ECST Capstone brings industry expectations into the classroom. Students take on open-ended technical challenges, lead their own teams, and make decisions on planning, schedules, budgets, and design. Weekly sponsor meetings require them to present progress, negotiate solutions, and respond to changing requirements. They learn to navigate pressure, resolve conflicts, and adapt through fabrication and testing. The result is a set of skills and experiences that prepare them to step into the workplace with confidence.
Project sponsors define meaningful and challenging projects that address a specific industry need or technical problem. A dedicated student team contributes more than 1200 hours over the academic year to meet the project deliverables. Faculty advisors provide coaching and direction, and each sponsor appoints a technical liaison who offers external guidance and technical expertise. The ECST Capstone Program director ensures consistency, quality control, structure, and support from start to finish.
Program Timeline
ECST students apply their skills to meaningful projects that challenge them to think, design, and build. The computer science track runs for one year, beginning in the Fall and wrapping at the end of the Spring semester with a final project showcase at Expo, typically in May.
Civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, engineering technology, and mechanical engineering programs each run for one semester in both Fall and Spring, with projects showcased at Expo at the end of each semester, typically in December and May.
- Cal State LA partners submit projects.
- Kick off for all capstone programs.
- Students meet weekly with technical liaisons and faculty advisors for support and guidance.
- Students present project plans and results while adjusting their work as new information emerges.
- Design review and poster presentations.
- Students continue working with their technical liaisons and advisors as they focus on completing the project and reporting their results. All work is thoroughly documented.
- Expo for EE, ETEC, ME, and CE programs Fall cohort.
- Kickoff for the EE, ETEC, ME, and CE programs Spring cohort.
- Students continue working with their technical liaisons and advisors as they focus on completing the project and reporting their results. All work is thoroughly documented.
- Expo for all Capstone programs.
Contact Us For More Information
Michael Thorburn at [email protected]
Director, ECST Capstone Design Program