the grade only

Psychology Capstone Vocation Assignment

PSY 480: Senior Seminar, PSY 471: History & Systems, PSY 496: Special Topics,

PSY 478: Honors Thesis, & PSY 499: Independent Research

Instructor Instructions

The Common Academic Program requires all undergraduates to complete a capstone course or

experience. One mandate of the capstone is for you to demonstrate an advanced understanding

of your chosen vocation.

The University of Dayton’s definition of vocation expands on the common use of the term -- a

strong desire to spend your life doing a certain kind of work (Merriam-Webster). The University

of Dayton's definition of vocation is:

Using appropriate scholarly and communal resources, all undergraduates will develop

and demonstrate ability to articulate reflectively the purposes of their life and proposed

work through the language of vocation. In collaboration with the university community,

students' developing vocational plans will exhibit appreciation of the fullness of human

life, including its intellectual, ethical, spiritual, aesthetic, social, emotional, and bodily

dimensions, and will examine both the interdependence of self and community and the

responsibility to live in service of others.

To demonstrate students’ advanced understanding of how psychology has influenced their

vocation, students will—at the instructor’s discretion—either write a paper (the body of which

should be between two and five pages, double-spaced) or create another project that speaks of

their appreciation for the fullness of the intellectual, ethical, spiritual, aesthetic, social, emotional

and bodily dimensions of their life, the interdependence of themselves and community and their

responsibility to live in service to others.

In creating the vocational project, students should reflect on the following questions:

1. How will your knowledge of psychology and psychological phenomena propel your

career trajectory?

2. In the short- and long-term future, how has your knowledge base created by majoring in

psychology and/or common academic program coursework and other University of

Dayton coursework influenced your ability to contribute to [the greater good in/of]

society?

Scoring Rubric:

0 = absent 1 = developing 2= satisfactory 3 = outstanding

Scoring:

Student did not successfully complete either of the rubric objectives listed above = 0

Student satisfactorily completed one of the two rubric objectives listed above = 1

Student satisfactorily completed both rubric objectives listed above = 2

Student’s completion of each rubric objective was outstanding = 3

Some resources that you might use include:

Denhardt, J. V., & Denhardt, R. B. (2015). The new public service: Serving, not steering. New

York: Routledge.

Neafsey, J. (2006). A sacred voice is calling: Personal vocation and social conscience.

Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.

Student Instructions

To demonstrate your advanced understanding of how psychology has influenced their vocation,

you will write a paper (the body of which should be between two and five pages, double spaced)

or create another project (with prior approval of the instructor) that speaks of your appreciation

for the fullness of the intellectual, ethical, spiritual, aesthetic, social, emotional and bodily

dimensions of your life, the interdependence of yourself and community and your responsibility

to live in service to others.

In creating the vocational project, you should reflect on the following questions:

1. How will your knowledge of psychology and psychological phenomena propel your

career trajectory?

2. In the short- and long-term future, how has your knowledge base created by majoring in

psychology and/or CAP coursework and other University of Dayton coursework

influenced your ability to contribute to [the greater good in/of] society.