Course coordinator
Dr Risti Permani
Please email me if you require an in-person or Zoom consultation.
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- Gatton
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 4
- Administrative campus
- Gatton
- Coordinating unit
- Agriculture and Food Sustainability School
Through a project focused on a major strategic issue, this course integrates material drawn from discipline based courses and utilises the knowledge and skills developed through Food and Fibre Case Studies I and II. Students in this course complete a semester-long research assignment for a 'client' firm or organisation which is linked to agricultural, pastoral or horticultural industries. This is the capstone course of the Agribusiness degree program.
This course will be last offered in external mode in 2024.
Being one of the core courses in the University of Queensland (UQ)’s Bachelor of Agribusiness program, this course serves as a ‘capstone course’ providing opportunities for you to apply key conceptual frameworks, analytical tools, and knowledge of food and agribusiness that you have acquired throughout your agribusiness study into a realistic consultancy-type project. It has a strong emphasis on developing your ability to workﾠautonomously and as a team. At the start of the Semester, you will be asked to state your preferred clients from a list of client organisations and, then,ﾠbe allocated to a project and a group.ﾠYour group will get support from a mentor and have regular meetings.ﾠ
ﾠ
Course requirements
Assumed background
It is assumed that students have learned and will continue to develop during this course the following: market research design and delivery; common agribusiness techniques; professional communication with clients; professional team working;ﾠreport writing and presentation;ﾠand project management and problem-solving skills.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
AGRC2000
Restrictions
BAgribus or BAgribus dual degree students
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
- Another instance of the same course
As detailed above.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Risti Permani
Tutor
Mr Kodrad Winarno
Ms Bisakha Dewan
Mr Arif Syaifudin
Ms Meab Mdimi
Mr Mohammad Yusof Bin Ahmad
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Given that this is a four-unit course, you should allocate approximately 20 hours per week toﾠthis course. You will have scheduled lecture hours, weekly group meetings with your mentor, additional group meetings with your group members, and regular contact with your client.ﾠIn-person attendanceﾠand participation areﾠessential for internal studentsﾠand will be recorded and considered for assessment marking.
Aims and outcomes
As a ‘capstone course’, this course aims to provide you with an opportunity to apply key conceptual frameworks, analytical tools, and knowledge of food and agribusiness that you have acquired throughout your agribusiness study into a realistic consultancy-type project. It has a strong emphasis on developing your ability to work autonomously and as a team.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Critically analyse an agribusiness-related problem using an appropriate method
LO2.
Work collaboratively with a client to develop a detailed plan to solve a specific agribusiness problem
LO3.
Work collaboratively in a group and with the mentor to conduct research and analyse results
LO4.
Document the results of research and analysis into a professional report
LO5.
Articulate the results of research and analysis to different audiences and to an agribusiness client
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project |
Group project proposal
|
20% |
22/08/2024 3:00 pm
Turnitin submission via Blackboard |
| Presentation |
Final presentation
|
20% |
17/10/2024 3:00 pm
Turnitin submission via Blackboard |
| Project |
Group final report
|
50% |
24/10/2024 3:00 pm
Turnitin submission via Blackboard |
| Reflection |
Peer evaluation and reflection
|
10% |
24/10/2024 3:00 pm
Turnitin submission via Blackboard |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Group project proposal
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
22/08/2024 3:00 pm
Turnitin submission via Blackboard
Task description
Description
You will be asked to prepare a maximum 1,500-word project proposal (excluding references, tables, figures and appendix). The assessment is designed to ensure that your group has an appropriate and reasonable plan and workload for the Semester and that your group’s planned work can meet the client organisation's expectations and academic requirements.
Specific requirements
- You should have at least two meetings with your client organisation prior to submitting your group project plan (i) in Week 2 to clarify the client's issues that they request you to address in your group project, and (ii) in Week 4 to seek feedback on your draft group proposal.
- Your proposal must include the following sections:
- Project background
- Project objectives
- Methodology (including how you will collect the information, what information you will compile, and how you will analyse the information)
- A Gantt chart outlining your group project plan (i.e. who will do what by when to achieve the desired final objectives)
- A group charter. Please see the Library website
- Given the nature and duration of the course, the client organisations are advised to direct students to use publicly accessible (e.g., no log-in required and should be accessible without accepting the terms and conditions), non-confidential and non-sensitive data and information only.
- You must cite all ideas in your group work that are not your own. Please use the APA 7th style and see the UQ library site and staff for details and assistance: https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7
- An effectively developed plan will allow students to use their agreed plan each week to monitor progress, guide corrective action, and discuss progress with the course coordinator and client at regular meetings.
- Students are expected to have commenced their project well before submitting this plan. The submission date has been deliberately set in week 6 to allow students sufficient time to demonstrate their progress in a well-thought-out and documented plan.
