The Capstone project is required for graduation while an internship or co-op program is optional. While an intern or co-op student may participate in a team project while on the job, the team design project is the essential part of the capstone experience. Students request assignment to specific capstone projects on the basis of their interests and backgrounds and capstone teams are formed on that basis. By contrast, individual students apply for and are interviewed and selected for co-op programs.
There is no fee or payment required from the capstone project sponsor. However, depending upon the project, the sponsor may need to budget and pay for components, printed circuit board fabrication, equipment, or software required by the project. Note that we may ask for a voluntary contribution to the 501c3 capstone fund at the end of the project, but this is strictly voluntary.
Students are not paid. They receive course credit for their project work.
As long as it's specified, the sponsor owns any intellectual property created during the project. Students and faculty advisors are familiar with NDAs and assignments of IP rights and the sponsor may make them a requirement for participation in the project.
Yes, provided that it’s a team design project which other PSU seniors can be assigned to, meets our requirements (e.g. design methodology and documentation), and fits the time frame for project proposal, selection, and completion.
Students should spend an average of 8-10 hours per week on the project over the winter and spring quarters.
Students typically meet with their community partners in December prior to the winter break. They are expected to begin research during break and begin work in earnest in early January. Projects are to be complete by June 1st with final project presentations during the first week of June.
The ideal project is a design project requiring a team of approximately four students that can be completed in 6 months with each student contribution 8-10 hours per week. In addition to design projects, past projects have included feasibility studies, creation of detailed examples for electronic design tools, and evaluation of different approaches to design problems. The essential ingredient is some design component. The PSU ECE Department Capstone web site lists capstone projects from prior years.
Finally, keep in mind that while students are expected to complete their projects (and their grade depends in part upon the success of the project), they are students. So, “mission-critical” projects are probably not good candidates for capstone projects. As with any project, we cannot guarantee success.
You’ll need to have a coordinator for the project who can answer questions, review progress, and meet with the student team as necessary. Many sponsors provide badges and cubicle space for the student team if they are required to work on site. Some sponsors have put the teams through the entire new-hire process to help get them used to the company products, rules, culture, etc. If space at the company is not possible, we do have shared spaces available at PSU. We also have lab resources such as the Capstone Lab and the Electronics Prototying Lab.
You'll also provide input to the faculty advisor on the students’ grades.
Aside from the satisfaction of playing an integral role providing a quality project experience as part of the engineering education of our students, you’ll most likely see the completion of a meaningful project for your organization that you might not otherwise be able to undertake due to time, resource, or budget constraints. You’ll also get an up-close look at 4-5 of our students over an extended project experience. Finally, if our past sponsors are to be believed, you’ll have fun and enjoy interacting with our students.
You can submit a proposal here, or contact our ECE Capstone Project Coordinator:
Andrew Greenberg
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Portland State University
1900 SW Fourth Avenue ste 160
Portland, Oregon, 97201
email: adg4@ece.pdx.edu
phone: 503-708-7711