Course Syllabus BUS 393- Capstone in Business Studies Number of ECTS credits: 6 Time and Place: Thursday 13.30-16.30 Contact Details for Professor Name of Professor: Dr. Sven Van Kerckhoven E-mail: [email protected] Office hours: Monday 13.00-15.00 (preferably after appointment) CONTENT OVERVIEW Syllabus Section Page Course Prerequisites and Course Description 1-2 Course Learning Objectives 3 Overview Table: Link between MLO, CLO, Teaching Methods, 4-9 Assignments and Feedback Main Course Material 6-8 Course Assessment: Assignments Overview and Grading Scale 8 Description of Assignments, Activities and Deadlines 9-11 Rubrics: Transparent Criteria for Assessment 11 Policies for Attendance, Later Work, Academic Honesty, Turnitin 11-12 Course Schedule – Overview Table 13-14 Detailed Session-by-Session Description of Course 14-17 Course Prerequisites (if any) 3rd year standing 1 Course Description The capstone course is a method of summative evaluation in which the student is given an opportunity to demonstrate integrated knowledge and growth in the major. The course will assess a student’s cognitive and intellectual growth in their major and also the overall academic learning experience. The course will provide an opportunity for students to integrate and applied learning from their academic career in a comprehensive manner. The capstone provides an opportunity for students to integrate and apply knowledge from their academic studies; through the comprehensive evaluation of core curriculum of finance and accounting, economics, marketing, management, human resource, and all learned fields. Further Detail on Course Content (if needed) In this course, students apply the knowledge and skills used in previous courses to the business planning process required for new venture development. The course consequently builds on the knowledge gathered during you years as a Business student. The course requires students to integrate their knowledge and skills acquired throughout the major. It gives them the ability to work on an extended business project while gathering very practical experience. This involves critiquing business plans and using practical research tools and appropriate analytical approaches to work through components of plans of their own. Throughout the semester, student teams present ideas to both peers and experts from the community who provide feedback and insight into what it takes start a successful business Students will be required to work on a complex and real-life problem related to Business studies. In doing so, the Capstone makes the link between the academic discourse and the world thereafter. The course is a rigorous team-based and project-oriented course. This course requires a high level of independence, time- and information management as well as an impeccable level of professionalism and work ethics. The nature of the Capstone course as a Senior Seminar requires a high level of independent thought, academic maturity, intellectual curiosity and exchange of ideas. A mature approach to teamwork, efficient division of labour, adherence to clear time lines and deadlines and the early resolution of potential conflicts between team members is essential. Students will have to bring a laptop to each class. The teaching method of the Capstone is based on the presumption of a maximum level of independence of thought and work. By week 2 of the course, students will be divided into groups of 3-4 students. Students will remain within these groups in order to work on the tasks. The Capstone requires a high level of commitment, diligent and continuous work (i.e., please work on your assignments regularly each week and do not leave until the last minute), organizational skills and planning as well as profound dedication to your work as an individual as well as member of your group. This means, you should display an attitude of strong professionalism when it comes to sticking to agreed group deadlines, division of labour and quality of work. For your individual contributions, similarly, the highest standards and commitment is needed. 2 Work Load Expectation The usual 6 ECTS Vesalius College work-load expectations per course require you to spend on average at least 10 hours per week across 15 weeks. However, since the Capstone is a 13-weeks course (Weeks 14 and 15 are provided as free time so that students are not distracted from their obligations of sitting final exams in other courses) your average weekly time commitment should be at least 11,5 hours per week (i.e. if classes take place, then you should spend at least 8.5 hours in addition to your classes). This number is an indication of average work-load – there will of course be peak-times (for example when you finish your papers, the final product, prepare for the final presentation etc.) and lower-times – the key is to plan ahead each week and keep the 11.5h average per week in mind. Course Learning Objectives (CLO) In general, students will have to show their skills and understanding in the following fields: - Presentation skills - Market research skills - Strategy skills - Financial