Outline

Overview

This capstone unit bridges the gap between theory and practice in human resource management and employment relations by integrating knowledge and consolidating key skills developed across the major. It aims to provide students with practical experience in identifying, analysing, and solving contemporary business problems. The unit covers critical issues and builds skills in negotiation and influence, managing in a diverse environment, implementing practices to enhance diversity, equality and inclusion and building sustainable organisations. It contextualises this material in relation to the self, the organisation and institutions. Much of this unit is dedicated to a problem-based/experiential approach to learning. Students ensure their career-readiness by demonstrating their ability to apply concepts, theories, frameworks, methodologies, and skills to authentic problems and challenges faced in the field of human resource management and employment relations.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Work and Organisational Studies
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	Students commencing from 2018: completion of at least 112 credit points including WORK1003 and WORK1004 and WORK2203 and WORK2205. Pre-2018 continuing students: completion of at least 112 credit points including WORK2203 and WORK2205
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	WORK2215
Assumed knowledge ?	All other requirements for the major or program associated with this capstone must be completed prior to or concurrently with (if enrolment rules permit) this unit of study. Capstones must be completed at the University of Sydney Business School only
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Alex Veen, alex.veen@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 14 March 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final Exam Final Exam	40%	April exam week	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Individual assignment Reflective individual assignment, vodcast (50%) + written reflection (50%)	20%	Week 05 Due date: 26 Mar 2025 at 23:59	~3min + 450 words, see Canvas
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Group assignment Group assignment, comprised of presentation (50%) and written report (50%)	30%	Week 07 Due date: 11 Apr 2025 at 23:59	~20min + 2000 words, see Canvas
Outcomes assessed:
Small continuous assessment	Group assignment - case study exercises and paperwork Case study	0%	Weekly	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Individual workshop participation Workshop participation marks	10%	Weekly	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ? = AI allowed ?

Assessment summary

Group assignment: Based on the case study exercises in the unit, your team will develop and present a strategic report about the people management problems of your case organisation to the executive board. The presentation is grounded in the various analyses and tasks that were conducted throughout the course of the semester. The assignment is comprised or the presentation (50%) and a written report (50%). Further details and instructions are provided via Canvas.
Individual assignment: Based on your experiences in 2 of the weekly workshops, you are required to submit a reflective vodcast (week 2) (50%) and written reflection (week 4) (50%). The task requires you to reflect on some of the workshops and case study exercises completed in the unit. The assignment provides you with the opportunity to report, respond, relate, reason and reconstruct (Bain, Ballantyne, Mills and Lester 2002) your experiences in the unit (including the practitioner feedback), allowing you to evaluate and learn from your individual and team performance. It further requires you to engage with relevant disciplinary literature. Refer to instructions on Canvas for more details.
Group assignment - case study exercises: In teams, students will have to successfully complete case study exercises that they are tasked with as the HR team of a fictitious organisation. The case study exercises are co-designed with industry practitioners and are based on real-life examples and situations. In addition to the cases, students are also expected to complete a range of other relevant IR and HR tasks to support their organisation. This assessment is a HURDLE TASK which means you must complete the assessment (i.e., the in-class exercises) to pass the unit. Students who fail to complete this assessment, even when their aggregate mark for the entire unit of study is above 50%, will be given a Fail grade for this unit. As a result, a student's academic transcript will show a Fail grade and the actual mark achieved if the final mark of the unit is between 0-49 and a Fail grade and a capped moderated mark of 49 for all other final marks.
Individual workshop participation: Students will be assessed on preparation, tolerance, respect, attendance, and active participation. Students are required to make a regular and informed contributions to teamwork and activities, and actively participate in class activities and discussions (e.g., debrief sessions with industry partners). As part of their participation mark, students are further required to complete the self- and peer-evaluations through Feedback Fruits. Refer to instructions on Canvas for more details on the participation mark as well as self- and peer-evaluations.
Final Exam The exam is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their individual capability in solving a case study scenario similar to the ones tasked during the weekly workshops as well as engage in a reflective learning activity.

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) and automated writing tools

Except for supervised exams or in-semester tests, you may use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessments unless expressly prohibited by your unit coordinator.

For exams and in-semester tests, the use of AI and automated writing tools is not allowed unless expressly permitted in the assessment instructions.

The icons in the assessment table above indicate whether AI is allowed – whether full AI, or only some AI (the latter is referred to as “AI restricted”). If no icon is shown, AI use is not permitted at all for the task. Refer to Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks for this unit.

Your final submission must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of automated writing tools or generative AI, and any material generated that you include in your final submission must be properly referenced. You may be required to submit generative AI inputs and outputs that you used during your assessment process, or drafts of your original work. Inappropriate use of generative AI is considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

The Current Students website provides information on artificial intelligence in assessments. For help on how to correctly acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the  AI in Education Canvas site.

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.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

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
Week 01	Welcome and on-boarding	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 01	Welcome and on-boarding	Workshop (8 hr)
Week 02	Regulation of work	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 02	Regulation of work	Workshop (8 hr)
Week 03	People problems	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 03	People problems	Workshop (8 hr)
Week 04	Negotiation time	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 04	Negotiation time	Workshop (8 hr)
Week 05	Organisational analysis and change	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 05	Organisational analysis and change	Workshop (8 hr)
Week 06	A strategic outlook	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 06	A strategic outlook	Workshop (8 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance at all workshops is mandatory. Students may miss up to 1 hour of the weekly workshops by prior arrangement with the Unit of Study coordinator.

Attendance at the FWC session and the final board presentations is compulsory. No absences will be accommodated unless by special consideration.

Lecture recordings: All lectures will be recorded and available on Canvas for student use.

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

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Leganto, available on Canvas.

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. apply theoretical and conceptual knowledge of industrial relations (IR) and human resource (HR) to real life scenarios
LO2. assess IR and HR data, and relate to IR and HR theories, principles, processes and practices to resolve contemporary work-force challenges
LO3. respond to the complexities and time pressures of the contemporary workplace
LO4. manage competing demands and prioritise work within a team-based context
LO5. communicate effective solutions to industrial relations and human resource problems
LO6. translate theoretic and foundational industrial relations and human resource knowledge to feed into organisational discussions around mission, values, strategies and operations
LO7. evaluate and reflect upon individual and team performance, solutions and actions, including feedback received from industry practitioners and academic experts.

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.

UOS assessment descriptions have been updated and clarified per student feedback from 2024.

Additional information

Please note the order of the weekly topics is indicative and may change based on the availability of the industry partners.

Business School Policies

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

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) and automated writing tools

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

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

WORK3600: IR and HRM in Practice

Semester 1a, 2025 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

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

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links