The HR Capstone Project, as an alternative to field placement, is another way in which students apply their newly acquired HR skills. It is a large-scale academic project in which students work in conjunction with the course instructor. Students follow a rigorous, scholarly process in the production of a paper that will reflect a synthesis of topics studied in the curriculum. The student selects a topic in his or her concentration area and, with faculty approval and guidance, conducts secondary research in preparation for a final thesis paper. The finished project demonstrates the student’s ability to conduct comprehensive research and articulate original ideas and thought processes.