Hire a Goldman Student Consultant for a Capstone Project
We will begin accepting proposals for Spring 2025 Capstone Projects in mid- to late-Summer 2024.
- Submit a Capstone Proposal
- About Goldman Students
- Details and Logistics about Goldman Capstone Projects
- Capstone Project Timeline
- Contact Information for Capstone Projects
Every spring semester, organizations (clients) engage graduating Goldman School students (consultants) to work on capstone projects to help organizations solve a policy problem or development challenge they are facing. Organizations may be from the public, private, or non-profit sectors, in the US or globally. The Capstone is a graduation requirement for Goldman students from the following degree programs:
- Master of Public Policy (MPP)
- Master of Public Affairs (MPA)
- Master of Development Practice (MDP)
With faculty supervision and guidance, student consultants conduct research and analysis throughout the 15-week Spring semester in order to develop recommendations provided to the client to address the problem. Throughout the course of the project, students apply the interdisciplinary methods, approaches, and perspectives learned in the GSPP core curriculum for their degree program.
The final deliverable is a high-quality professional report submitted to the client and the student’s faculty instructor at the end of the Spring semester.
About Goldman Students
Master of Public Policy students have an average of four to five years of professional experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors, with either a domestic or global focus. Students have completed the MPP’s rigorous and quantitative core curriculum, which includes two semesters each of statistics and economics, a course on the fundamentals of policy analysis and two or more courses on law, leadership, management, or politics. In addition to the core curriculum, students take coursework which broaden their expertise in emerging fields of public concern, and/or advanced public policy tools and methodologies. Finally, MPP students have already completed a client-based consulting team project and a summer policy internship where they have applied the core skills learned during their first year of study.
Master of Public Affairs students are highly-qualified mid-career professionals, typically with over 10 years of experience in a range of professional workplaces including consulting, government, military, philanthropy, social policy, the arts and tech. Many already have an advanced degree such as an MBA, MD or Law degree. The focus of the MPA degree is on policy analysis combined with deep engagement with questions of organizational leadership, innovation, strategy and adaptation on a domestic or global level. The MPA core curriculum spans the same disciplines as the MPP core but for fewer semesters and academic credits. Students also take coursework which broaden their expertise in emerging fields of public concern, and or advanced public policy tools and methodologies.
Master of Development Practice students have an average of four to five years of professional experience in the field of sustainable development, global or domestic. The core curriculum spans the fields of climate, energy, agriculture, environment, public policy, economic development, public health, project management, and business and innovation, as well as other areas such as human rights, education, migration, humanitarian relief, and governance. Through a rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum, graduates are able to think across traditional disciplinary and sectoral boundaries to solve global and local development challenges.
Details and Logistics for Capstone Projects
Submitting a Proposal |
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Submission Period |
We will begin accepting capstone proposals in mid- to late- Summer 2024.
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Essential components
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Refer to the Capstone proposal submission form for more guidance.
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# of Students
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Project Timing |
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Number of Hours |
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Project Compensation |
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ProjectNegotiation |
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Project Interest andSelection |
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Capstone Project Timeline
Mid- to late- Summer 2024 through November 1 |
Proposal submission period. We encourage clients to submit project proposals early during this timeframe as students begin to apply for project proposals as early as September. We will continue to accept proposals beyond November 1 until all students have secured a project. |
December 1 |
Student finalizes project scope. |
Mid-January |
Project work begins. Students are required to attend a weekly seminar with a capstone instructor and a small group of Goldman students doing their own separate projects. |
Mid-April |
Draft report due. |
Early May |
Final report due. |
Contact Information
Capstone Projects:
For general inquiries about submitting a Capstone proposal, please contact Cecille Cabacungan, Managing Director of Career & Alumni Services. You may also contact the following staff about capstones for the corresponding Goldman degree programs:
- MPP & MDP: Cecille Cabacungan, Managing Director of Career & Alumni Services
- MPA: Anne Campbell Washington, Senior Assistant Dean of Academic Programs & Dean of Students
IPA Team Projects: If you are interested in working with a team of three to five MPP students, click here for more information.