Prospectus Design Template

The design prospectus is a document that provides a road map for the proposed Capstone
design unit. It is intended to get you thinking about your project early enough to ensure
completion in a timely fashion. Below you will find a suggested template outlining the elements
for a strong prospectus. Please incorporate as many of these elements as possible. This is not
to say that the direction of the design cannot change after the prospectus is submitted, but to
establish general direction and proper communication practices.

The narrative of the prospectus should be less than 15 pages in length (single-spaced, 12 pt
font), not including the required title page. It is very important that all elements of the title page
be completed, including the Capstone title, student’s full name, the printed name of the
Capstone chair, and department chair (with original signatures).

I. Introduction
The introduction must frame the importance/relevance of the design topic and culminate with
the identification of the problem to be addressed in the Capstone. Adequate information should
be provided to establish the problem as unique or justified to be in need of further design, and
warrant a Capstone style in-depth response. This should be 1-2 pages in length.

II. Literature Review/Knowledge Gap

This paragraph should assess previously published approaches to your problem, focusing on the
merits and limitations of existing scholarship in the discipline. In this section, comment on how
your own proposed response to the problem develops, challenges, departs from, or fills in the
gaps of existing scholarship. This should be no more than 5 pages.

III. Primary Sources

In this section you will identify the primary sources that will frame your design project. You
should discuss the location and accessibility of these sources, demonstrate your ability to use
these sources in their original languages, and critically assess (where applicable) editions of
such primary sources. This will be your annotated bibliography and will not count towards the
page limitations. At this point in the process you may be uncomfortable with this portion
because you may only have skimmed these sources to identify if they are useful to your project.
This is okay.

IV. Design Unit

The design approach should be current, practical, and unique when possible, but must be
appropriate to address your problem and achievable with resources available to you. You
should consider the ways your design will compare to, contrast with, or otherwise relate to the
approaches of existing peer-reviewed, published work on your topic as well as other designs of
a similar nature. This section should be no more than 3 pages when possible.

V. Chapter outline
A tentative outline of the design plan should be developed. Information should be arranged in
such a way that demonstrates a logical and progressive flow to your project. Your focus should
be on what the reader needs to know to understand your project. This will be about 1
paragraph.

VI. Timeline
The Capstone Project is a significant work you should strive to have utilized outside of the
classroom environment. To that end it will take a significant amount of time. However, the timing
can differ, but the end result should be a high quality learning experience rich in research,
presentation skills, critical thinking, problem solving, and writing.

Rubric
Excellent-10 Satisfactory-7 Needs work-5-0
Has proper introduction
that performs all required
features
Clearly identifies problem
and explains its
importance
Has a literature review
that presents the
problems and shows the
gap in current research
Includes an annotated list
of resources that will be
used in the research
Has a well thought out
design section that
addresses all aspects
required
Contains a brief chapter
outline
Contains a timeline for
the project
Uses appropriate APA
style and citation
Turned in on time with all
sections complete
Sample 1st Page

Thesis Prospectus

(Student First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name)

700#

Date:_______

(Student Department and Major)

Thesis Title:

Thesis Committee Chair: __________________________Signature:_______________

Thesis Committee Member: ________________________Signature:_______________

Thesis Committee Member: ________________________Signature:_______________

Department Chair: _______________________________Signature: _______________

Institutional Review Board:

Human Subjects Approval needed: ___Yes _____No (Check one)

Animal Care and Use Approval needed: ___Yes _____No (Check one)