CQUniversity Unit Profile
BUSN20019 Professional Project
Professional Project
All details in this unit profile for BUSN20019 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

Researching business problems is an important part of professional practice and being a successful business manager and leader. This is a capstone unit that draws upon your area of specialisation and your wider knowledge of business environments both globally and locally. This unit aims to develop your skills in undertaking an independent professional research project. You will engage in conducting an applied research project in your chosen business discipline to identify challenges and develop possible solutions and recommendations. This unit requires independent research and autonomy in review and analysis of secondary sources related to your profession, development of research questions, analysis of data and information, and identification of solutions and recommendations. An important aspect of this unit is to develop insights and provide recommendations that may improve your profession and the roles normally undertaken in business and industry by people in your identified profession.

Details

Career Level: Postgraduate
Unit Level: Level 9
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Pre-requisite: BUSN20016 Research in Business.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 2 - 2017

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Practical and Written Assessment
Weighting: 40%
2. Practical Assessment
Weighting: 60%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Formal Evaluations

Feedback

Students require direct on-campus support.

Recommendation

This recommendation has already been taken up from Term 3, 2016 onward.

Feedback from Formal Evaluations

Feedback

No communication or guidance from the unit coordinator,

Recommendation

It is recommended that the unit coordinator uses Zoom to communicate with the students.

Feedback from Formal Evaluations

Feedback

Assessment requirements should be more clearly communicated.

Recommendation

This recommendation has already been taken up for Term 3, 2016 onwards.

Feedback from Formal Evaluations

Feedback

The students should receive timely support to guide their project.

Recommendation

The use of on-campus support staff has been taken up from Term 3, 2016 onwards

Feedback from Formal Evaluations

Feedback

Re-development of Moodle site of the unit.

Recommendation

This recommendation has been taken up from Term 2, 2016 onwards.

Feedback from Formal Evaluations

Feedback

There are no lectures or tutorials provided.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the students receive formal support through webinars.

Feedback from Formal Evaluations

Feedback

Poor planning of unit

Recommendation

This unit has been redesigned in order to accommodate the increased number of students. It is recommended that subsequent unit coordinators monitor the student response to the unit in order to make sure that the implemented changes are responsive to the student needs.

Feedback from Formal Evaluations

Feedback

Assessment feedback is generic.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the unit coordinator clearly communicates with the markers regarding the expectation that the students receive specific feedback.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Develop an understanding of your profession and its role in business and industry
  2. Identify a problem or issue in your profession and/or the roles normally undertaken by such professionals in business or industry
  3. Articulate the research questions that address the issue thus identified
  4. Evaluate and analyse national and international literature and secondary data related to your research questions
  5. Develop appropriate solutions and recommendations to your applied research questions
  6. Communicate key findings and outline recommendations for your profession.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 40%
2 - Practical Assessment - 60%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 - Knowledge
2 - Communication
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4 - Research
5 - Self-management
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility
7 - Leadership
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes

Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 40%
2 - Practical Assessment - 60%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

Additional Textbook Information

This is a supervised research-oriented unit. Extensive readings will be provided within the Moodle site at the commencement of the term. Additional readings will be made available during the progression of the term, as required.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Olav Muurlink Unit Coordinator
o.muurlink@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 10 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

Overview

This week's tutorial and lecture will be devoted to giving an overview of the unit, content, and assessment.

Chapter

Read the unit profile, assessment tasks and familiarise yourself with the Moodle site. Focus on the section labelled Week 1 on the Moodle site.

Start exploring the datasets provided, and drafting research aims and questions.

Events and Submissions/Topic

All students: Familiarise yourself with the Moodle site.

On-campus students: Identify who your campus tutor is and familiarise yourself with the way in which you can get in contact with him/her - you can find all campus tutors' names and details on the Moodle page.

Attend lectures - valuable hints on how to proceed are given in these lectures.

Online students: Identify where (within Moodle) you can find the unit coordinator

Week 2 Begin Date: 17 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

Review of the research process, and understanding secondary data.


Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials on key concepts in research in section labelled Week 2 on the Moodle site.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Compulsory activity for all students: Begin to draft a one page document summarising your research plan.

Week 3 Begin Date: 24 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

Choosing a topic, refining an approach.

Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials on choosing a topic and refining your approach in section labelled Week 3 on the Moodle site.

Please also continue to develop your own reading list relevant to YOUR chosen topic.

Events and Submissions/Topic

If you have not done so yet, submit your one page research plan.

Remember to continually take notes and not leave all the writing to the last minute. Remember attending lectures for on-campus students is compulsory and strictly observed in this unit.

Week 4 Begin Date: 31 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

Search and research strategies for your chosen topic.

Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials on literature reviews in section labelled Week 4 on the Moodle site.

Develop your own reading list relevant to YOUR chosen topic.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Discussion with campus tutor (engagement with the campus tutor is required as part of Assessment 1).

Week 5 Begin Date: 07 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

Refining the project; finding a 'research gap'; a research approach to business questions.

Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials in section labelled Week 5 on the Moodle site.

Events and Submissions/Topic

An advanced draft of Assessment 1 should be completed by this week.

Vacation Week Begin Date: 14 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Use this week to progress your project.

Week 6 Begin Date: 21 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

Literature review 2: structuring your work and starting writing.

Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials on writing and structuring literature reviews in section labelled Week 6 on the Moodle site.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Discussion with campus tutor if still required (remember engagement with the campus tutor is required as part of Assessment 1).

Assessment 1 due this week.

Week 7 Begin Date: 28 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

Secondary data analysis.

Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials on secondary data analysis in section labelled Week 7 on the Moodle site.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Commence Assessment 2. Discussion with campus tutor or unit coordinator as required.
Week 8 Begin Date: 04 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Secondary data analysis: writing a methods section.

Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials in section labelled Week 8 on the Moodle site.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Discussion with campus tutor or unit coordinator as required.

Week 9 Begin Date: 11 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Professional writing, including a review of referencing, plagiarism, bibliographies and executive summaries.

Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials in section labelled Week 9 on the Moodle site.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Discussion with campus tutor or unit coordinator as required.

Week 10 Begin Date: 18 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Findings and discussion sections.

Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials on discussing research findings, in section labelled Week 10 on the Moodle site.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Discussion with campus tutor or unit coordinator as required.

Week 11 Begin Date: 25 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Writing a conclusion and introduction.

Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials in section labelled Week 11 on the Moodle site.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Discussion with campus tutor or unit coordinator as required. You should have an advanced draft of your Assessment 2 completed by this stage.

Week 12 Begin Date: 02 Oct 2017

Module/Topic

Finalising a professional project.

Chapter

Engage with the recommended materials in section labelled Week 12 on the Moodle site.

Events and Submissions/Topic

Submission of Assessment 2 this week.


Project Report Due: Week 12 Friday (6 Oct 2017) 11:45 am AEST
Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 09 Oct 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Exam Week Begin Date: 16 Oct 2017

Module/Topic

There is no exam in this subject.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Practical and Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Project context and proposal

Task Description

Unit assessment overview: During this unit, you will complete an individual professional project that contains a number of cumulative components, and Assessment 2 will build on the components assembled in Assessment 1. You will be given significant feedback and feed-forward during and after Assessment 1, which you must use to develop Assessment 2.

In this unit, you will demonstrate a synthesis of the knowledge, learning, business research methodologies, and professional skills that you have acquired and practiced throughout your Masters course. In particular, this unit builds upon your previous work in the unit Research in Business, however, this time you will actually do a research project. The analysis component of the Professional Project will be based SOLELY on secondary data and it is important that you familiarise yourself early in the unit on the meaning of 'secondary data'. You will work independently (although within a structure) to plan, carry out and report on an investigation that addresses an issue or problem in business relevant to your future profession. This will be one of the following: marketing, accounting or management/human resource management. Throughout the term, your independent study will be supported by Moodle resources (particularly for external students) and interactions with a campus tutor/lecturer, who will provide guidance.

Assessment 1: Project context and proposal (40%)

This assessment will be completed in two steps.

Step 1, worth 15% of total unit marks.

This assignment requires you to submit, by the end of week 4, a single page project plan. This project plan will contain three components:

A] A ‘field of research’ which pertains to your understanding of your profession. This short statement will include how this field relates to the work of your profession and an industry.

B] A source of secondary data linked to their chosen field of research. Students will be required to either include a website with a link to a publicly available secondary data set, or a short description of how you will use publicly available sources as secondary data.

C] A research question or questions that can be answered with the secondary data set you identified, including a clear expression of the variables you will be using, and the relationships between these variables you plan to explore. Alternatively, a broader, but still clearly defined exploratory research aim will be acceptable.

D] The search terms you propose to use in Google Scholar to identify literature in the field of the research question.

E] You will be asked to pick five articles that arise from the result of your search that you will think be suitable sources to write a literature review in the area of your field of research. You will be asked to write two sentences that combine at least three of these sources (referenced correctly) and provide the (at least three) sources in a reference list.

Step 2, worth 25% of total unit marks.

For this assignment you will be asked to prepare a short literature review that places your project within the context of your profession and industry, and ends with a focused field of study or research aim, and at least one research question. You will be asked to clearly describe your research plan, including your proposed method of analysis.

Submission of the final Assignment 1 will be at end of week 6.


Assessment Due Date

Word document; electronic submission via Moodle


Return Date to Students

Results and feedback will be available in Moodle within 10 business days (2 weeks, excluding university vacation).


Weighting
40%

Assessment Criteria

As a Masters-level student, you are required to engage in research as per the Australia Quality Framework (AQF) guidelines. Two specific requirements need to be considered. Students need to demonstrate “a body of knowledge that includes the understanding of recent developments in a discipline and/or area of professional practice", and demonstrate "knowledge of research principles and methods applicable to a field of work and/or learning”.

