The Physics Department's traditional advanced laboratory experiment-based classes have been replaced with year-long student capstone projects, with the goal of improving the graduate school or employment readiness of the baccalaureate students. The subatomic physics component is meeting this curricular change with the extension of its existing projected-oriented program. Nine new projects and subprojects have been identified and studied for use in the new capstone regime. The capstone program in particle/nuclear physics focuses on the study of the interaction of radiation with matter. Each project in the program examines principles of particle detection while providing experience in project management, including proposal writing and results presentation. The projects are varied in their depth of challenge in order to affect all senior physics students. In completing their projects, students are exposed to contemporary particle and nuclear physics methods and instrumentation. The new projects, while self-complete, also contribute to a larger (undergraduate research) project in which a new muon detector and flux monitor is constructed and used for meaningful measurements.
