MBA Capstone Project Guidelines Throughout Your MBA Program

MBA Capstone Project Guidelines Throughout your MBA program, you have worked to develop as a practitioner-scholar to meet the needs and future challenges as a business leader.

Throughout your MBA program, you have worked to develop as a practitioner-scholar to meet the needs and future challenges as a business leader. Your program culminates in the capstone project, which forms the primary focus of MBA6900, the final course you will take in the program. The capstone project is intended to provide you the opportunity to demonstrate your MBA program outcomes by: planning and executing the strategic and tactical elements of a comprehensive project, integrating and demonstrating skills and techniques you have learned throughout the MBA program, communicating project outcomes both in written form and in a formal presentation, and completing your MBA program with an experience that reinforces and integrates the components that have preceded it.

The following information outlines the requirements and work associated with the capstone project for MBA6028 and MBA6900. Examples include preparing a strategic plan, conducting a strategic analysis, developing a case study, creating an intervention like a workshop or training activity, or developing a consulting report on a broad-based organizational issue. You may propose other structures so long as they satisfy the requirement to demonstrate program-level outcomes. The project must result in actionable, evidence-based recommendations or next steps for the reader or subject.

The capstone course project must demonstrate achievement of the MBA program outcomes. Expectations include applying foundational knowledge and understanding of business systems, integrating information across disciplines, developing logical evidence-based solutions, applying innovative and sustainable approaches, leading and collaborating in diverse environments, integrating ethics and integrity, and communicating effectively. Specific criteria for the project include that the organization must be real, accessible for data gathering, and the scope manageable within a six-week period. Planning begins in MBA6028, with milestones including proposal development, draft submission, and final proposal. During MBA6900, deliverables include a project summary, progress reports, a draft report for feedback, and the final project and presentation, which includes a formal report of approximately 20-40 pages and a 15-20 minute recorded oral presentation with slides.

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The MBA capstone project serves as the pinnacle of graduate business education, embodying the culmination of the theoretical knowledge and practical skills acquired throughout the program. It is designed to demonstrate a student's ability to independently plan, execute, and communicate complex business initiatives while synthesizing diverse areas of core business disciplines such as finance, marketing, operations, and strategic management. Central to this undertaking is a real organization setting, providing authentic data pivotal for deriving actionable insights and strategic recommendations.

Fundamental to the capstone is the alignment with the program’s core outcomes. This includes applying foundational business knowledge, integrating information from multiple disciplines, leading in diverse and global contexts, and adhering to high ethical standards. The project demands a balance of analytical rigor, creativity, and strategic thinking to develop solutions grounded in credible evidence and aligned with long-term sustainability. It is also an exercise in effective communication, requiring both written reports and oral presentations tailored to key stakeholders, ensuring clarity, persuasiveness, and professionalism.

Successful project execution begins with meticulous planning during the introductory course, MBA6028. This phase involves selecting a feasible organization, typically one with accessible data, and proposing a clear, actionable project scope. Milestones include the submission of a preliminary discussion, a detailed draft proposal, and a final proposal accepted by the instructor. These steps ensure alignment with program outcomes and feasibility within the project's timeline. During this planning stage, students must articulate how their project will demonstrate their mastery of core competencies, such as systems thinking, cross-disciplinary integration, and ethical decision-making.

Transitioning into MBA6900, students undertake the actual research, analysis, and synthesis of their projects. The deliverables guide the development process: a brief project summary assists instructors in understanding the scope; periodic progress reports ensure steady advancement; a draft report facilitates early feedback; and the culmination is a comprehensive written report accompanied by a recorded presentation. The written report, spanning approximately 20-40 pages, should be a coherent, well-structured document capturing the problem, methodology, analysis, findings, and actionable recommendations.

The oral presentation encapsulates the key elements of the report, employing visual aids effectively to enhance clarity and engagement. It offers an opportunity for students to demonstrate their communication skills and strategic vision, engaging stakeholders and defending their proposals convincingly. Regular consultation with instructors and adherence to grading rubrics, such as those detailed in the course appendices, are critical for meeting excellence standards.

In summary, the MBA capstone project is an integrative exercise that tests a student's ability to operationalize their learning within a real-world context, producing a strategic, data-driven, and ethically grounded solution. Through this capstone, students showcase their readiness to assume leadership roles, contribute to organizational success, and solve complex business challenges in an increasingly dynamic environment.

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