Advanced Courses

In their senior year, students will take a research capstone seminar in the fall and spring. Students will work on research teams of 4-5 students and partner with a community organization to analyze an ongoing policy problem. The research seminar course is writing-intensive where students work on and present their own original research.

  • SOPA 400 – Capstone Research Seminar I (fall)
  • SOPA 401 – Capstone Research Seminar II (spring)

Example Capstone Projects:

  • Evaluation of Pre-K intervention programs designed to close the achievement gap and reduce costs in K-12 education.
  • Evaluation of New Hope Housing mixed-used facilitates and how they can better support homeless families, particularly victims of domestic violence.
  • Assessment of whether food scholarships can motivate learners to complete their degrees and keep the Houston economy growing.