Capstone project in media and cultural studies
Offer semester
1st semester
Course description
The Capstone Project is a six-credit compulsory course for major students in a sociological subject to be offered in the final year of study. It aims to provide students with the opportunity to integrate their sociological knowledge and skills through a series of workshop, class discussion, student presentations, portfolio work and experiential learning. The Capstone Project should normally be undertaken in a small group of two or three students. Students will be allocated a supervisor who will help them identify a topic of interest that is relevant to the core discipline. All projects should contain an element of public engagement.
Students should take this course in Semester 1, however those with exceptional reasons (e.g. study abroad) may apply to the Department for special approval to complete the course in Semester 2.
Capstone project archive
Browse students’ completed projects and discover their findings in our capstone project archive.
Related courses
Course learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students are expected to have the ability to:
- Demonstrate their sociological knowledge;
- Analyse a topic of study with critical and reflexive perspectives;
- Articulate their learning experience into a written paper, other forms of creative output or community activities;
- Communicate the outcome of their study and their sociologically informed views to a public audience;
- Participate in group environment as well as in a larger community.
Assessment
Tasks | Weighting |
---|---|
Project proposal | 10% |
Work plan & process records | 30% |
Final work | 20% |
Capstone archive | 5% |
Public engagement (at capstone fair) | 35% |
Required reading
Becker, Howard S. 1986. Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article, with a chapter by Pamela Richards. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Becker, Howard S. 2007. Telling About Society. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Harper, Douglas. 1988. “Visual Sociology: Expanding Sociological Vision.” The American Sociologist, Volume 19, Issue 1, pp.54-70.
Turner, Victor W., and Edward M. Bruner. 1986. The Anthropology of Experience. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
Course co-ordinator and teachers
Cheris S C Chan
Associate ProfessorResearch interests: Cultural sociology, Economic sociology, Healthcare, Globalization, New social movements, Sociocultural changes in china, Qualitative research methodsSee full profilePaul Joosse
Assistant ProfessorResearch interests: Social theory, Criminology, Social movements, Terrorism, ReligionSee full profileMaggy S Y Lee
ProfessorResearch interests: Transnational migration and cities, Criminology of mobilities, Crime and incivilities, Youth and ethnicitySee full profileSylvia J Martin
Assistant ProfessorResearch interests: Cultural anthropology, Media industries, Performance, Globalization and transnationalism, Participatory culture, Anthropology of work, Gender, Race and ethnicity, EthnographySee full profileTom McDonald
Assistant ProfessorResearch interests: Anthropology, China, Credit/debt, Communications, Digital money, Internet, Social media, TechnologySee full profileVictor K W Shin
Assistant ProfessorResearch interests: Economic sociology, Organizations and institutions, Sociology of media and culture, Development and globalizationSee full profileTian Xiaoli
Associate ProfessorResearch interests: New media, Social interaction, Social studies of science and technology, Medical sociology, Comparative and historical sociology, Information and communication technology, Cultural sociology.See full profileTommy H L Tse
Assistant ProfessorResearch interests: Advertising and society, Celebrity culture, Creative labour, Cultural and creative industries, Cultural studies, Fashion, Gender and sexuality, New media and digital cultureSee full profileWang Peng
Associate ProfessorResearch interests: Crime and anti-crime, Corruption and anti-corruption, Policing, Bureaucracy and governance, Economic sociology, Law and society, China studiesSee full profileCho Li-Fung
LecturerResearch interests: Investigative journalism, Role of the state in transitional societies, Media corruption, Media and culture, Media and crimeSee full profileCarmen K M Tong
LecturerResearch interests: Education and schooling, Gender and sexualities, Self and identity, Media and cultural studies, Human-animal relationshipsSee full profile