AP Capstone is a College Board diploma program based on two year
long AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. While other AP
courses teach specific subject knowledge, AP Seminar and AP
Research use an interdisciplinary approach to develop critical
thinking, research, collaboration, time management, and
presentation skills.
Students typically take AP Seminar in grade 10 or 11, followed by
AP Research. Each course is year-long, and AP Seminar is a
prerequisite for AP Research. In both courses, students
investigate a variety of topics in multiple disciplines and have
the opportunity to choose topics to explore.
Both courses guide students through completing a research
project, writing an academic paper, and making a presentation on
their project.
Over the course of the two-year program, students are required
to:
- Analyze topics through multiple lenses to construct meaning,
gain understanding.
- Plan and conduct a study or investigation.
- Propose solutions to real-world problems.
- Plan and produce communication in various forms.
- Collaborate to solve a problem.
- Integrate, synthesize, and make cross-curricular connections.
Awards
Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP
Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing
receive the AP Capstone Diploma. Students who earn scores of 3 or
higher in AP Seminar and AP Research but not on four
additional AP Exams receive the AP Seminar and Research
Certificate.
College Credit
Most colleges in California that grant credit for these courses
are either CSUs or Community Colleges. Use the credit policy
search tool on the College Board website to find colleges and
universities that offer credit and/or placement for a qualifying
score in AP Seminar, AP Research, or both:
Find Colleges and Universities That Grant Credit for AP Seminar
and AP Research
COURSES
