Department number (e.g., ABC-399-TUT)
Registration #12345
UB Capstone
Fall 2016
1 credit
COURSE INFORMATION
Date(s)/Time(s)
Location (Online)
1 credit
Instructor(s) names and contact information (including office hour information when applicable)
Other relevant persons (e.g., TAs) (when applicable) and contact information (including office hour information when applicable)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The UB Capstone is the culminating experience of the general education program, the UB Curriculum. The Capstone is not a seated
class, but rather a space set aside for thinking, reflecting and weaving together elements of the program by means of an eportfolio
platform provided to students as incoming freshman or transfers and used throughout the general education program.
Having completed or neared completion of their UB Curriculum requirements, students should have utilized their eportfolio in at
least the following UB Curriculum courses: UB Seminar, Communication Literacy 1 and 2, Scientific Literacy and Inquiry, and the first
two courses of each Pathway. To complete the UB Capstone, students are required to utilize this previous work to build and
customize their portfolio in preparation for “publication.”
A completed UB Capstone eportfolio will consist of:
 A personalized home page that serves as a brief introduction to the student, his or her studies, cocurricular work and career
goals.
 A philosophy statement that represents the student’s interests and key areas of interest/themes of study and a sense of her
or himself as an evolving learner.
 Examples of completed papers and assignments from UB Curriculum coursework.
 Two reflective essays that seek to integrate various aspects of the UB Curriculum program. (Additional entries using varied
media may also be used.) Students will be provided with rubrics upon signing up for credit.
 Any optional additional materials the student chooses to add, such as resume or portfolio of completed work.
Course Prerequisites: Students will be encouraged to complete all components of the UB Curriculum prior to enrolling in their 399
(or concurrently enrolled in any remaining courses). However, students will be allowed to register for their 399 once they have
completed 60 credits and are in an intended or approved major and have completed their UBS (198 or 199).
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of the integrative capstone, students will be able to:
Course Learning Outcome
Maps to the Following
Program Outcomes /
Competencies:
1.
UBGE, SUNY Critical Thinking,
MSCHE Critical Analysis and
Reasoning
2.
Articulate connections
across different academic
disciplines and
perspectives.
Adapt and apply skills,
abilities, theories or
methodologies acquired in
one situation to new
UBGE, SUNY Critical Thinking,
MSCHE Critical Analysis and
Reasoning
Delivered through the
Following Instructional
Method(s):
Student Achievement
Assessed with the Following
Method(s)/Assignments:
situations.
3. Connect relevant
experiences and academic
knowledge.
4. Demonstrate an evolving
sense of self as learner.
5. Integrate different forms
of communication to
enhance meaning (prose,
sound, visual media).
6.
Formulate a concept of
digital citizenship and be
able to fashion an online
identity that
demonstrates an
awareness of the
public/private divide.
UBGE, SUNY Critical Thinking,
MSCHE Critical Analysis and
Reasoning
UBGE, SUNY Critical Thinking,
MSCHE Critical Analysis and
Reasoning
UBGE, SUNY Basic
Communication Skills, SUNY
Information Literacy, MSCHE
Witten and Oral
Communication, MSCHE
Technological Competency
UBGE, SUNY Information
Literacy, MSCHE Technological
Competency
Note: UBGE = UB General Education; SUNY categories in the above table are those required by the SUNY General Education Program
(http://system.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/academic-affairs/general-education/GenedCourseGuidelines_20120530.pdf), and MSCHE categories
represent the areas of general education required by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
 The number of papers, tests, and any other requirements, such as homework, attendance, class participation,
laboratory assignments, and clinical performance, that will count toward the final grade.
 Deadlines for assignments should also be specified.
 Assignments should be linked to each of the student learning outcomes being assessed. A single assignment may be
used to assess more than one learning outcome, and an outcome may be assessed by more than one assignment.
 All requirements should relate to the course description and the student learning outcomes.
 It is strongly recommended that students be provided with clear guidelines as to how their work will be evaluated,
whether in the form of rubrics, checklists, exemplars, etc. (Any and all courses that fulfill General Education
requirements must assess the SUNY-specified student learning outcomes for that particular General Education
area.*)
GRADING POLICY
Students should be apprised of how various graded activities will be combined to form their single, final grade for the
course. How results from various requirements will be combined into a final grade: relative weightings, make-up policy
for tests, etc. Grading Policies should also include:
 Specification of the level of work must be completed in order to obtain specific letter grades (A-F) or a passing
grade if the course is graded on a Pass/Fail basis (Undergraduate - http://undergradcatalog.buffalo.edu/policies/grading/explanation.shtml;
 Reference to the university Undergraduate* (http://undergradcatalog.buffalo.edu/policies/grading/explanation.shtml#incomplete) Incomplete Policy
o Any additional instructor requirements and comments regarding the use of Incomplete grades.
