The Best SHSS Senior Capstone Award

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) at Al Akhawayn University announces every year a competition for the best Senior Capstone Award. All senior students in any of the School’s three programs (Communication, Human Resource Development, International Studies) who successfully complete their capstone research in the Fall or the Spring are eligible.

Award process

• Students wishing to have their capstone paper considered for this distinguished award should contact their respective program coordinators.

• SHSS faculty may nominate a student’s final capstone paper to their respective program coordinator as well.

• Each of the three SHSS programs will nominate one best capstone for the year from their graduating seniors.

A panel of representatives from each SHSS program will select the best SHSS capstone from the three best program capstone papers. The criteria for selection are as follows:

1 - Research that is new to the field

2 - Publishable quality

3 - Quality of written English

4 - Clarity of theoretical framework and analysis

5 - Intelligent use of methodology

6 - Significance of outcomes, findings, or conclusions

Award timeline

• Final capstone papers will be nominated to each program coordinator by the third week of May.

• Each program will select its best capstone paper from those nominated by the last week of May.

• The panel of program representatives will select the best SHSS capstone paper by the beginning of the second week of the summer semester. The winner will be announced immediately after selection.

• The award will be made at an SHSS-wide event, including all faculty and students, during the second week of June.

• A picture of the winner with a description of the award will be placed on the SHSS “wall of fame” at the main entrance of Building 8 where it will be on display for at least five years.

• A certificate will also be placed in the student’s academic record file kept by the University.