Search Courses
You may search for a Senior Capstone course by selecting a THEME or TERM from the menu at the left. You may also search by entering a part of the title or the instructors name in the box below. For concise listings of all 2021-2022 Capstone offerings, review our Capstone Capsule. If you need assistance, contact the Capstone Office/University Studies at 503.725.5890.
Please refer to the PSU Class Schedule regarding the days, hours, and meeting location. For information about when the new class schedule is available or when you can register for the new term, follow this link: When to Register.
NOTE: Due to the intensive nature of Capstones, students must receive permission from the course instructor prior to the first day of class if they are going to miss the first class session. For on-line Capstones, students must demonstrate active participation during the first week of the term. All Capstone courses factor in student attendance and participation into the final grade which is deeply impacted by missing the first week of the term.
NOTE: "Sustainability" tagged courses will NOT automatically count toward the Sustainability Minor. Students must seek approval from Joseph Maser, Ph.D. in the Environmental Science & Management department to count any Capstone toward that specific minor.
SEARCH BY Title or Instructor: Enter a single word from the title of a Capstone, "gardens", "justice", "literacy", etc., the Course Registration Number (CRN), or a professor's first or last name in the box below.
Instructor Name: M. Khalil Zonoozy
CRN: 44137
A comprehensive and engaging examination of contemporary multicultural and cross-cultural imperatives, this capstone explores the barriers to justice for ethnic and racial minorities. Special attention will be given to the U.S. institutional structure and the justice system. Utilizing a progressive and proactive approach, students will acquire a deeper understanding, awareness and appreciation of the root causes of the existing disparities. Their learning outcome will be enhanced through...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Spring 2020Spring 2021Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Community Health Criminal & Juvenile Justice
Instructor Name: Nariyo Kono
CRN: 14054
Grant Writing for Indigenous Sustainability In the online Capstone course Indigenous Grant Writing, students work collaboratively in teams to research and write grants, and to understand the issues of Indigenous communities. Students gain an understanding of collaborative work and the importance of equal participation from every team member. Students examine the role of non-profit organizations in addressing social, ethical, and political issues. They also consider the role of funding and...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Spring 2021Winter 2020
Sustainability Grantwriting Global Perspectives Online or Hybrid Courses Hybrid or Fully online
Instructor Name: Heather Petzold
CRN: 81263
Being an Effective Change Agent in Portland This course is for students interested in being effective change agents for the public good. Each student (individually or with others) will take the initiative before the Capstone begins to arrange a project with a community organization. This project may be an existing relationship or one sought for the purpose of this class. A minimum of three working hours per week with the organization is required. During the course, students will be supported ...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Summer 2019Summer 2020Summer 2021Summer 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Community Health Education-Youth Research
Instructor Name: Molly Gray
CRN: 81250
It is estimated that 1 in 10 individuals identify as a sexual minority. Often an already challenging stage in identity development, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender & questioning (LGBTQ) youth face a set of issues unique to their daily lives. We examine the paths sexual and gender minority youth navigate in society, exploring such questions as: What challenges do LGBTQ youth encounter? How do they cope, survive, find understanding & celebrate themselves amidst homophobia and...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Summer 2019Summer 2020Summer 2021Summer 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Research Education-Youth
Instructor Name: Anmarie Trimble
CRN: 81268
This class is an opportunity to support hands-on the culturally and trauma-informed mission of the Native American Family Center (NAYA). This course usually focuses exclusively on peer mentoring, but due to the extraordinary circumstances of Covid 19, and the disproportionate impact on the indigenous community, NAYA (pronounced Nay-Ya) has adapted volunteering options to best support their safety and immediate needs. Despite these changed service options, this course continues its commitment to...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Summer 2019Summer 2020Summer 2021Summer 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Education Education-Youth social work tutoring Mentoring social justice native american indigenous family NAYA trauma-informed
Instructor Name: Sally Eck
CRN: 81247
Women’s Oral Narratives In this course, we will be working with our community partner, the local non-profit organization; the IPRC, Independent Publishing Resource Center. Our project is to coordinate a series of *rap sessions* with local teen girls about current issues in their lives. We will use these group conversations to encourage the girls to become a part of our ZINE project - where they will write, edit, and publish a grassroots, mini-magazine with our class. In preparation for this...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Summer 2019Summer 2020Summer 2021Summer 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Education-Youth
Instructor Name: Catherine Howells
CRN: 81254
Portland's Water: History and Challenges. This course is designed to give students an opportunity to learn about tap water and create community outreach products for the Portland Water Bureau. Our community partner for this class is the Portland Water Bureau. This class will focus on the Bull Run watershed (the source of Portland's drinking water) and the work of the Portland Water Bureau -- how they deliver our water to our taps. We will learn about the history of the water system, the...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Summer 2019Summer 2020Summer 2021Summer 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Sustainability Research Community Health Business-Engineering-Technology
Instructor Name: Patrice Morris Ball
CRN: 63978
Design and Edit Organ Donation Outreach Materials
Students will work with the nonprofit agency Donate Life Northwest (DLNW) while learning about their mission to save/enhance lives through the promotion of organ, eye, and tissue donation. Students will design/edit promotional documents (digital, video, electronic or for print), while integrating knowledge from their own field of study, familiarity with today's popular culture, and the community partner’s mission to increase registration of...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Research Global Perspectives Community Health Hybrid or Fully online Education-Youth Online or Hybrid Courses
Instructor Name: Anna Alsufieva
CRN: 63962, 63924
Effecting Change: Russian International Capstone requires a 3 term committment (2 credits fall, 2 credits winter and 2 credits spring term). This Capstone is restricted to RUSSIAN FLAGSHIP PROGRAM. Only students who are enrolled in PSU Russian Flagship program can take this course; and the course is conducted totally in Russian.