Learning assessments will be graded based on rubric criteria and weighted according to the following break-down.
Weighting Assessment / Assignment
xx%
xx%
xx%
100%
Final Grades:
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
Quality Points
4.0
3.67
3.33
3.00
2.67
2.33
2.00
1.67
1.33
1.00
0
Percentage (EXAMPLE)
93.0% -100.00%
90.0% - 92.9%
87.0% - 89.9%
83.0% - 86.9%
80.0% - 82.9%
77.0% - 79.9%
73.0% - 76.9%
70.0% - 72.9%
67.0% - 69.9%
60.0% - 66.9%
59.9 or below
Incompletes (I/IU)*: A grade of incomplete (“I”) indicates that additional course work is required to fulfill the
requirements of a given course. Students may only be given an “I” grade if they have a passing average in coursework
that has been completed and have well-defined parameters to complete the course requirements that could result in a
grade better than the default grade. An “I” grade may not be assigned to a student who did not attend the course.
Incompletes (I/IU)**: Prior to the end of the semester, students must initiate the request for an “I” grade and receive
the instructor’s approval. Assignment of an “I” grade is at the discretion of the instructor.
For all graduate-level courses, an interim grade of Incomplete (I) may be assigned if the student has not completed all
requirements for the course. An interim grade of 'I' shall not be assigned to a student who did not attend the course. For
all graduate courses the default grade accompanying an interim grade of 'I' shall be 'U' and will be displayed on the UB
record as 'IU.' The default Unsatisfactory (U) grade shall become the permanent course grade of record if the 'IU' is not
changed through formal notice by the instructor upon the student's completion of the course.
Assignment of an interim 'IU' is at the discretion of the instructor. A grade of 'IU' can be assigned only if successful
completion of unfulfilled course requirements can result in a final grade better than the default 'U' grade. The student
should have a passing average in the requirements already completed. The instructor shall provide the student
specification, in writing, of the requirements to be fulfilled.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity is a fundamental university value. Through the honest completion of academic work, students sustain
the integrity of the university while facilitating the university's imperative for the transmission of knowledge and culture
based upon the generation of new and innovative ideas.
 Reference to the university Undergraduate* (http://undergradcatalog.buffalo.edu/policies/course/integrity.shtml) Academic Integrity policy and any additional instructor
requirements and comments regarding academic dishonesty.
ACCESSIBILITY RESOURCES
If you have any disability which requires reasonable accommodations to enable you to participate in this course, please
contact the Office of Accessibility Resources, 25 Capen Hall, 645-2608, and also the instructor of this course .. The office
will provide you with information and review appropriate arrangements for reasonable accommodations.
http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/ods/
Optional Components
COURSE ORGANIZATION / SCHEDULE (AS INDICATED IN THE FACULTY HANDBOOK, FINALS MAY NOT BE GIVEN DURING THE SEMESTER, BUT
RATHER DURING THE SCHEDULED EXAM PERIOD).
Week # and/or
Topic
Required Readings / Assignments(s)
Due Date
Date
COURSE MATERIALS
 Required and recommended materials, resources, textbooks, and resources citations.
 Availability of course materials or resources can be specified (e.g., items on reserve through the library; use of
UBLearns Blackboard site)
ATTENDANCE POLICY
May include reference to:
 Attendance issues related to religious observances
 University sanctioned events
 Athletic commitments
 Family/Work obligations/emergencies
Course Cancellation/ Emergency Planning
 Reference the university website for cancellations/delays due to weather or other unforeseen events
(http://emergency.buffalo.edu/campus-weather-alerts.html)
INSTRUCTOR AND COURSE SUPPORT STAFF INFORMATION
 Relevant professional information and/or teaching philosophy.
 Roles and responsibilities of course support staff (i.e., TAs/Gas).
LAB SAFETY
Guidelines for lab safety, including policies and procedures.
CLASSROOM DECORUM
Discussion of classroom expectations, for example tardiness, and/or use of cell phones and laptops.
UNIVERSITY SUPPORT SERVICES
Students are often unaware of university support services. For example, the Center for Excellence in Writing provides
support for written work, and several tutoring centers on campus provide academic success support and resources.