COIT29228 - Postgraduate ICT Capstone Project

Showing: 2026 HE Term 1
General Information

Unit Synopsis

This unified capstone unit for the Master of Information Technology and Master of Data Analytics courses is designed to enable you to consolidate and demonstrate the knowledge, technical capabilities, and professional skills developed throughout your studies before transitioning into professional practice. You will undertake an authentic industry, research, or community-based group project that reflects real-world challenges across the Software Development, Artificial Intelligence, Business Data Analytics, and Cyber Security domains, demonstrating your ability to apply disciplinary knowledge in complex, multidisciplinary professional environments. Through critical thinking, innovative analysis, and collaborative problem-solving, you will investigate stakeholder requirements, design and implement appropriate ICT and data-driven solutions, and apply project management principles throughout the project lifecycle. Depending on the project context, you may develop AI-enabled applications, business intelligence and analytics solutions, cyber security risk mitigation strategies, secure enhancements, network administration policies, software applications, or integrated digital platforms. You will produce a range of professional artefacts and technical documentation, including project plans, requirements specifications, analysis and modelling artefacts, software and system designs, implementation outputs, testing and evaluation results, cyber security assessments, and a comprehensive project report that contributes to your professional portfolio and graduate employability. Working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams, you will engage with diverse stakeholders, participate in technical progress meetings, manage project risks and change processes, evaluate cyber security, ethical, and professional considerations, and communicate project outcomes through written reports, presentations, demonstrations, and reflective activities. The unit emphasises professional practice, teamwork, leadership, self-directed learning, innovation, and industry engagement while preparing you for the collaborative, rapidly evolving nature of contemporary careers in ICT, Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, Cyber Security, and Software Development.

Details

Level Postgraduate
Unit Level 9
Credit Points 12
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.25
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Prerequisites: COIT29227 ICT Project Preparation and Industry Engagement. 

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).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2026


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).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 12-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Written Assessment 15%
2. Report 25%
3. Project (applied) 45%
4. Presentation 15%

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

Past Exams

Previous 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.

Unit Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Elicit and analyse stakeholder and system requirements, and develop a traceable project plan covering scope, schedule, resources, risks, and quality.
  2. Apply appropriate project management methods to execute, monitor, and control the project, including progress tracking, change/risk management, and stakeholder reporting.
  3. Design, implement, and evaluate an ICT solution of appropriate complexity, demonstrating alignment to requirements and verifying quality through systematic testing.
  4. Demonstrate professional capability through effective teamwork and communication, technical readiness (tools, practices, self-directed learning), and ethical/legal responsibility (e.g., privacy, security, Intellectual Property, accessibility).

The Australian Computer Society (ACS), the professional association for Australia's ICT sector, recognises the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA is adopted by organisations, governments, and individuals in many countries and provides a widely used and consistent definition of ICT skills. SFIA is increasingly being used when developing job descriptions and role profiles. ACS members can use the tool MySFIA to build a skills profile.

This unit contributes to the following workplace skills as defined by SFIA 9 (the SFIA code is included).  However, the unit incorporates common SFIA professional skills across all capstone projects while also integrating discipline-specific SFIA skills aligned with the technical and industry requirements of each major.

Common Skills :

  • Job Analysis and Design (JADN)
  • Project Management (PRMG)
  • Research (RSCH)
  • Artificial intelligence (AI) and data ethics (AIDE)
  • Systems Design (DESN)
  • Requirements Definition and Management (REQM),
  • Stakeholder Relationship Management (RLMT)
  • Problem Management (PBMG)
  • Risk management (BURM)
  • Information Security (SCTY)

For each major:

Artificial Intelligence:

  • Analytical classification and coding (ANCC) 
  • Data visualisation (VISL)
  • Machine learning (MLNG

Business Data Analytics:

  • Business Modelling (BSMO)
  • Business Situation Analysis (BUSA)
  • Change Management (CHMG)

Cyber Security and Networking : 

  • Security Administration (SCAD)
  • Threat intelligence (THIN)
  • Network Design (NTDS)

Software Development:

  • Software Design (SWDN)
  • Programming/software development (PROG)
  • Systems and software life cycle engineering (SLEN)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Written Assessment •
2 - Report • • •
3 - Project (applied) • • •
4 - Presentation • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Professional Level
• Advanced Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Knowledge • • • •
2 - Communication • • • •
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills • • •
4 - Research •
5 - Self-management •
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility • • • •
7 - Leadership • • • •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Professional Level
• Advanced Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8