctoral capstone project. This support comes from many sources:
- Members of their Scholarship of Practice Collaborative (SOPC).
- Faculty Advisors – UIC’s exceptional occupational therapy faculty bring nationally recognized expertise in scholarship, teaching, and service to mentor each student throughout the capstone experience to support students in delivering meaningful projects that support the work of a community, clinical or academic partner.
- Capstone Mentors – The capstone mentor is the on-site expert who serves as the primary point of contact for the student during the capstone experience. Capstone mentors assist the student and capstone advisor in understanding site-specific needs. They also provide supervision and feedback as the student engages in the project.
- Capstone Coordinator – UIC’s Capstone Coordinator leads a dynamic doctoral capstone process that is carefully integrated throughout the E-OTD curriculum.
Deep partnerships: Faculty of the UIC Department of Occupational Therapy have a strong record demonstrating their commitment to developing and sustaining mutually beneficial partnerships across Chicago and beyond. Faculty members’ strong working relationships with their community, clinical, and academic are based on respect, trust and dedication to shared efforts, and are the foundation of the engaging doctoral capstone experiences provided by UIC.
Collaborative Capstone Process: UIC’s capstone process is highly collaborative and involves the student, the faculty advisor, the capstone mentor and the Capstone Coordinator. The process of identifying appropriate capstone sites and capstone mentors is thoughtfully coordinated to align student interests with capstone site needs and each faculty advisor’s expertise.
Where can I see examples of capstone projects?
Explore INDIGO and browse previous UIC E-OTD capstone projects.