Introduction to
Capstone Project
Faculty of Management and Tourism
Hanoi University
Course Aims
● Provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their learning and apply their
areas of expertise to real-world issues and problems
○ Identifying issue(s) faced by a particular community
○ Collecting and analyzing relevant data and information
○ Providing recommendations to help the community dealing with the issue(s) effectively.
● Working in an interdisciplinary team
● Authentic learning with the community
○ Better understand the community issues and problems
○ Better communication with diverse populations
Course Details
● Course Name: Capstone Project
● Credit: 6 (15-30 weeks)
● Prerequisite: Students are recommended to take the Capstone Project in the 4th year.
Learning Outcomes
● Identify key issues faced by a real community
● Apply the theory and frameworks accumulated during the program to analyze and appraise
specific issues.
● Evaluate innovative, systems-based solutions through the application of interdisciplinary
knowledge and skills to researching, analysing and resolving community challenges.
● Demonstrate various oral and written skills necessary to successfully communicate and engage
with others.
● Research, plan, and structure an extended written discourse.
● Demonstrate an ability to engage effectively in diverse teams to complete complex team tasks or
structured projects in culturally diverse educational settings.
Course Delivery
● Mixed class setting
○ Lecture
○ Small group consultation
○ Meeting with the community
● Student-driven approach
○ Students are expected to take ownership of their learning to ensure successful completion
of the course.
○ Student are expectation to lead the project
Course Materials
● Textbook
○ Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and
mixed methods approaches (6th Edition). SAGE Publications, Inc.
● The students are expected to bring relevant knowledge, literature, and tools from
other courses and disciplines to the matter
Capstone Topics
● Identify the “real problem”?
● Students are encouraged to choose topics relevant to their knowledge,
experience, interests and career prospect
Our Problems
● Firms report difficulties in finding
employees with adequate skills as a
significant hurdle to their activities
● Graduates are perceived to have
“competency gaps”
○ Teamwork
○ Customer focus
○ Critical thinking
○ Problems solving
○ ...
Their “REAL” Problems
Hotels: HANU:
Hotels are aiming to shorten their food What is Hanoi University?
supply chain.
● Is it a private university?
● Quality ● When was it established?
● Costs
● Differentiation strategy
● Sustainability
The Nature of a Capstone Project
Theories
Data
Collection
Data Analysis
&
Solution
The Nature of a Capstone Project
● Audiences
○ A community
○ The project committee
● A community: Any group of people within a larger society who share a common
location, interests, characteristics, or purposes
○ A village, a workplace, an organization, an association
● Project committee: Consists of individuals who will evaluate the quality of the
rationale report that accompanies the deliverable solution.
The Nature of a Capstone Project
● Core Tasks
○ Finding out what is needed by a particular community
○ Determining what kind of product/solution would fulfill the need
○ Delivering the product/solution to effectively serve the community
● Final product
○ A potential deliverable for a community
○ Example: Employee handbook for the company, a procedure and tools for quality
management, a tour designed for a new destination, or a training evaluation manual
● The rationale report: How the deliverable reflects the scholarly principles supporting
the execution of the deliverable.
The Nature of a Capstone Project
● Phase 1: Capstone proposal
○ Students will learn key investigative tools
○ Develop a proposal for the capstone project
○ The proposal must be defended and approved prior to execution
● Phase 2: Execution
○ Meeting community
○ Collecting data and analysis
○ Applying suitable tools
○ Propose recommendations and deliverables
Assessment
1. Project proposal 20 points
2. Final deliverable 30 points
3. Rationale report 50 points
Total 100 points
Group Registration
1. Registering a group of five (05) members to work on the CAPSTONE Project (Students
from different majors are allowed to work together in the same group)
2. Choosing your targeted companies/ organization/ community for your CAPSTONE
Project
3. Investigating/ Analyzing the chosen companies/ organization/ community
4. Proposing the potential topic for your CAPSTONE Project
5. Updating the information on the registration sheet
6. Be aware of the deadline: 12/01/2025
Capstone Proposal
1. Title of the project.
2. Abstract.
3. Problem statement.
4. A brief literature review relevant to the chosen topic.
5. Method of inquiry.
6. Work allocation among group members based on the required tasks to be completed.
7. Timeline for completion of the capstone.
8. Potential obstacles and the feasibility of the proposed capstone.
9. Deadline: 24/02/2025
Final Report
1. Tittle of the project
2. Abstract
3. Problem statement
4. Literature Review
5. Method of inquiry
6. Results
7. Conclusion and Action plan
8. Evaluation form
9. Deadline: 12/05/2025
Final Deliverables
1. Final product
2. Evaluation form (copy version of the form attached in Final Report)
3. Examples include
○ Employee handbook for the company
○ A procedure and tools for quality management
○ A tour designed for a new destination
○ A training evaluation manual
4. Deadline: 12/05/2025
Timeline
• Group Registration
• Deadline: 12/01/2025
1
• Kick-off Meeting (13/1 – 17/1/2025 – exact date to be announced later)
• Official meeting with your assigned instructors/ advisors
2
• Topic Finalization/ Preparation of the CAPSTONE Proposal
• Deadline: 24/02/2025
3
• Working as a group/ Consulting with your advisor
• Meet the real business – Talk with real people – Identify the real problem – Provide the real solution
4
• Completion of Rationale Reports & Final Deliverables
• Deadline: 12/05/2025
5
Thank you for your attention!
