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

• AP Seminar
• AP Research