- You might be asked by your client to deliver a separate presentation on the proposal to their organisation. You should respond to this request positively. Your overall engagement with the client will be considered in assessment marking.
- You will have opportunities to consult with the course coordinator at all stages of your project development by email/in-person consultation.
- You must submit your project proposal to the assignment dropbox on the Blackboard course site on or before the due date.
- This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Every assessment item must be submitted to pass this course.Submission guidelines
ONE electronic copy of the assignment must be submitted through the Turnitin link on the course Blackboard website by the assessment due date.
You should also keep an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration:
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Final presentation
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
17/10/2024 3:00 pm
Turnitin submission via Blackboard
Task description
Description
You will deliver a maximum 10-minute group presentation. This mimics the professional context in which you deliver the main outputs from your project to the relevant audience, e.g., managers, colleagues, and clients. You will be assessed on the quality of information you produce from your project and your ability to effectively communicate results concisely and coherently. All client organisations will be invited to attend the presentations. Therefore, your presentations should contain non-confidential, non-sensitive information. Your ability to respond to questions will also be assessed subject to time availability.
Specific requirements
- All group members must speak during the presentation.
- Internal students are required to deliver their group presentations in person.
- The teaching staff will assess your submission with input from the client. Students may not receive the same mark for the group assessment.
- Your presentation will be recorded for your client organisation's reference and marking purposes.
- Given the time limit, you might not be able to present all information from your report. This is a good exercise for prioritising content and presenting it efficiently.
- All tables and diagrams in your slides must have titles and be numbered and annotated accordingly. Sources of data must be included under each table. You must cite all ideas in your presentation slides that are not your own. Please use the APA 7th style. https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7
- You might be asked by your client to deliver a separate presentation on your final report to their organisation. You should respond to this request positively. Your overall engagement with the client will be considered in assessment marking.
- You will have opportunities to consult with the course coordinator and mentor at all project development stages by email/in-person consultation.
- This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Every assessment item must be submitted to pass this course.Submission guidelines
Regardless of your presentation time, you must submit your presentation slides in a PDF file to the assignment dropbox on the Blackboard course site on or before the due date.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Group final report
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
24/10/2024 3:00 pm
Turnitin submission via Blackboard
Task description
Description
You will be asked to submit the final version of your group’s final project report. The length and format of your group report are to be discussed with your client. A limit of 4,000 words is for guidance only. The group project report should demonstrate your deep understanding of agribusiness problems raised by the client and your ability to develop and present well-researched, practical and appropriate solutions to their problems.
Specific requirements
- Only one report is required to be submitted for each group.
- The teaching staff will assess the report with input from the client and peer members of each group, which means that students may not receive the same mark for the group assessment.
- There is no specific template for the project report. You are given the flexibility to structure your project report in consultation with your client organisation. However, the expectation is that your project report should include the following sections:
- Executive summary - a one-page summary of the research and findings
- Introduction - background to the study, the problem that was addressed, information about the industry and client
- Literature review - provide evidence of having conducted a review of relevant literature and use it to contribute to the value of the project to the client.
- Methodology - provide details of the methods employed supported by references from the literature.
- Results - convey findings in a concise manner that the client easily understands.
- Discussion and recommendations - Extend discussion on interpreting your findings by providing linkages to the secondary data. Formulate practical suggestions for your client based on your results and supported by the evidence of the research and literature where possible.
- Limitations - identify any research limitations and suggest how these might be overcome in future research activities.
- Future research - suggest what future research could be considered by the client
- The length and format of your group report are to be discussed with your client. A limit of 4,000 words is for guidance only. No penalties will be assigned if you exceed or write shorter than this word limit. However, please keep in mind that brevity and clarity are always preferred.
- All tables and diagrams must have titles and be numbered and annotated accordingly. Sources of data must be included under each table.
- You must cite all ideas in your presentation slides that are not your own. Assessment items should use the APA 7th style. Please see the UQ library site and staff for details and assistance: https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7.
- You must carefully consult with your client organisation regarding the confidentiality of information in your project report. It would be best to consider different ways to synthesise and use de-identified data to produce a high-quality report while maintaining your client's confidential data and information.
- You will have opportunities to consult with the course coordinator and mentor at all project development stages by email/in-person consultation.
- In addition to submitting your report to the Blackboard site, your final project report must be emailed to the client or as the course coordinator advises. You should thank your client for the opportunity. There is no requirement to submit a printed final report to your client. Additionally, you might be asked by your client to deliver a separate presentation on your final report to their organisation. You should respond to this request positively. Your overall engagement with the client will be considered in assessment marking.
- This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Every assessment item must be submitted to pass this course.Submission guidelines
Students must submit their individual report using the link on the Blackboard site.