Each unit in your Masters program has a number of required weekly readings in terms of academic texts, journals and business publications that represent the appropriate body of knowledge and recent developments referred to by the AQF. In order to demonstrate the ability to engage in appropriate research, students should read and utilise these texts and journals and publications, and as a Masters student, demonstrate an ability to research beyond this minimum standard through additional texts, journals and studies that demonstrate an ability to engage in independent research. This is an advanced level course, and accrediting bodies are also looking for evidence of independent research, so the ability to conduct this project without continually relying on your tutors and lecturers is an important part of the learning process for this unit.

You should ensure that you understand the specific research that is required for each assessment piece and recognise that if you merely meet this minimum requirement, you will receive the minimum grade for demonstrated research.

Your attention is drawn to the University’s stated position on plagiarism. THE WORK OF OTHERS, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE ASSIGNMENT MUST BE ATTRIBUTED TO ITS SOURCE. A full list of references must be submitted as part of the assessment.

Your assignment will be marked on the following eight criteria, with the weighting given on the Moodle site:

  • Professional presentation and accuracy of work
  • Quality and appropriateness of references, and accuracy of referencing
  • Feasibility of project within time-frame
  • Aim and objectives/research questions
  • Preliminary critical literature review
  • Organisation of the project
  • Written communication
  • Evidence of tutor/lecturer engagement


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Develop an understanding of your profession and its role in business and industry
  • Identify a problem or issue in your profession and/or the roles normally undertaken by such professionals in business or industry
  • Articulate the research questions that address the issue thus identified
  • Evaluate and analyse national and international literature and secondary data related to your research questions
  • Develop appropriate solutions and recommendations to your applied research questions
  • Communicate key findings and outline recommendations for your profession.


Graduate Attributes
  • Knowledge
  • Communication
  • Research
  • Self-management

2 Practical Assessment

Assessment Title
Project Report

Task Description

This is an individual, written assessment, to be completed in report format. You are required to write around 3,000 words (excluding title page, preliminaries, tables, figures, reference list and appendices). The report requires in-text referencing and a full reference list in APA style, with evidence that you have critically read and integrated a minimum of 20 suitable scholarly references.

The purpose of this assessment is to present the final report of the Professional Project you proposed in Assignment 1. This report should build upon your assessment 1 and it should address the campus tutor/lecturer or unit co-ordinator (for external students) feedback.

In order to successfully complete Assessment 2, you are required to carry out the investigation you have proposed in Assessment 1 and produce a professional research report that shows how you have followed through from finding a research question to answering that question and developing recommendations that arise from your findings.


Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (6 Oct 2017) 11:45 am AEST

Word document; electronic submission via Moodle


Return Date to Students

Results and feedback will be available in Moodle on certification day.


Weighting
60%

Assessment Criteria

As a Masters-level student, you are required to engage in research as per the Australia Quality Framework (AQF) guidelines. Two specific requirements need to be considered. Students need to demonstrate “a body of knowledge that includes the understanding of recent developments in a discipline and/or area of professional practice, and demonstrate "knowledge of research principles and methods applicable to a field of work and/or learning”.

Each unit in the MBA has a number of required weekly readings in terms of academic texts, journals and business publications that represent the appropriate body of knowledge and recent developments referred to by the AQF. In order to demonstrate the ability to engage in appropriate research, students should read and utilise these texts and journals and publications, and as a Masters student, indicate a willingness to research beyond this minimum standard through additional texts, journals and studies that demonstrate an ability to engage in independent research. This is an advanced level course, and accrediting bodies are also looking for evidence of independent research, so the ability to conduct this project without continually relying on your tutors and lecturers is an important part of the learning process for this unit.

Students should insure that they understand the specific research that is required for each assessment piece and recognise that if they meet this minimum requirement, you will receive the minimum grade for demonstrated research.

Your attention is drawn to the University’s stated position on plagiarism. THE WORK OF OTHERS, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE ASSIGNMENT MUST BE ATTRIBUTED TO ITS SOURCE. A full list of references must be submitted as part of the assessment.

Your assignment will be marked on the following nine criteria, with the weighting given on the Moodle site:

  • Title, background, definitions;
  • Justification, aim and objectives/research questions
  • Quality and coherence of introduction and conclusion
  • Critical literature review
  • Methodology
  • Findings and analysis
  • Discussion
  • Written communication
  • Quality and appropriateness of references, and accuracy of referencing


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Develop an understanding of your profession and its role in business and industry
  • Identify a problem or issue in your profession and/or the roles normally undertaken by such professionals in business or industry
  • Articulate the research questions that address the issue thus identified
  • Evaluate and analyse national and international literature and secondary data related to your research questions
  • Develop appropriate solutions and recommendations to your applied research questions
  • Communicate key findings and outline recommendations for your profession.


Graduate Attributes
  • Knowledge
  • Communication
  • Cognitive, technical and creative skills
  • Research
  • Self-management

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?