Capstone 2026–2027: Proposal Submissions Now Closed

Thank you to all our community partners who submitted proposals for the 2026–2027 Capstone project. The submission period is now closed.

Details and timelines for the 2027–2028 Capstone project will be shared on this page in early Spring 2027. Please check back for updates.

What is the Museum Studies Capstone Projects course?

Museum Studies Capstone Projects is a full-year course (Sept 2026 – April 2027) offered to Master of Museum Studies (MMSt) students in their final year of the program. Working in teams, students apply their skills and knowledge of the field to undertake a project initiated and supported by a partner institution.

The capstone is an opportunity for Museum Studies learners to steward a project from the ground up while being mentored by experienced museum professionals and their course instructors. Student teams lead the project management and work collaboratively with project partners to develop project deliverables. Capstone projects include physical and digital exhibitions, educational programs, collections management policies and plans, digital storytelling initiatives and other well-defined projects that support an institution’s mission and operations.

Submit your 2026-2027 Project Proposal by Friday, June 12, 2025 at 5 PM

Why partner with the Master of Museum Studies program? 

Master of Museum Studies students take a range of required and elective courses that expose them to the major areas of the museum field, as well as to the theoretical foundations of museum studies. The program focuses on project management, ethical leadership, collections care, curatorial practice and exhibitions, interpretive planning, visitor research, and museum education.

MMSt students are emerging museum professionals with knowledge, skills, and competencies in a wide range of academic and professional specializations relevant to the cultural and heritage sectors. Across their courses, students learn to prioritize community values and needs, center Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, and connect critical reflection with hands-on practice. 

What’s the role of the project partner?  

Each partner institution designates one member of their team to work closely with the student group for the duration of the project. The project partner serves as an institutional liaison for course instructors and students. Project partners are responsible for timely and regular communication with the student teams and are expected to provide feedback, information, and resources throughout the project. They facilitate access for the teams to resources and support agreed upon at the start of the collaboration. Project partners also bring significant field-specific expertise, supporting student teams as they refine approaches to their project.

What funding is provided by the Faculty of Information and by the partner institution? 

The Faculty of Information contributes $1000-$1500 per project.  We ask partners to provide at least matching resources, whether as in-kind and/or cash contributions.   

What is the team’s capacity?

Students are enrolled full time in the program and are in their final year of study, so they take other courses at the same time as working on the capstone project. Each student is expected to work on their project for an average of 7–10 hours per week. Teams typically consist of 3–4 students; as such, total team capacity ranges from approximately 21–40 hours per week over two academic terms (12 weeks per term).

What should a project proposal include? 

We welcome proposals that offer teams of 3-4 students the opportunity to produce physical or digital exhibitions, develop educational or public programs, create strategic plans (e.g. emergency preparedness, climate action, interpretive, or accessibility plans), design and implement strategies for enhanced collections care, or contribute to other well-defined projects that support your institution’s mission and operations.

We particularly encourage proposals for community-centered/ community-driven projects, projects developed with an accessibility lens, and projects that center Indigenous and culturally specific methodologies and protocols. We are also interested in opportunities for students to contribute to projects that are new or experimental for your organization. 

Project proposals include: 

a brief description of the project and its desired outputs and/or outcomes

a designated contact person (project partner)

a timeline for completion within the academic school year (September to April)

resource contributions (cash or in-kind)

opportunities for professional growth and skills development for participating students

What is the selection process? 

Project proposals undergo a selection process to ensure a wide range of institutional, disciplinary, and thematic diversity.  In our selection, we will consider: 

Partner capacity to meet regularly with students and offer mentorship and substantive feedback on their progress

Student access to the site, whether by public transit or remotely

Feasibility in relation to the proposed timeline of the project

A Letter of Agreement will be crafted for each successful project, confirming resource contributions, expectations for deliverables, and responsibilities, to be reviewed by the partner institution and the Faculty of Information.   

What is the project proposal timeline?  

Submissions for the 2026-2027 MMSt Capstone Course Project Proposals are now open. The deadline for project proposals is Friday, June 12, 2026, 5:00 pm. Successful partners will be notified by July 17, 2026.        

Submit your 2026-2027 Project Proposal by Friday, June 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM