CIVL5020: Capstone Project A

The capstone project requires the student to plan and execute a substantial research-based project, using their technical and communication skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developments that contribute to professional practice thus demonstrating the achievement of AQF Level 9. Capstone Project provides an opportunity for students to conduct original research. Students will generally work individually and an individual thesis must be submitted by each student. Capstone Project is a major task and is to be conducted with work spread over most of the year, in two successive Units of Study of 6 credits points each, Capstone Project A (CIVL5020) and Capstone Project B (CIVL5021). This particular unit of study, which must precede CIVL5021 Capstone Project B, should cover the first half of the work required for a complete Capstone Project. In particular, it should include almost all planning of a research or investigation project, a major proportion of the necessary literature review (unless the entire project is based on a literature review and critical analysis), and a significant proportion of the investigative work required of the project. A thesis at this level will represent a contribution to professional practice or research, however the timeframe available for the thesis also needs to be considered when developing project scopes. Indeed, a key aim of the thesis is to specify a research topic that arouses sufficient intellectual curiosity, and presents an appropriate range and diversity of technical and conceptual challenges, while remaining manageable and allowing achievable outcomes within the time and resources available. It is important that the topic be of sufficient scope and complexity to allow a student to learn their craft and demonstrate their research skills. Equally imperative is that the task not be so demanding as to elude completion. Finally the ability to plan such a project to achieve results within constraints and the identification of promising areas and approaches for future research is a key assessment criterion.