Sustainability Capstone (SUST 495)

What is the SUST 495 Capstone?

SUST 495 is an end-of-BA Program course that allows students to apply what they learned during the SUST degree in partnership with a community organization. UH Manoa undergraduates who major in the SUST Bachelor of Arts program are required to take this course their senior year.

How is the SUST 495 course designed?

There are two possible tracks one can take for SUST 495

• Track 1) Research Paper
  Students who take this track will write 15–20 page research paper on a topic co- designed with a community partner and the capstone instructor. The research plan and goals are captured in a scope of work, jointly created by the student, instructor, and community partner at the beginning of the semester. This track is recommended for students who are continuing on for advanced study, are looking to create a strong writing sample, or who have schedule that cannot accommodate an internship.

• Track 2) Internship
  Students who take this track participate in an internship with a pre-identified partner organization. The exact nature of the work and goals is co-created between the student, partner organization supervisor, and the capstone instructor at the beginning of the semester and captured in a scope of work. Students must work at the internship for a minimum of 9 hours per week to receive credit for this class and are required to submit a weekly journal to the instructor. Whether the work is done in-person or remotely depends on the nature of the work in question and the needs of the partner organization and the student. Students taking this track are expected to behave and communicate professionally and alignment with the partner organization’s company standards and culture.

All capstone students are required to complete a partner overview assignment, a scope of work (which they should update as goals and timelines change), and a final Power Point presentation, which they will verbally deliver to their peers, instructor, and capstone partner colleagues at the conclusion of the semester. Students taking the research paper track will be required to join 1–2 volunteer work sessions (typically, engaging in agricultural work with a community partner organization) during the semester.

All capstone students must also complete a short exit survey and reflection paper at the end of the semester.

In addition to implementing the research projects or internships, Capstone students will be offered several professional development learning opportunities, including topics such as how to conduct a job search and how to create a resume.

What are examples of past capstone internships and projects?

• Kōkua Hawai’i Foundation Conservation Easement Project
• Investigation of the Food Waste Diversion Hierarchy: Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation
• Promoting sustainable choices through informed purchases: evaluating ingredients in personal care products and household cleaners
• Soil Analysis in a Permaculture Orchard
• Mālama ʻĀina to Mālama Kino: Reviving Lāʻau Lapaʻau Through The Lāʻau Kamaʻāina of the Kōkua Learning Farm
• Recyclable Materials Data Recovery Project
• Food: Too Good to Waste Project
• Agriculture Forestry and Other Land Uses Carbon Flows within Kualoa Ranch
• Supporting Hawaiʻi’s Agriculture Through Institutional Purchasing
• Evaluating Sustainable Tourism Impacts at Kualoa Ranch
• Taking Hawai’i’s Food Ware Ordinance One Step Further
• Grain-fed Beef vs. Grass-fed Beef; Benefits and Environmental Impacts
• Resilience: Hawaiian Environmentalism (Documentary)
• The Environmental Efficacy Evaluation for Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi
• City & County of Honolulu Waste Management Division Internship
• Hawaiʻi Green Growth Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard Internship

When should I take the capstone?

The capstone should be taken in one’s senior year. Most take it their final semester at UH Mānoa. SUST 495 is only offered during Spring and Fall Semesters (it is not currently offered in the summer).

Is the capstone offered in the summer?

Not at this time.

How can I register for the SUST capstone? I don’t see it listed.

SUST 495 does not show up in the course availability listings and on STAR. You will need to get a CRN code from the instructor in order to register for the course (please use email above).

In order to register for the capstone, you should contact the capstone instructor at isr@hawaii.edu. You will need to have a conversation with the instructor about your academic and career interests in advance of the course, so please reach out at least the semester before you plan to take it.

What’s a community partner, and how do I find one?

Community partners for the capstone are non-profit organizations, environmentally conscious businesses, or government agencies working on sustainability issues. Typically, the capstone instructor maintains a list of these organizations and cultivates relationships with them to better identify their capacity for partnering to support research projects and internships. In general, we try to choose one community partner per semester to work with, but this may change as the program grows. In some rare cases, students will find a community partner on their own, and the capstone instructor will work with them to set up a new partnership for implementing the capstone.

Can I use other internships for the SUST capstone requirement?

In some rare cases, students will find a community partner on their own. It is up to the discretion of the instructor to decide if a partner and internship is appropriate for the capstone, so if this is something you are thinking about doing, be sure to reach out to isr@hawaii.edu to discuss your idea as early as possible. If it looks like the right partner, the instructor will work them to set up a new partnership for implementing the capstone—but whether this works out or not is not guaranteed. This cannot be done retroactively (that is, you cannot make a past internship count towards the capstone).

In addition, it is important to note that the capstone pairs the internship itself with several assignments and evaluation tools that enable the experience to count as academic credit.

Can I get paid for my internship when also getting SUST credits?

In general, the answer is no.

Does the capstone fulfill any Gen Ed requirements?

No. It only fulfills the Major (BA) requirement.

Should I take the capstone if I am a Certificate or a GEO-SUST BAM student?

Only students pursuing the undergraduate BA in sustainability can take the capstone. Certificate and BAM students are encouraged to seek other research and internship opportunities.

What is the minimum grade I must get to pass the capstone course?

As with all Major courses, you must get at least a C- to successfully complete this course and have it count towards the major.

Can I take SUST 495 for credit more than once?

No.

Where can I find an academic advisor to answer questions about the Capstone?

Please email: isr@hawaii.edu.