Outline

Overview

In this intensive PM capstone project, students are required to apply all of the skills necessary to successfully initiate, plan, execute, control and close a project. Working as part of a team mid-sized, high-priority project, student will be responsible for developing the key project management deliverables, including the project charter, project plan, change control process, status reports and post-project reviews. Students will facilitate meetings, update the project plan with actuals and changes, present status to management, justify decisions to key stakeholders and determine the impacts of their actions on the project. Under the guidance of a project professional and their academic supervisor, students will be given direct feedback towards achieving project goals. PM Capstone Project A and B provide an opportunity for students to undertake a major project in a specialised area relevant to project management. Students will generally work in groups, although assessment components such as reflective reports and participation are marked individually. Only in exceptional circumstances and by approval of PM Capstone Project course coordinator and the relevant academic supervisor concerned will a student be permitted to undertake a project individually. PM Capstone Project is spread over a whole year, in two successive Units of Study of 6 credits points each, PM Capstone Project A (PMGT3850) and PM Capstone Project B (PMGT3851). This particular unit of study, which must precede PMGT3851 PM Capstone Project B, should cover the first half of the work required for a complete 'final year' project. In particular, it should include almost all project planning, a major proportion of the necessary background research, and a significant proportion of the investigative or design work required of the project.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Project Management
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	[24 credit points of 2000 or 3000 level units of study]
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Louis Taborda, louis.taborda@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written work	A6 - Product Report Professionally formatted Word document (using Team Branding, not USYD logo) for the project deliverable, client acceptance, and lessons learned. Include appendicies.	20%	Formal exam period Due date: 22 Jun 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 24 Jun 2026	~20+ pages with appendices/ attachments	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	A7 - Project Status Project status at end of semester with comparison to plan and Tetrospective/ Post Implementation Review (PIR)	10%	Formal exam period Due date: 24 Jun 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 26 Jun 2026	~10+ page doc with Appendices	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Portfolio or journal	A8 - Project Journal Submission that captures your learnings week by week and to be collated at end of semester	10%	Formal exam period Due date: 26 Jun 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 28 Jun 2026	Weekly through the unit	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-person practical, skills, or performance task or test	A3 - Participation Mark Includes attendance, active engagement in workshops, completion of surveys, observations and 1-on-1 tutor interviews.	20%	Progressive	Throughout semester	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	A1 - Project Charter High-level overview of the selected project that will include a Team Profile and provide evidence of the team's capabilities to deliver the project.	10%	Week 05 Due date: 28 Mar 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 30 Mar 2026	~15 Powerpoint slides	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	A5 - Product Prototype Description of planned product/solution to be delivered by the project team with evidence and traceability to the original sponsor requirements.	5%	Week 05 Due date: 28 Mar 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 30 Mar 2026	~5 max slides/pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	A2 - Project Plan Professionally formatted Word document (using Team Branding, not USYD logo) for the project plan Including appendicies with an attached MS Project file that includes WBS, network diagram, Gantt chart, resourcing, costs, etc.	15%	Week 09 Due date: 02 May 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 04 May 2026	~20+ pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	A4 - Presentation Teams will present their approach and their plan to deliver the project	10%	Week 12 Due date: 23 May 2025 at 23:59 Closing date: 25 May 2025	12-15 minutes live presentation	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Please note that this unit of study will not have a grade/mark shown on your transcript. The marks for PMGT3850 will instead be combined with PMGT3851, and the combined marks (on a 50:50 basis) will appear on your transcript at the end of the second semester.

Also be aware that your Capstone project requires at least 9-10 hours of project or group work per week on average, outside your timetabled workshop hours. Please consider this workload when planning your time and effort for the semester.

A1 - Project Charter: A high-level overview of the project captured in a document and/or slide-deck describing the proposed project, including key elements of the management approach proposed. The initial presentation should identify the project team, the client, background/problem statement, key stakeholders, purpose and justification, objectives, proposed management approach/methodology, preliminary risks and issues and proposed deliverables.
A2 - Project Plan: A detailed plan for the execution of the project providing a clear schedule/ network based on resourcing (human and equipment) and an appropriate cost model, captured in the specified/ approved Project Management tool.
A3 - Participation: Accessed at different points in the semester, as students are to undertake a series of essential activities to ensure participation in the Capstone, including compulsory team formation and peer-evaluation surveys, attendance in class, peer support and reviews. A one-on-one interview with a tutor aims to ensure that every student understands their Capstone Project and their role(s) in the project team, and that everyone is actively contributing to achieving the planned outcomes.
A4 - Presentation: This will be a 12-15 minute presentation of the project, its results and recommendations, provided either face to face or by submission of a video clip or other form of recorded media agreed with the lecturer. The intended audience for the presentation should be clearly identified, and the presentation tailored accordingly. Individual team members’ contribution (and therefore mark) will be differentiated based on the SparkPlus(or equivalent) peer-evaluation tool.
A5 - Prototype: Accessed at different points in the semester, teams are to develop a (series of) prototype(s) for review to ensure that the sponsor, stakeholders, and the team have a shared understanding of what is being planned, andwhat they expect as the project deliverables.
A6 - Product Report: This is a professionally presented business report that is to be provided to the client/ sponsor and should encompass the agreed deliverables; describing or linking to any products that are tangible or online in nature. The report should be understandable by anyone and cover the background / problem statement, purpose and justification, objectives, literature referenced, description of the investigative approach / methodology, risks and issues, with an emphasis on final results and recommendations. Individual team members’ contributions (and therefore mark) will be assessed and differentiated based on the SparkPlus (or equivalent) peer-evaluation tool.
A7 - Project Status: This is an assessment of the project performance with a comparison of "actuals against plan" with a reasonable and justifiable "claim of success" made in which the project's success criteria are evaluated against the project's accomplishments. A Post Implementation Review (PIR) or retrospective of the project needs to be conducted/ documented, discussing how the Capstone was managed and identifying lessons learned for use on future projects. Individual team members’ contribution (and therefore mark) will be differentiated based on the SparkPlus (or equivalent) peer-evaluation tool.
A8 - Project Journal: Regular, near-weekly reflections are to be taken by students (minimum 8 structured entries of between 150 to 200 words are expected for a Credit mark) where personal experiences are to be diarised. The assessment of this activity will be based on the regularity of submissions (as timestamped), that will be collated and formatted as an individual (digital) journal or portfolio documenting the individual’s project experiences.