skills - Marketing skills - Business plan/ Writing skills - Critical thinking - Creativity In terms of knowledge: 1. Demonstrate their understanding of how businesses work by going through the different phases of the drafting of a business plan 2. Demonstrate their knowledge of the different subfields of a business by working on the different work packages In terms of skills 3. Use appropriate referencing and bibliographic methods 4. Demonstrate effective oral presentation skills 5. Demonstrate effective and integrative team-work 6. Demonstrate their ability to integrate the different functional fields of business into one single business plan 7. Being able to apply the economic tools 8. Being able to conduct analyses in Excel In terms of attitudes, students should develop in this course: 9. critical attitudes, which are necessary for “life-long learning” 10. an attitude of open-mindedness and self-critical reflection with a view to self- improvement 11. an enquiring attitude towards the different aspects of building a business 12. an open attitude towards inter-cultural team-work 3 LINK BETWEEN MAJOR OBJECTIVES, COURSE OBJECTIVES, TEACHING METHODS, ASSIGNMENTS AND FEEDBACK (BA in Business Studies ) Summary: Number of assignments used in this course: 7 Number of Feedback occasions in this course (either written or oral): practically continous Number and Types of Teaching Methods: lectures, discussion, independent study Major Learning Course Learning Methods Methods (and Type, Timing Objectives objectives addressing used to numbers/types and Instances the Major Objectives Teach Course of assignments) of Feedback (testable learning Objectives used to test given to objectives) these learning Student objectives 1,2,6 Lectures Reading Tests Feedback within at The bachelor has a In class-Discussions Work packages most two weeks of broad knowledge of the Independent study Business plan activity different functional fields and reading Presentation of business management. S/he is able to apply this knowledge in the analysis of business- oriented problems and is able to propose solution to specific business problems. 1,2,11 Lectures Work packages The bachelor has an In class-Discussions Business plan See above understanding of the Independent study Presentation interrelatedness of the and readings different functional fields of business and understands the impact of this on decision- making. 1,2,6,11 Independent Reflection report See above The bachelor has insight Research Work packages into the broad societal Reflection report Business plan context of businesses Lectures and is able to take it into account in the analysis of business-oriented problems. 6,7,8 Independent Work packages See above The bachelor knows and Research Business plan is able to apply common Lectures Presentation qualitative and quantitative research methods and is able to apply these in the field of business studies 9,10,11 The bachelor has an Independent Reading tests See above open and academic research 4 Major Learning Course Learning Methods Methods (and Type, Timing Objectives objectives addressing used to numbers/types and Instances the Major Objectives Teach Course of assignments) of Feedback (testable learning Objectives used to test given to objectives) these learning Student objectives attitude characterized by Readings accuracy, critical reflection and academic curiosity. The bachelor is able to 1,6 Lectures Business plan See above identify the international dimension in business- Independent Work packages related problems and research knows how to handle Class discussions these problems in an effective way. 5,10,12 The bachelor is able to Capstone as group- Reflection Report See above work in a multi-cultural intensive learning team. frame-work 360 Evaluation Business plan 2, 5, 9, 12 The bachelor recognizes Independent Work packages See above the importance of life- research long learning. Business plan Work packages Reflection report Discussions 3,4 Written written assignments See above The bachelor is able to Assignments presentation and Q&A communicate clearly, (individual / group) fluently and accurately; Presentation as well in a written report as in an oral presentation. 2,6 Lectures Business plan See above The bachelor is able to Work packages combine ethical and business-oriented judgments in the analysis of business problems and takes these ethical considerations explicitly into account in the solutions proposed for business problems The bachelor has a 1,2,6,7,8 Lectures Business plan See above broad knowledge of the different functional fields Discussion Work packages of business management. S/he is able to apply this knowledge in the analysis of business- oriented problems and is able to propose solution to specific business problems. 5 Main Course Materials (please note that you can find the readings for each week and session in the Course Schedule section below): The course material consists of powerpoint presentations, lecture notes and readings from the textbook. Powerpoint presentations will be made available after the respective classes have taken place.