Belen Jesuit Preparatory School

AP Capstone Innovative Diploma Program

AP Capstone provides students with an opportunity to engage in rigorous scholarly practice of the core academic skills necessary for successful college completion.

AP Capstone is built on the foundation of two courses — AP Seminar and AP Research — and is designed to complement and enhance the in-depth, discipline-specific study provided through AP courses. It cultivates curious, independent, and collaborative scholars and prepares them to make logical, evidence-based decisions

AP Capstone Courses

List of 2 items.

  • AP Capstone Seminar

    This course is the first course and a partial fulfillment of the AP Capstone Program offered by the College Board and is a prerequisite for the AP Capstone Research course. The AP Seminar course is an inquiry-based course that aims to engage students in cross-curricular conversations that explore real-world topics and issues from multiple perspectives. Students are empowered to collect and analyze information with accuracy and precision in order to craft and communicate evidence-based arguments.

    This AP course is designed to foster inquiry, scientific problem solving, global awareness, and independent thinking. The interdisciplinary units connect scientific study with real-world issues. Students will read, analyze and discuss research articles in the area of interest. Exploring different points of view and making connections across other disciplines is a fundamental component of the AP Seminar program.

  • AP Capstone Research

    This second course in the AP Capstone experience allows students to design, plan, and conduct a year-long research-based investigation on a topic of individual interest.  Through this inquiry and investigation, students demonstrate the ability to apply scholarly understanding to real world problems and issues.

    Students further the skills developed in AP Seminar by understanding research methodology, employing ethical research practices, and analyzing and synthesizing information to build, present, and defend an argument.  Students may choose to
    • Dig deeper into a topic studied in an AP course
    • Work across academic areas with an interdisciplinary topic
    • Study a new area of interest, perhaps one for further study at the college level

AP Capstone FAQs

List of 6 frequently asked questions.

  • What is AP Capstone?

    AP Capstone is an innovative diploma program that provides students with an opportunity to engage in rigorous scholarly practice of the core academic skills necessary for successful college completion. The program is built on the foundation of two courses — AP Seminar and AP Research — and is designed to complement and enhance the in depth, discipline-specific study provided through AP courses. It cultivates curious, independent, and collaborative scholars and prepares them to make logical, evidence-based decisions.

  • How will AP Capstone prepare students for success in college?

    By taking the two AP Capstone courses, AP Seminar and AP Research, students have the
    opportunity to explore issues of interest to them, while developing the analytic, research,
    problem-solving and communication skills that colleges have stated are critical to student success in college. It cultivates curious, independent, and collaborative scholars and prepares them to make logical, evidence-based decisions.

  • What is required to earn the AP Capstone Diploma?

    Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on the AP Seminar and AP Research Exams and scores of 3 or higher on four AP Exams of their choosing will be awarded the AP Capstone Diploma.

  • What is the benefit of the AP Capstone Diploma for students applying to college?

    The AP Capstone Diploma signifies a student’s outstanding scholastic achievement and
    attainment of college-level academic and research skills.

  • What kind of input and support has AP Capstone received from the higher education community?

    College faculty members and admissions staff from more than 50 colleges/universities (including from Stanford, Columbia, Duke and Berkeley) have been a vital part of the design and development of the AP Capstone program. Approximately 75 colleges and universities have publically endorsed the AP Capstone diploma program and many are currently in the process of reviewing the curriculum and assessment structure in order to consider credit and placement policies.

  • How could AP Capstone potentially attract students who might not be inclined to take AP courses?

    By tapping into students’ personal interests, AP Capstone propels a diversity of students to want to achieve more and gives them options for achievement levels. Students develop the tools to meaningfully and thoughtfully weigh in on issues that matter to them – be they local, regional, national or global in nature. Students choose their own research topic for their thesis. For some schools, AP Seminar is being used as a way to introduce students to the rigor of Advanced Placement while providing the foundational skills that will complement other AP courses.
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain.  The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline.  In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty.  The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow.  Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.