Detailed rubrics for each assessment will be provided as the assessment is released.

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Confidential Peer Evaluation:

As part of the assessment process for group work, collaborative and self-peer evaluation tools (e.g., SparkPlus) may be utilised, either confidentially or non-confidentially, to assess contributions and interactions among group members. Based on the outcomes of the peer evaluation process, individual team member marks may be adjusted accordingly.

Reliability of Canvas Marks:

Canvas will be used in this unit for the submission of key assessments; however, it should not be relied upon to determine or predict a student’s final marks. Not all assessment results may be visible to students, and group or team marks may be adjusted for individual members based on peer evaluations.

Mark Moderation:

Statistically defensible moderation may be applied when combining marks from individual assessment components to ensure consistency between markers and alignment of final grades with the unit outcomes.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

For every calendar day up to and including ten calendar days after the due date, a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks will be applied to late work. The penalty will be calculated by first marking the work, and then subtracting 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date. Example: Consider an assignment's maximum awardable mark is 10; the assignment is submitted 2 days late; and the assignment is marked as 7/10. After applying the penalty, marks will be: 7 - (0.5 x 2) = 6/10. For work submitted more than ten calendar days after the due date a mark of zero will be awarded. The marker may elect to, but is not required to, provide feedback on such work. Refer to section 7A of Assessment procedures policy available at: http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2012/267&RendNum=0

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Ongoing	Students will work with their team outside of the weekly workshops to plan and deliver their projects. This may include collaborating with the team, research for the project, analysis of the problem to solve and project management work to develop and deliver a solution.	Self-directed learning (104 hr)
Week 01	Orientation to Capstone Projects Inc.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	Project work	Tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture: There will be minimal formal lectures as the weekly sessions are designed to be practical sessions where students work under the supervision of an experienced project professional to develop their project plan.
Meeting: Weekly meetings with Capstone Directors/sponsor are required, unless otherwise agreed.
Project work: Students will need to undertake an additional 10 hours per week of independent and team based work in order to achieve the outcomes of the unit and complete assessment activities.

As per the Faculty of Engineering Coursework Awards Resolutions, students are expected to attend and actively engage in all timetabled activities of their respective units of study.

For this unit of study, students are expected to attend a minimum of 85 percent of timetabled activities. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted only by the Dean or the Head of School.

Failure to meet the minimum attendance requirement may result in a fail grade.

Heads of School, Program Directors and / or Unit of Study Coordinators may set additional assessment items where the attendance requirement differs from 85 percent.

Workshop Participation:

Students are required to engage in a professional manner during workshops. This includes being fully prepared by thoroughly reviewing and engaging with all materials provided by the Unit of Study Coordinator and / or teaching team prior to the workshop where applicable. Active participation in class activities, discussions, and team-based tasks is expected to ensure meaningful contributions and effective collaboration.

Students participating in learning activities, including workshops conducted remotely or online, are strongly encouraged to have their cameras turned on for the duration of the session. Failure to comply may result in a request to show cause. Continued non-compliance may be deemed as non-participation, which could impact assessment outcomes.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Selected readings may be provided for critical review and to guide student reflections.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Describe the approach you are taking to deliver a real-world project, in order to gain buy-in from your team and project stakeholders
LO2. Demonstrate your ability to plan, design and implement a project in a structured manner, working in an independent study mode
LO3. Apply key project methodology, including defining and managing the scope of the project, setting up the project governance, establishing the project schedule, and managing risks and issues.
LO4. Measure the success of the project in delivering the promised outcomes and benefits
LO5. Work collaboratively with your team, embracing cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity
LO6. Display professional attitude, including an ability to self-reflect and adapt
LO7. Contribute to innovation and creativity in your team to come up with new solutions
LO8. Manage the relationships with stakeholders, the Capstone directors and the client in a professional way

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Structured to be more independent of Sem2 Updated the assessments accordingly.

Additional information

Weekly schedule is tentative and may change as required.

Assessments and/or documentation students create in this unit will need to use the following convention in its title/subject heading: PMGT3850_2025S1_TeamX: Topic

Further information and Team identifiers (X) will be provided in Canvas.

All administrative/ enrolment matters should be directed to the Student Centre in the first instance.

Requests for References from Teaching Staff:

Unit of Study Coordinators and the teaching team for this unit are not obligated to, and typically will not, provide personal references for students.

Students requiring a letter of good standing should direct their request to the Student Centre as the first point of contact.

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice.

Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

PMGT3850: Project Management Capstone Project A

Semester 1, 2026 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links