AP Capstone
In 2020, Cardinal Newman became one the first private schools in the South Carolina midlands to offer an AP Capstone Diploma, a College Board program focused on helping students to develop independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills. AP Capstone consists of two interdisciplinary courses, AP Seminar and AP Research, designed to complement the discipline specific content covered in other AP courses. Cardinal Newman School is distinguished as one of the 2500 schools in the nation who has been approved to offer the Capstone Diploma Program.
Students typically take AP Seminar in grade 10 or 11, followed by AP Research. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing receive the AP Capstone Diploma, a nationally recognized credential issued by the College Board and widely recognized in the college- admissions process.
AP Capstone™ is an innovative diploma program from College Board that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges. AP Capstone is built on the foundation of two AP® courses—AP Seminar and AP Research—and is designed to complement and enhance the in-depth, discipline-specific study experienced in other AP courses.
The AP Capstone program aims to empower students by:
- engaging them with rigorous college-level curricula focused on the skills necessary for successful college completion
- extending their abilities to synthesize information from multiple perspectives and apply skills in new situations and cross-curricular contexts
- enabling them to collect and analyze information with accuracy and precision
- cultivating their abilities to craft, communicate, and defend evidence-based arguments, and
- providing opportunities for them to practice disciplined and scholarly research skills while exploring relevant topics that appeal to their interests and curiosity.
Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing receive the AP Capstone Diploma™. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research but not on four additional AP Exams receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™. Learn more about this program by clicking here.
