Students

MMBA8250 – Capstone Project: Creating Solutions to Complex Challenges

2025 – Term 1, Online-scheduled-weekday

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Christopher Murphy
c.murphy@mq.edu.au
Please send an email to make an appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MBA and (MMBA8020 and MMBA8035 and MMBA8055 and (MMBA8006 or MMBA8075)) and 80cp at 8000 level
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

The Capstone Project is designed to challenge and develop your skills and practice in communication, teamwork, decision-making, problem identification and solving, and leadership. These skills are developed and integrated through industry and business-applied project work. You will receive mentoring from faculty staff as you identify and build innovative and viable business proposals and solutions to real-world problems. The integrated nature of this unit will test and develop your management and leadership skills and your ability to synthesise the knowledge and skills you have gained from the business disciplines addressed in the MBA.

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: Synthesise and apply the knowledge and skills from a range of disciplines addressed in the MBA to industry and business.
  • ULO2: Apply professional communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills to collaborate effectively with others in developing and presenting solutions to complex business issues.
  • ULO3: Research and critically analyse complex industry and business issues to develop a business proposal and recommendations for an innovative and viable business solution.
  • ULO4: Effectively integrate the body of knowledge and skill sets that underpin professional practice.

General Assessment Information

The following late penalty clause for written assignments should be inserted in this section.

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 apply for Special Consideration.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Assignment 3: Individual Report 30% No Week 5
Assignment 2: Group Presentation 50% No Week 9
Assignment 1: Business Plan – Group Report 20% No Week 10

Assignment 3: Individual Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Week 5
Weighting: 30%

 

Students will generate a 2,000-word report which builds on the group presentation and critically evaluates a business/strategic plan presented by a group in the class.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise and apply the knowledge and skills from a range of disciplines addressed in the MBA to industry and business.
  • Apply professional communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills to collaborate effectively with others in developing and presenting solutions to complex business issues.
  • Research and critically analyse complex industry and business issues to develop a business proposal and recommendations for an innovative and viable business solution.
  • Effectively integrate the body of knowledge and skill sets that underpin professional practice.

Assignment 2: Group Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 9
Weighting: 50%

 

Students will be required to deliver a maximum of 15 minutes group presentation to demonstrate their ability to generate ideas to solve a business problem, validate a business idea, and propose a business/strategic plan.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise and apply the knowledge and skills from a range of disciplines addressed in the MBA to industry and business.
  • Apply professional communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills to collaborate effectively with others in developing and presenting solutions to complex business issues.
  • Research and critically analyse complex industry and business issues to develop a business proposal and recommendations for an innovative and viable business solution.
  • Effectively integrate the body of knowledge and skill sets that underpin professional practice.

Assignment 1: Business Plan – Group Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 20%

 

Students will generate a business/strategic plan for a chosen business by applying relevant course material and produce a 2,000-word report

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise and apply the knowledge and skills from a range of disciplines addressed in the MBA to industry and business.
  • Apply professional communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills to collaborate effectively with others in developing and presenting solutions to complex business issues.
  • Research and critically analyse complex industry and business issues to develop a business proposal and recommendations for an innovative and viable business solution.
  • Effectively integrate the body of knowledge and skill sets that underpin professional practice.

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

Please refer to the unit's iLearn site.

Unit Schedule

Please refer to the unit's iLearn site.

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:

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/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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:

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 2025.05 of the Handbook