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Business Practicum (BUSA90473)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Summer Term
Semester 2 (Early-Start)
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Summer Term Semester 2 (Early-Start) |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
Students will be assigned in small groups to a Practicum Organisation. Working in teams, they will undertake a structured business planning or business development exercise. This will be supported by online modules and seminar work equipping the students with knowledge of approaches, tools and techniques for completing the task and an understanding of report formats appropriate for conveying the results. During the practicum, in-depth work will be undertaken in identifying the scope, opportunities, constraints and recommendations of the exercise. Students will learn to work with unstructured and incomplete information in real business settings, to develop research and networks to support their enquiry, to work successfully in teams, to present their findings and seek and receive constructive feedback in a range of settings. Students will also be encouraged to plan, reflect, and modify their approaches to improve the outcomes of their efforts in managing the business project.
Note: this subject is available as an intensive subject during the Summer and Winter semesters, and as a semester-long subject during Semester 2. For the semester-long subject students will be required to attend weekly visits to the host organisation, either every Wednesday or every Friday during the semester from 9.00 am - 1.00 pm. Students must be available for both time periods, even though you will only attend the company during one of the time periods. This is to enable allocation to a suitable project.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Apply theory and practice of graduate level studies in commerce to resolving real-world business issues;
- Research, analyse, evaluate and propose practical business solutions within the bounds of the exercise;
- Identify key strategic questions, assess options related to the exercise, communicate progress and check direction with team members, academic mentor and the practicum organisation;
- Demonstrate key attributes sought by employers including cross-cultural communication skills, interpersonal skills, time management, commercial acumen, initiative, independent learning and team skills.
Generic skills
On successful completion of this subject, students should have improved the following generic skills:
- Verbal and written communication skills through interaction with staff at the practicum companies, academics and fellow students
- Project management skills, including an enhanced capacity for accurate scoping of projects, the development of approaches and timelines to address complex business issues and the execution of the required approaches and tasks within the timelines set
- Team work demonstrated by good communication within the group, understanding of skills brought by individual members, organising for achievement and presenting group report
- Research, problem solving and critical thinking
- Documentation preparation and presentation skills through assigned tasks and the practicum exercise
- Interpersonal skills through the practicum exercise and assigned tasks
- Demonstrate key attributes sought by employers including cross-cultural communication skills, interpersonal skills, time management, commercial acumen, initiative, independent learning and team skills.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Entry is via a competitive selection process and places are limited.
In order to be considered, students must:
- have completed a minimum of 50 points at time of subject application if admitted to a 200-point program;
- have completed a minimum of 50 points at time of subject commencement if admitted to a 150-point program;
- have a minimum GPA of 70% or higher;
- submit an application; and
- attend a group interview.
Please note:
- Students are not able to self-enrol in this subject. University staff will enrol successful applicants on conclusion of the selection process.
- Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) students who have already completed one practicum subject, may apply to take another but will be placed on a waiting list and only offered a place based on availability. Non-FBE students are not eligible to apply for any FBE practicum subjects without the prior approval of the subject coordinator and the Deputy Dean.
For more information on how to apply:
https://mbs.unimelb.edu.au/career/apply-your-learning/business-practicum
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Students cannot enrol in another intensive subject whilst enrolled in the Melbourne Business Practicum.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Group presentation on research proposal to academic(s) (normally 4-5 students per group). Presentation will cover the research question and the high-level approach necessary for its solution.
| Due at start of practicum | 10% |
Individual participation in group presentation, including delivery of presentation and responses in Q&A session. | Due at start of practicum | 10% |
Group presentation to host company, including a slide deck (normally 4-5 students per group).
| Delivered on final day of in-company placement | 20% |
Individual participation in group presentation, including delivery of presentation and responses in Q&A session. | Delivered on final day of in-company placement | 10% |
Full group report on project (with accompanying file of resources) (normally 4-5 students per team).
| Due one week after the end of the in-company placement. | 40% |
Individual reflective essay.
| Due at the conclusion of the placement | 10% |
Hurdle requirement: This subject also has hurdle requirements consisting of the completion of online training modules and a compulsory pre-departure training workshop. The online modules must be completed prior to the workshop. Students will also be required to attend weekly visits to the organisation, either every Wednesday or every Friday during semester from 9:00am – 1:00pm. Students must be available for both time periods, even though you will only attend the company during one of the time periods. This is to enable allocation to a suitable project. | N/A |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Summer Term
Coordinator Sharon Soltys Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 170 hours Pre teaching start date 29 January 2020 Pre teaching requirements Completion of (12 hours) of online training modules, an induction workshop and project presentations. Teaching period 3 February 2020 to 19 February 2020 Last self-enrol date 30 January 2020 Census date 7 February 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 21 February 2020 Assessment period ends 28 February 2020 Summer Term contact information
- Semester 2 (Early-Start)
Coordinator Sharon Soltys Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 170 hours Pre teaching start date 23 July 2020 Pre teaching requirements Completion of (12 hours) of online training modules, an induction workshop and project presentations. Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 31 July 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020 Semester 2 (Early-Start) contact information
Time commitment details
Estimated total time commitment of 170 hours per semester
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
None
- Subject notes
Students will apply for a place in the subject through the Melbourne Business School. Selection is based on a Melbourne University equivalent weighted average mark for all undergraduate and postgraduate subjects successfully completed at the selection date as well as performance in an interview process, and is contingent on permission from the Subject Coordinator
Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) students who have already completed one practicum subject, may apply to take another but will be placed on a waiting list and only offered a place based on availability. Non-FBE students are not eligible to apply for any FBE practicum subjects without the prior approval of the subject coordinator and the Deputy Dean.
Please note this subject has special entry requirements including strict application deadlines and also has hurdle requirements consisting of the completion of online training modules and a compulsory pre-departure training workshop. The online modules must be completed prior to the workshop.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Last updated: 3 November 2022