CRITERIA FOR A CAPSTONE PROJECT

THE CAPSTONE PROJECT should meet the following criteria:

a) The project must demonstrate competence in a wide variety of your coursework. The umbrella course should be Strategic Planning and Management (SPM) and supported by use of various tools and techniques learned in Production and Operations Management (POM), Systems and Operations Research (OR).

b) It must be management oriented. It should document your approach to the project.

c) It should be an applied project rather than purely theoretical research in nature, but does not exclude research.

d) It must contain an appropriate literature search of the subject. That is, your project must have a theoretical base which is grounded in relevant literature sources.

e) It must demonstrate an implementation strategy. Your project approach should be clearly documented.

f) It should clearly identify results, conclusions, experiences and learnings.

g) It should suggest a series of next steps, if appropriate.

h) The Capstone format should follow the MIT’s Thesis/Research/Practicum Guidelines.

CONTENTS OF THE TOPIC PROPOSAL

The proposal should be two or three pages long and must include:

A statement of the topic and its significance

A defined scope with expected outcome

A preliminary literature search

Your direct contribution to the project (if it is to be done in your workplace)

What you expect to learn from it

How will the work be done

STEPS IN DOING A CAPSTONE PROJECT

1. The capstone project is an individual undertaking.

2. The student has to look for a company for his/her OJT work for 240 hours (good for two terms). The company can be the basis of the student’s capstone project. The company should be informed clearly on the intention of the OJT to be undertaken by student.

3. The student should submit a proposal on the 3rd week of the term. By this time, the student should already have an understanding of the macro view of the company’s problems and issues.

4. Submit one copy of the proposal to your Course Coordinator. This will initially be reviewed by the Course Coordinator. If the proposal is acceptable to the Course Coordinator, it will be forwarded to the Dean of IE-EMG for final approval.

5. If the proposal is approved, the Research Coordinator will assign an adviser who has an expertise in the topic chosen. Priority in the assignment of advisers are faculty members in the EMG Course Cluster. Three (3) panel members would also be identified.

6. The student will coordinate/consult with his/her adviser for the progress of the proposal.

7. Upon the completion of the proposal, the adviser will inform the Course Coordinator who will schedule the proposal defense.

8. The student must submit 4 copies of the approved proposal (with Adviser’s note that it is ok for defense) for distribution to the adviser and 3 panel members. This must be done a week before the schedule of defense.

9. Upon receipt of the proposal, the three panel members must review it and unanimously concur in their decision as to the acceptance or non-acceptance of the proposal for defense.

10. The panel members may opt not to proceed with the defense if they find major deficiencies in the proposal.

11. If the proposal is accepted for defense, the panel members may opt not to give a grade if major revisions are to be done. In this case, the student has to redo the proposal to conform with the requirements of the panel members and submit back to them for approval. The panel members may require the student to present again or, alternatively, just route the proposal for approval. If the panel members find the proposal acceptable, they have to give a grade.

12. The student then continues the project (under Practicum 2) and follows steps 6 up to 9.