The capstone project is the final requirement for the Narrative Studies (NARS) major. It is a cumulative project that draws upon the classes you have completed for your major, and has both a research and a critical component. Your research component may be scholarly, literary, creative, or experiential—all subject to prior approval. Your critical component will be a self-reflective essay that explains what you have learned about narrative by researching it in the individual way that you have devised, and studying narrative in the courses you have chosen. Projects will be roughly 20-40 pages long double-spaced.
There are several steps to completing the capstone project:
- Develop a proposal for your project during the semester prior to your last. Submit your proposal to the English department for review.
- Enroll in the recommended ENGL-492 “Narrative Studies Capstone Seminar” (or an independent project class—ENGL-490 “Directed Research”) for the following semester.
- Present your completed capstone project at the end of the semester.
1. Project proposal
You will need to submit a proposal for your capstone project. The cover sheet is updated each semester on the Documents page, and the Capstone Requirements Info Sheet should be viewed for further guidance. The proposal is generally 2-3 pages, and should describe what you would like to do for your capstone project, your previous course work that will serve as a foundation for your project, and your planned approach to researching your topic. Your proposal will be reviewed by the department.
2. Capstone enrollment
You will have the option to complete your project in a capstone seminar or as an independent project with a full-time faculty member, based on the department’s review of your proposal. Your preferred enrollment will be considered during the committee’s evaluation, but will not be guaranteed. In the intensive capstone seminar, you will meet with other Narrative Studies students completing their projects and work independently on your project under the supervision of a faculty member from the Department of English. Based on past student feedback, the seminar format is strongly recommended.
3. Presentations
Each semester, Narrative Studies majors present their capstone projects to faculty, peers, family, and friends at our capstone presentation event in the Department of English.
Previous projects
Public presentations were not held Spring 2020 though Fall 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Bradshaw, Camille
Title: The Influence of Small Publishers on the Art of Narrative
Format: critical research
Supervisor: Richard Berg (English)Browne, Emily
Title: Under the Ice: An Exploration of Barriers
Format: poetry
Supervisor: Mark Irwin (English)Copeland, Danyel
Title: Exploring an Ugly World: Narrative Agency in Interactive Environments
Format: interactive fiction and digital narrative
Supervisor: Alice Gambrell (English)Kuan, Jenn
Title: After the Gods Fell Silent: Collected Short Stories
Format: fiction
Supervisor: Susan Segal (English)McCoy-Thompson, Marie
Title: Examining the Narrative Form: An Exploration of Writing Styles
Format: critical research
Supervisor: Margaret Rosenthal (French and Italian)Ungar, Daniel
Title: And This Is How We Lived…
Format: narrative history and mixed media
Supervisor: Chris Freeman (English) -
Bragg, Janie
Title: Hysteria Realized
Format: video adaptation and interpretive dance
Supervisor: Richard Berg (English)Nicholson, Taylor
Title: There, After
Format: mixed media
Supervisor: Anna Journey (English)Ramirez, Morgann
Title: I Am No Man: Feminist Narratives in High Fantasy
Format: critical research
Supervisor: Michael Du Plessis (Comparative Literature and English)Roberts, Katie
Title: Hapiness Lost (and Regained): A Poem Exploring Divine Happiness in John Milton’s Epic Poem Paradise Lost
Format: critical research and creative essay
Supervisor: Thea Tomaini (English)Rothberg, Daniel
Title: Slapdash
Format: fiction
Supervisor: Aimee Bender (English)Valeriote, Elena
Title: Solo: A Girl, a Backpack and a Plane Ticket
Format: nonfiction
Supervisor: Margaret Rosenthal (French and Italian)Virtue, Julia
Title: Adapting Voice: Persuasion for Guitar and Vocals
Format: critical research and original music
Supervisor: Tania Modleski (English)
Additional Resources
Contact Details
USC Department of English
3501 Trousdale Parkway
Taper Hall of Humanities 404
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0354
Office Hours
Monday – Friday
8:30am- 5pm
Times may adjust in accordance with university holidays.