Capstone | CPE 350 and 450
The Computer Engineering Capstone Project course (CPE 350/CPE 450) is a two quarter, faculty-lead team project course sequence (20 weeks) which begins in September of each school year. Capstone students present their project results at the Capstone Design Expo held in March at the close of the second quarter.
These projects require teams to design, build and test a solution to a real world problem. CPE students are not eligible to enroll in this course until they have junior class standing and have met all course pre-requisites. CPE 350/CPE 450 is the prereq for the CPE Senior Project course sequence that all students must complete before graduation (see Alternatives to Capstone note below).*
Is Capstone the Same as Senior Project?
No, a Capstone Project is different from a Senior Project. Capstone is a faculty-lead team project, while senior project is an independent course which requires the student to develop the project idea and execute it. Faculty serve as an advisor, but do not direct or facilitate how the project develops. However, some student’s capstone projects can turn into senior project.
*Alternatives to Capstone
While it is recommended that students take capstone as their prerequisite course for senior project, sometimes this is not possible due to unique scheduling issues. Students are allowed to take other courses to substitute for capstone, but each circumstance is unique so we recommend students consult with the CPE office to make an appointment.