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MSOD and MPhil Capstone Requirements

The Capstone/thesis is a degree requirement for all MSOD and all MPhil candidates.

  • MSOD students must register for DYNM 705 in fall and spring. Students who wish to take the capstone course in summer should register for DYNM 699 and on the registration form state they are “working on the capstone.”
  • MPhil students do not register for a course. But as they must complete the same requirement, they are encouraged to attend any capstone class meeting.

Opportunities to discuss progress, successes, and challenges with the course professor and with the class are central to DYNM 705.

The Capstone class will meet at 6:30 pm in Room 140 Bennett Hall on the following Mondays: Capstone Fall Meeting Schedule

The capstone requires the student to study a topic of their own choice. The MSOD and MPhil capstone/thesis must meet the following criteria:

  • Makes an argument, describes or summarizes a position that is unique, original, or which directly applies to the student
  • Uses primary sources or applies to a primary organization as much as possible
  • Conforms to the style and format of good academic writing and the Capstone Presentation Guidelines (see Important Links below)
  • Allows a student to demonstrate competencies gained from the courses completed in the Organizational Dynamics program

Examples of MSOD and MPhil Capstones are available on Scholarly Commons the Penn Online Digital Library.

Capstone Preparation and Capstone Committee

Each student in the Capstone course is encouraged to follow the capstone preparation dates described in the DYNM 705 course syllabus. The course professor will describe capstone requirements and formats, facilitate peer feedback, and will provide general guidance and support during the selecting and writing of the Capstone.

When the topic has been decided, each student will establish a Capstone Committee of a Faculty Advisor and two Readers. A “4-Reader Format” Capstone Committee is also permitted as noted below.

Conflict of Interest: A Capstone Committee member who has a conflict of interest with the student or with another member of the Capstone Committee is not permitted. The following are examples of conflicts that are not permitted: a member who is the student’s work or organizational supervisor, a student’s family relative, or a family relative of a committee member (if the person is not a member of the Penn faculty).

Faculty Advisor

This person, selected for their expertise in the topic being addressed, provides detailed guidance, support and feedback as the capstone is developed and written. The Advisor should be a member of the faculty of Organizational Dynamics. However, if an Organizational Dynamics faculty member cannot be found who is an expert in the topic (or if a conflict exists) the student may petition to the Program Director or the Director of Academics and Outreach to select an Advisor from another academic program or School at Penn. The following are Advisor role activities:

  • Accepts joining the committee after being sent the proposal.
  • Reviews, makes suggestions about content and academic direction, and provides feedback to the student throughout the writing of the document.
  • Discusses the student’s work and progress with the Readers.
  • Submits an overall evaluation (final grade) informed by the evaluations of the Readers to the Capstone course professor.
  • Signs the final document.

Readers

At least 2 Readers are required. Each Reader is selected to provide expertise about the topic being addressed. One Reader must be a member of the faculty of Organizational Dynamics. For the second Reader, students are encouraged to seek an expert with professional experience in the Capstone topic from outside Organizational Dynamics. All Outside Readers must be reviewed by the Program Director or the Director of Academics and Outreach before joining the Capstone Committee. The following are Reader role activities:

  • Accepts joining the committee after being sent the proposal.
  • Provides additional assistance if asked by the student.
  • Reviews and provides feedback to the student and to the Advisor when the first draft is completed.
  • Reviews and provides feedback to the student and to the Advisor when the final draft is completed.
  • Provides an overall evaluation (grade) to the Advisor.
  • Signs the final document

Special 4-Reader Format

Similar to a comprehensive examination, an MSOD or MPhil candidate may request that 4 questions be written by each of 4 professors with whom a course was completed while the student was in the Organizational Dynamics degree program. Each question concerns or is drawn from the course curriculum (topics) and permits the student to demonstrate master’s level knowledge. Each response should be of high “quality/quantity,” with references and citations relevant to scholarship. The length of each response would be similar to what was required by the Reader/Professor in the course. An introductory chapter in the Capstone would describe the nature of the format.

Each Reader evaluates the student’s response then submits a grade to the course professor who acts as coordinator (there is no Advisor). The final grade is the average of the four grades.

Capstone Evaluations

Capstone Readers in a 3-person committee submit a grade of Satisfactory (this represents “acceptable” work from C- to A-); or Cum Laude (this represents “outstanding” work from A to A+). If the Reader feels the work is Unsatisfactory, the student is informed that revision is required until it reaches a higher level of evaluation. Capstone Readers in a 4-Reader committee each submit a grade from C- to A+.

Capstone Advisors assign a final grade informed by the Readers’ comments and evaluations, and the Advisor’s overall evaluation of the student’s work. The Capstone Advisor may override the evaluation of a Reader. For the MSOD, the final grade ranges from C- to A+. For the MPhil, the final grade is Satisfactory or Cum Laude.

Capstone Selection and Information Form

Students are encouraged to begin planning their capstone in the semester prior to when they expect to graduate. For example, to graduate in the 2010 Spring semester, a student should begin their topic and committee selection in the 2009 Fall semester.

When the topic and committee are approved, each student must complete and submit the Capstone Committee and Information Form (see Important Links below) to Elaine Calabrese, Coordinator of Academics.

Capstone Delivery Dates

MSOD and MPhil capstones must be delivered by the following dates to meet graduation requirements. A capstone delivered after a deadline date will apply to the next semester. "Delivered" means in final form and ready to be signed by the Capstone Committee.

For Spring Gradation: April 1

For Summer Graduation: July 1

For Fall Graduation: November 1

Signature(s), Publication, and Binding

Each student is informed by the Organizational Dynamics Program Office when the capstone has been accepted by their committee on behalf of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The notification also includes an explanation of the requirements and the details for obtaining signatures from the committee members, how to complete the written release form to permit publication in the Penn Online Library Scholarly Commons, and the delivery of the version that will be professionally bound then returned to the student. A capstone that receives a grade below “B” may not be placed on the Scholarly Commons.

Important Links

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Suite 328A
Philadelphia, PA 19104

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T: 215-898-6967
F: 215-898-8934

dynamics@sas.upenn.edu