Undergraduate research as a capstone requirement

Abstract

If a mathematics department has a capstone course, how does undergraduate research figure into that capstone requirement? What challenges are involved when instituting undergraduate research as part of the capstone experience? These were the central questions for discussion in the undergraduate research as a capstone requirement breakout session at the 2012 Trends in Undergraduate Research in the Mathematical Sciences conference. In short, there is not one design that will satisfy the needs and goals of every mathematics program, but a department seeking to implement undergraduate research as a capstone requirement may benefit from the experiences of other departments. This article discusses the common objectives of a capstone in mathematical sciences and presents several successful models that incorporate undergraduate research in a capstone experience. The challenges and questions associated with each model are also discussed.