Students
MQBS3020 – Contemporary Business Challenges
2025 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Murray Taylor
Contact via email
Office 613, 4 Eastern Rd
see iLearn for details
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to BBus and 130cp at 1000 level or above including 10cp at 3000 level
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This course-wide Capstone unit is designed to be taken by students in their final session of study within the Bachelor of Business. Students will apply their discipline-specific knowledge within collaborative environments and develop their leadership and communication capabilities through the Capstone project. At the completion of the unit, students are expected to have developed and critically reflected on the ethical and sustainability contexts. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Integrate and apply discipline specific knowledge and skills with an appreciation of cross disciplinary requirements.
- ULO2: Identify and analyse issues from a variety of ethical and sustainability positions as applied to the business context.
- ULO3: Reflect on outcomes of working in teams to apply communication and leadership skills to achieve business solutions in a range of contexts.
General Assessment Information
Late Assessment Submission Penalty (written assessments)
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.
For any late submissions of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Practice: Employability Pitch | 30% | No | Week 12 in tutorial |
| Professional Practice: Sustainable Business Decision-Making | 40% | No | 17/10/2025 |
| Skills Development: Reflection on Leadership | 30% | No | 07/11/2025 |
Professional Practice: Employability Pitch
Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Week 12 in tutorial
Weighting: 30%
The purpose of this assessment is to develop your ability to communicate your strengths and skills and highlight your employability to future employers. You will communicate your strengths and skill streams related to business, applying theory and models in a clear and engaging presentation. Skills in focus:
- Discipline Knowledge
- Communication
- Work readiness
Deliverable: 3-4min presentation with accompanying slides. Individual assessment.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Integrate and apply discipline specific knowledge and skills with an appreciation of cross disciplinary requirements.
- Identify and analyse issues from a variety of ethical and sustainability positions as applied to the business context.
- Reflect on outcomes of working in teams to apply communication and leadership skills to achieve business solutions in a range of contexts.
Professional Practice: Sustainable Business Decision-Making
Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: 17/10/2025
Weighting: 40%
The purpose of this assessment is to develop your ability to assess business challenges and opportunities by applying sustainable concepts and models. You will work in a team to investigate existing and potential firms to evaluate and suggest sustainable business decisions for the allocated firm. Skills in focus:
- Discipline Knowledge
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
- Communication and collaboration
- Work readiness
Deliverable: Written report [max 3,000 words]. Group and individual assessment.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Integrate and apply discipline specific knowledge and skills with an appreciation of cross disciplinary requirements.
- Identify and analyse issues from a variety of ethical and sustainability positions as applied to the business context.
- Reflect on outcomes of working in teams to apply communication and leadership skills to achieve business solutions in a range of contexts.
Skills Development: Reflection on Leadership
Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 07/11/2025
Weighting: 30%
The purpose of this assessment is to develop your ability to reflect critically on your learning by applying leadership theories to personal or professional experiences in order to deepen self-awareness and support future professional development. You will individually reflect on how selected leadership theories or frameworks apply to your experiences, drawing on scholarly research and a structured model of reflection to evaluate how these insights shape your understanding and future practice. Skills in focus:
- Work readiness
- Discipline Knowledge
- Critical Thinking
Deliverable: Written report, excluding supporting materials and appendices.[max. 2000 words] Individual assessment.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Integrate and apply discipline specific knowledge and skills with an appreciation of cross disciplinary requirements.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
see iLearn for details
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Academic Success
Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
- Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Unit information based on version 2025.04 of the Handbook