Intercultural competence is an important skill that one needs to acquire to be a successful and contributing member of modern global society. This course is the...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Global Perspectives International Capstones Hybrid or Fully online Online or Hybrid Courses
Instructor Name: Suzanne Savaria
CRN: 63956
Description
The arts play a critical role in stimulating creativity and in developing vital communities. They have a crucial impact on our economy and are an important catalyst for learning, discovery and achievement in our personal lives and for our country. In this course we will examine what it means to advocate for the arts and define our roles as advocates. We will explore the world of arts advocacy and arts education and gain a deeper understanding of how to better sustain a...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Spring 2021Spring 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Education-Youth Business-Engineering-Technology Arts
Instructor Name: Kristin Teigen
CRN: 81257
This Capstone partners with the Community Alliance of Tenants, Taking Ownership PDX and the Urban League. Students will learn the history of BIPOC communities in Oregon while working with our partners to fight racism, white supremacy and to create a different future for Oregon. Students in this course will learn how to write grants, work directly with organizations centering BIPOC homeowners and tenants and, if they choose, use their own skills and talents to support these organizations. All of...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Summer 2019Summer 2020Summer 2021Summer 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Anti-Racism Grantwriting Education Activism Leadership
Instructor Name: Zapoura Newton-Calvert
CRN: 81238
The “achievement gap” has been at the forefront of discussions about the U.S. education system since the implementation of NCLB in 2001. The public has been tuned into this so-called “achievement gap” alongside high dropout rates, lack of access to equitable early childhood education, public disinvestment in the education system, disparities in access to higher education, and more. According to the Children’s Defense Fund’s State of America’s Children Report, the gaps (more accurately and...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Summer 2019Summer 2020Summer 2021Summer 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Education social justice Education-Youth
Instructor Name: Glorie Gary
CRN: 63976
This fully online course is for students who are interested in creating and facilitating a community event. This Capstone partners with Portland Parks & Recreation Adaptive Inclusion Program. Each term, students will plan and facilitate a community event that has already been arranged with the community partner prior to the start of each term. You can expect the event to be during the last 2 weeks of the term (event date and time will be announced in the first week of classes, and is a...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Events Planning Event Social Services developmental disabilities multnomah county community community outreach Event Management Hybrid or Fully online Online or Hybrid Courses
Instructor Name: Joseph Wightman
CRN: 81589
Leadership Through Mentoring in K-5 Schools - The mentoring of young people takes many forms. Some young people grow up with a sibling, relative or another adult ally who serves as a mentor to them. Some benefit from formal mentoring programs in schools or from community organizations. Not everyone enjoys access to regular mentoring, yet research shows that mentoring has tremendous benefits for both the mentor and the mentee. These benefits include the development of leadership skills,...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Summer 2019Summer 2020Summer 2021Summer 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Education-Youth Education Leadership social justice Mentoring
Instructor Name: Laura Mulas
CRN: 81227
Global citizenship is of utmost importance as our societies are increasingly becoming more connected through media and technology. There is a growing disparity in the American school system that allows only the privileged students to participate in meaningful and engaging cultural learning. Schools that receive funding and support are able to facilitate cultural exchanges in person for students and faculty, while the majority of students in the public system receive little financial support and...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Summer 2019Summer 2020Summer 2021Summer 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Education - Youth Hybrid or Fully online Online or Hybrid Courses
Instructor Name: Andrew Haley, Andy Reed
CRN: 63942
Note: Summer term taught by Andrew Reed, areed@pdx.edu. Fall and SpringTerm taught by Andrew Haley, andrewhaley@pdx.edu)
According to Communities of Color in Multnomah County: An Unsettling Profile, “In total, people of color in 2008 (by traditional Census Bureau counts) comprise 26.3% of the population of the county. When we add the Slavic community to these data, […] the size of the community totals over 200,000 residents." A large number of these residents are immigrants and refugees....
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Immigration Refugees
Instructor Name: Deborah Rutt
CRN: 81249
Drawing on poetry, political theory, sociological texts, film, and personal narratives, this course offers an introduction to prison and its critiques, as well as the power of education to transform individuals and societies. This hybrid course meets once a week at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF); Capstone students will study together with women enrolled in higher education at the women’s prison, about 20 minutes south of PSU in Wilsonville. Successful background clearances are...
Fall 2019Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2020Spring 2021Spring 2022Summer 2020Summer 2021Summer 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
Criminal & Juvenile Justice
Instructor Name: Jenna Padbury
CRN: 63940
We will practice and grow in our understanding of mindful meditation and awareness as a foundation for personal and global healing. Meditation is a practice that encompasses a philosophy of living with a quiet mind, open heart, and in service to others. Learners will cultivate their own mindful meditation practice 6 days a week for 15-20 minutes a day. Together we will explore the connections between ancient Eastern philosophy, personal healing, and social responsibility. Service-learning...
Fall 2020Fall 2021Fall 2022Spring 2021Spring 2022Winter 2020Winter 2021Winter 2022
meditation mindfulness Community Health trauma-informed social justice contemplative practices interpersonal neurobiology