So typically 4th year capstone courses for mechanical engineering are two-semester courses. However, some universities offer a condensed one semester capstone course so I was wondering if you guys knew about any universities in the U.S. or Canada that offer the mechanical engineering capstone course during the Summer?
Not only have I never heard of such a thing, I’d be very skeptical of any program that did offer capstone design over the summer.
Why is that? Some offer a condensed 1 semester Capstone design course during the academic year. Isnt it the same?
Not really. A summer semester is considerably more condensed that a full semester. Additionally, capstone design is generally a very resource-intensive program that involves outside investment and multiple faculty members to implement. This is difficult to achieve over the summer when faculty are frequently on travel or otherwise occupied with research. Further, doing a capstone design project in only 10 weeks over the summer means either that the projects likely aren’t as deep as usual or else the students are having to skim over a lot of aspects that should have gone into the project.
It’s just not feasible.
I agree its not ideal but most full-term Summer courses are May-August, approx 12 weeks. Thats the same as a regular semester course. Ive found a Fall Capstone course that is a single semester class . Of course this condensed Fall course does not require you to actually build the design.
I was hoping there was a similar condensed capstone Summer course (one that would probably not require you to build the design) but so far I have only found one.
Most semesters are not 12 weeks. 16 is more typical. Most summer terms are more like 10. Are you sure you’re not looking at a school on the quarter system?
Your capstone/senior project will likely be the most hands on “real” engineering you do as an undergrad. It is something you will very likely be asked about and judged by during the hiring process. Short changing that is probably the worst class (series) you could do that for. You will be competing against students who did very robust projects. Why, may I ask, is this an issue for you?
Hey boneh3d. I really dont think thats true lol! I have never had a class that was 16 weeks in all my undergrad. Usually its something like Sept 6 to Dec 6 and then exams.
Back in the day, I had heard that someone took their junior year summer job to be a basis of one semester of the capstone project. So I contacted the person that was in charge, and they told me that I would need more design for it to count. So I modified my project (with agreement of people at job) to be worthy of a senior project. I wrote up the report when I got back to school.
@mechcollege for normal semester schedules, 15 weeks is typical. If you had quarters/trimesters it would have been different. The finals /reading weeks count in the 15 week total.
I disagree that summer courses are 12 weeks. Daughter’s engineering school had a 3 week ‘Maymester’ and many did that as a trip to England. The regular summer session was ~June 10-Aug 10, because the regular fall semester started Aug 15 (to Dec 6 with finals to follow). The longest I’ve seen a summer class last is 8 weeks and that’s if it straddles two summer sessions.
Good luck finding one at a school which will then transfer to your school. I think most schools really want that course taken at the school, with professors the student has worked with for a couple years.
Are you looking to apply to such a program, or find one that you can take elsewhere and transfer to your current program? Why are you looking for this?
I’ve TA’d an EE capstone course and I doubt you will find what you are looking for and am VERY skeptical that it would be a good idea regardless.
My daughter’s friend completed her mechanical engineering senior capstone over the summer but it was the second of the two required courses at Purdue. She said she worked on the project full time. Her group is now hoping to have the product manufactured. Very rewarding experience but intensive.
Hey mysmom! Yes, Purdue is one university I came across today that offers the Capstone project as a Summer course. It is SUPER condensed, 7 to 8 weeks and you have class every single day of the week.
What do you mean the second of two required courses? I only see their Capstone project offered as a single semester course whether its during the academic year or Summer.
Hey cosmicfish, and eyemgh, to answer question I was looking to take it at another institution and have it transfer over. My school offers it as a single semester 12 week course during the Fall. However, I am not enrolled this semester in the course and since I have a good average the school might allow me to take it elsewhere during the Summer and have it transferred over.
Semesters at both my undergraduate and graduate institution as well as the institution at which I currently work are 16 weeks. Late August to early December. If you want to get technical, it is more like 15.5 weeks because the final week ends on a Wednesday. In the case of this semester, it is August 20th through December 4th, then finals. That is more typical.
Be that as it may, my point is unchanged. Critical resources are not as readily available at universities over the summer sessions.
The one example that has been provided here so far offered it as part of a two-semester sequence, which is much more doable.
One thing to bear in mind - capstones are almost always group projects that require extensive work outside of class. I’ve seen a lot of people struggle to do that in 15 weeks, especially when you consider that you may need to order components or have them machined.
Also remember that, as has already been mentioned, a lot of graduates use their capstones to get hired - not something to rush or do by half.
I also found this other Capstone Summer course at Georgia Tech. I agree its not ideal during the Summer but if its an immersive course perhaps you can still produce an adequate project
@mechcollege, you are on the quarter system if you end in December.
As I’ve said, and as has been reiterated, shortcut this step at your own peril. As it stands, your capstone will already likely be less robust than the projects done at schools well known for their year long projects.
You clearly have your mind made up already. Good luck.
Often colleges require the last 30 (semester) credits be taken at that school, not transferred in. I’ve had friends not graduate because of not paying attention to the requirements. At my daughter’s school, for her major, 30 upper division classes had to be taken at the school, but they didn’t have to be the last 30. She had senior seminar and writing requirements, and I don’t think they would have approved these as transfer credits.
Get approval before you sign up for these courses from another school.