The culminating project for the Bachelor of Management is the Capstone Service Learning and Consulting course. The Capstone course is an opportunity for students to apply what they’ve learned during their degree to address a specific community challenge presented by a local organization or business.

Over a semester, students work in small groups to research, analyze and develop recommendations to address a particular challenge provided by the community partner. This final project of the Bachelor of Management degree offers both students and the organizations that participate, a unique opportunity to engage and learn from one another to solve real-time challenges.

Benefits of Participating

The Bachelor of Management Capstone projects are a win-win-win scenario that benefits all parties involved:

  • Organizations benefit by receiving recommendations and solutions to an operational challenge.
  • Organizations will receive a comprehensive written report and presentation outlining the student group’s research and proposed recommendations.
  • Students benefit by being able to collaborate in a group while demonstrating learning and proficiency.
  • UBC benefits by connecting with community partners, co-creating and advancing education programs to meet the ever-changing needs of our communities.

 

Management student

Project Success Criteria

The following factors contribute to a successful outcome for your organization and the student group:

  • Capstone projects run each of the following academic terms – January to April, and September to December
  • Students along with their assigned community partner, will meet at the beginning of the project and develop a Project Charter
  • Students working with the community partner set frequency and best communication methods (meetings, progress reports etc.)
  • Two checkpoints throughout the term help ensure students are demonstrating progress to their capstone instructor
  • End of the term all student groups present their recommendations with a final written report and a group presentation to both instructor and community partner

Opportunities for Community Partners

If you are interested in learning more about how a Capstone Project might be a fit for your organization, please contact us. If you have a project you’d like to submit for consideration, please complete the following form.

Project applications are accepted year-round, with student groups assigned each September or January, for four-month engagements.

submit a capstone project

Project FAQs

As a brief summary, here are a few topics of some of the recent projects students have investigated:

  • the feasibility of rent banks to address temporary homelessness
  • e-marketing strategies for a small business
  • innovative possibilities to address food insecurity
  • revitalized tourism opportunities for a particular region
  • strategies to address double-sided markets for a new technology venture focused on key consumer demographics channels/option to market strategy for a new structural engineering product

Ultimately capstone project success depends upon partners like you, committed to a full engagement with their student group, including regular communication to answer student questions, providing key information and resources when needed, and showing a concern for student learning.

The teams are made up of up to four management students, broadly with course work complete in: marketing, finance, accounting, operations, information systems, sustainability, human resources, and ethics. The student group typically on average will spend around 300 person-hours on the assigned capstone project over 13 weeks, meeting weekly or bi-weekly with the host organization to gather evidence and ideas and to provide progress updates and ideas.

The students will initiate outreach to the contacts listed within the project application. Students are required to book a meeting time suitable for all parties (assigned UBC course instructor included) to begin building the project charter that will guide the project expectations. This initial meeting will take place within the first two weeks of the applicable term – either January or September. There is a tight schedule for the projects (13 weeks) so we recommend arranging weekly meetings between key members of your organization and the student group until the project concludes, and the final report and presentation have been delivered.

There are 13 weeks from the start of the project to wrap up of receiving the final report and presentation. We recommend identifying key individuals that can commit to weekly meetings, and who can best support on required access to information, or resources necessary to execute the project. There will be two required progress updates conducted within the 13 weeks, the assigned course instructor will lead these progress meetings with the student team, with reports and discussions coming back to the host organization.

The host organization ultimately overseeing the project supervision, and supports the students in order to ensure they are able to deliver the final report and presentation as outlined within the Project Charter.

Host organizations will also have a direct line of communication with the assigned UBC instructor, for ongoing support and engagement throughout the project.

An assigned UBC course instructor will be meeting with the student team during scheduled class times twice weekly to further assist and provide recommendations and advice to move the project forward. The instructor will lead two formal progress review meetings with the student team, with reports and discussions coming back to the host organization. The instructor will also meet with host organizations separately and as needed, during the term.

Decisions on project acceptance will be made as soon as possible after the applicable submission deadline – for September 2023 projects, the deadline to submit is August 15, 2023. We request an indication of interest by return email before July 15, 2023 to assist with our planning.

If the project is accepted, a student group and Instructor will be assigned to you at the beginning of the applicable term. The Project Application will be used to create a Project Charter with you that will guide the following 13 weeks.  The student team will meet with their host organization throughout the term, preferably each week, to discuss any questions and to indicate progress. The final project report and presentation will be delivered in early April for projects beginning in January or early December for projects beginning in September.

We aim to make project acceptance decisions as soon as possible after the applicable submission deadline. For January 2022, the submission deadline is November 15, 2021, and anticipate host organizations with accepted projects should receive a confirmation email sometime early December 2021.

Yes, we encourage you to submit your application even past the submission deadline. If we are unable to accommodate the project for the upcoming term, we would consider the project and revisions to it at the beginning at the next available term, either in January or September each year.

Yes, please email fom.capstone@ubc.ca and we will be sure to add you to the list for upcoming capstone information.

If the project is accepted, a student group and Instructor will be assigned to you at the beginning of each applicable term – September or January, and they will use the Project Application to create a Project Charter with you. Once completed, the student team will meet with you throughout the term, preferably each week, to discuss any questions and to indicate progress. The final report and presentation will be provided in early April for projects beginning in January or early December for projects beginning in September.

Given the continuing uncertainty surrounding COVID, student contact with you will be through video-conferencing or other electronic means. Our experience with e-delivery over the past year was consistent with previous semesters in providing valuable experiences for our students and valuable project recommendations for the host organization.

There is always a line of communication back to the assigned Instructor. We encourage reaching out, should there be any difficulties or concerns regarding the project and interaction with the assigned student group.

The project charter developed at the start of the 13 weeks should be a solid overview and outline for the project, with the normal filling in of details and learning as it progresses.  Should moderate adjustment be required, we ask that the host organization raise any foreseeable or necessary changes with the student team as soon as possible.  Where the change is deemed moderate to major, the Instructor will review, and accept or reject the change, based on student learning first and foremost, and partner needs second.