BSN Capstone & Service Learning

Picture of CWRU FPB students in Hawaii posing in front of a rainforest setting.

Hands-On Service Learning Throughout the Curriculum

From their first year on campus, BSN students are involved in service learning activities that expose them to a wide variety of community health issues and expand their worldviews. Students provide health care services to children and families. Service learning provides our students with additional experience, leadership development and a number of contacts in health care well before graduating.

The Senior Capstone is a practicum that provides senior BSN students with the opportunity to analyze the concepts of health and health care, health policy and finance, culture and ethics.

The precepted, community-based immersion experience is held during the fall or spring semester in local, regional or national settings. Students apply epidemiological techniques, partnership building, community assessment and nursing science in the identification and analysis of a population health problem leading to the development of an intervention.

Capstone Basics

NURS 373: Global Health Practicum

This is a 5 credit (280 clinical hours) capstone course that is required of all Senior BSN students. It is offered in the fall and spring terms. All students enrolled in NURS 373 will complete a capstone project focused on public, community, or population health. The start dates and end dates of each NURS 373 capstone experience is variable, due to the wide variety of capstone sites.

Prerequisites

Before starting your capstone experience, you must complete three courses in an intensive format, these courses are NURS 370: Information Technologies in Health, NURS 371: Public Health Nursing, and NURS 372: Health in the Global Community. The courses are offered as intensive courses starting the Friday and Saturday before the first day of classes in both August and January prior to the start of the Capstone experience.

Typical January Dates
See SIS for Confirmed Dates

  • NURS 370: Friday and Saturday before the first day of classes
  • NURS 371: Five days, Monday-Friday, during the first week of classes
  • NURS 372: Five days, Monday-Friday, during the second week of classes

Typical August Dates
See SIS for Confirmed Dates

  • NURS 370: Friday and Saturday before the first day of classes
  • NURS 371: Five days, Monday-Friday, during the first week of classes
  • NURS 372: Five days, Monday-Friday, during the second week of classes

Capstone Poster Presentation

Students are required to present their capstone project at the BSN capstone poster session on campus after they complete their capstone experience. The poster session you present at is based on when you complete your capstone experience. Exact dates will be available on the course syllabus.

For students doing capstone either at a distance site or locally financial disbursement process will be the same as it is each year.

CWRU and FPB Fees

Student fees cannot be waived, even if you are spending the semester at a distance site. All capstone students register for classes at CWRU and attend courses on campus during intensives so they are still required to pay the fees associated with registering for classes.

Housing Expenses at Distance Sites

Students are responsible for covering their housing expenses. If you receive financial aid (loans, grants, or scholarships) through CWRU to cover housing expenses you can use that money to pay for your housing. This money will be deposited in your checking account as a lump sum at the beginning of the term.

Planning ahead is very important, often the payments or deposits for the housing at distance sites are due before financial aid is available to students. In the summer financial aid is available around July 1. In the fall financial aid is usually available 1 to 2 weeks after the semester begins.

Additional Financial Aid

If you anticipate additional expenses related to your capstone experience such as transportation, travel, or housing you can request additional financial aid.

If going to a distance site, the request must be submitted at least 4 weeks before the student leaves. The additional financial available is this situation is typically student loans.

Summer Tuition Discount

The summer tuition discount only applies to students who will be enrolled for the summer, fall, and spring semester, respectively. Students who are enrolled in capstone over the summer and plan to graduate in January do not receive the summer tuition discount. Almost all summer capstone students plan to graduate in January, so do not receive the summer tuition discount. 

To apply for additional financial aid contact Dedra Hanna-Adams in the FPB financial aid office.

All students are responsible for organizing their own housing both during the intensive session and for the capstone experience.   

On Campus Housing for Intensives

Only students with existing on campus housing assignments, in a residence hall or a university-operated Greek House, qualify for transitional housing (housing before or after the regular semester) on campus during the intensive period.

There is a daily rate for transitional housing, contact Residence Life for more information about transitional housing costs. Transitional housing may not be the same as your regular housing assignment. 

Students must contact Residence Life to determine qualification and make arrangements through Residence Life for transitional housing.

Residence Life Contact Information

CWRU Residence Life homepage

Email: housing@case.edu

Distance Sites Housing Information

The housing options at each distance site are different based on the site location. At distance sites students often rent an apartment or a room in a house for the duration of their capstone experience. The capstone site preceptors may provide suggestions; however, it is the responsibility of the student to secure the housing.