• a design or construction experience,
• an experiment,
• a self-guided study or research project,
• a presentation,
• a report based on internship, co-op, or service learning experience, and/or
• a public portfolio display or performance.

Where the senior project does not consist primarily of a written document, departments, may, where they deem appropriate, require some written documentation (length to be determined by the department) to accompany the senior project. The precise nature or form of a senior project is to be determined by the department or program of the student's major. The senior project is normally related to the student's field of study, future employment, and/or scholastics goals, and is carried out under direct faculty supervision.

Expected Outcomes (at the discretion of the department)
Students will have the ability to:

• Reduce a topic to specific points of analysis.
• Organize the points of analysis into a logical sequence.
• Apply acquired competencies to the successful completion of a project.
• Obtain, evaluate, synthesize, and apply project-related information.
• Develop and follow a project plan.
• Estimate hours of labor and/or cost of materials necessary to complete a project.
• Organize, illustrate, and write clear and concise project documentation.
• Accept supervision when needed.

Requirements

• The total number of senior project units must be at least 1 unit and no more than 6 units.
• The senior project requirement will be the same for all students in a given curriculum, but not for all students in the university, because of the nature of the various curricula.
• Normally 30 hours of student work will be required for each unit of credit granted.
• Projects requiring an excessive amount of time are discouraged.
• The number of students participating in a group senior project should not be so large as to unduly limit individual experience or responsibility and initiative.
• The student is responsible for identifying costs and potential funding sources for his or her senior project prior to initiation of the project. Costly projects are discouraged.
• It is the student's responsibility to become informed about the university's intellectual properties policy and human subject policy (where applicable).

Library Copy

• The academic department may send one copy of each senior project to the University Library where it will be reproduced on microfiche or in an electronic format. A microfiche or electronic copy of the project will become part of the Library's archival collection where it will be available for public use.
  
• After being copied on microfiche or electronically, the original project will be returned to the academic department of its origin, as applicable. Non-print media (slides, audio/video tapes, CD's, floppy disks, etc.), however, comprising all or part of a project, will be permanently retained in the Library collection.
  
• All projects submitted to the Library will include a completed Senior Project Requirement Form and a title page. The Form must be signed by the student's advisor or academic department head before it can be accepted for processing by the Library. The title page should follow a standardized format.
  
• Each student who submits her/his senior project to the library is required to pay a library processing fee for making her/his senior project available.

See also, "Completion of Senior Project"

Academic Senate resolution AS-562-01/IC