Legal Declaration
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Peer evaluation and reflection
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Reflection
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
24/10/2024 3:00 pm
Turnitin submission via Blackboard
Task description
Description
This assessment consists of two components: (i) Peer evaluation (5%); and (ii) Personal reflection (5%).
Specific requirements
- Peer evaluation - Complete "the peer evaluation" form (accessible from the Blackboard site). Note that while this component is to be submitted before or on the due date, you must keep records of weekly group activities throughout the semester, including each member's participation and discussion topics. The peer evaluation will influence the final mark awarded to each team member for the group's final report. If the peer assessment result indicates that a team member has not done their fair share of the work, their group final report’s marks may be adjusted downward based on peer assessment results. Your mark for this component will also be subject to your mentor’s assessment of your attendance and participation in group meetings, including those with the client throughout the semester.
- Personal reflection – You should prepare 2-3 A4 pages of personal reflections. There is no specific template for this component. However, you must include the following aspects in your self-reflection:
- Your contribution to the group's final report by mentioning specific sections or topics you’re in charge of and tasks such as data analyses, editing, formatting, moderating meetings, etc.). Dot points are acceptable.
- The skills you applied during this project and the skills you began to develop during the project;
- Lessons learnt from a personal perspective, including identification of strengths and areas in need of improvement;
- Reflect on your overall experience and discuss how this might inform you when strategising your future professional development and career pathway.
- This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Every assessment item must be submitted to pass this course.Submission guidelines
Students must submit their individual report using the link on the Blackboard site.
Legal Declaration
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 0-34% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 35-46% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: A cumulative score of 47% - 49% for all assessment items. Or, a cumulative score of 50% or more AND not ALL assessment items submitted. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score of 50% - 64% for all assessment items. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score of 65% - 74% for all assessment items. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score of 75% - 84% for all assessment items. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score of 85% - 100% for all assessment items. |
Additional course grading information
Assessment marks will be determinedﾠby the teaching staff with input from the agribusiness ‘client’.ﾠ
Course grading hurdle note:
Every assessmentﾠitem must be submitted to pass the course. If a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course based on marks from a combination of progressive assessment and the student does NOT submit all assessment items, they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.
ﾠ
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Please note the following when writing your assignments
You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments.
TurnItIn assignments
Assignments that are required to be submitted through TurnItIn, mustﾠonlyﾠbe uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site.ﾠIf you submit any version of your assessment item to any alternative Turnitin link, this is considered cheating and you will be held liable for this action.
Results
Unless specifically indicated by the course coordinator, every attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment available within 3 weeks of submission. For items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will not be available until grades release day. Results and feedback availability will be advised to you by email or announced via the course Blackboard site.ﾠﾠﾠ
Feedback
Feedback on the course is more or less continuous through the interactions among the group, the course coordinator and the client.
Course Guidelines
Past students have enrolled in this course whilst managing full or part-time employment.ﾠ This limits the commitment that can be made to the course, and may interfere with project outcomes and may impact the group assessment.ﾠStudents are encouraged to discuss their time conflicts with group members to ensure work is allocated fairly.ﾠ
Re-mark Applications – refer to theﾠUniversity's Re-mark Policyﾠto check your eligibility
Before applying for a remark, students should consider the following:
- You have consulted the course coordinator for feedback
- Your academic grounds for remark have been discussed and are valid
- Wanting a higher grade is not grounds for a remark. A remark can decrease your grade.
Remark applicationsﾠwill notﾠbe considered without first having contacted your course Co-ordinator.ﾠ
Deferredﾠassessment
There is no final exam in this course, therefore a deferred exam is not available.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Please note that considering the possible two ‘streams’ of projects that an agribusiness project might have e.g. agricultural science and business, two textbooks byﾠ Zikmund et al (2019) and Sahu (2013) are recommended depending on your focus area. Please carefully check access to library resources before you decide to purchase the required/recommended textbook/reading.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
W1: Course introduction (workshop) Workshop on the course plan, group allocation, assessments and available resources/support. |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Not Timetabled |
Client meeting #1: Inception meeting Introduction, clarify topics and methods, and nature of engagement |
Lecture |
W2: Working in a team (workshop) Workshop on the group charter, working in a team effectively, peer evaluation, and engagement with the client |
|
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
W3: The project plan (workshop) Workshop on the project plan, ethics, literature review, collecting information and analytical methods |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Not Timetabled |
Client Meeting #2: Feedback on the draft proposal Feedback on the first draft proposal |
Lecture |
W4: Finalising the project plan and responding to feedback (workshop) Workshop on reviewing your draft proposal, how to present to your client, and how to respond to feedback and provide feedback to others |
|
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
W5: Students work on the project Students should allocate adequate time to work independently and in a group and meet with the teaching staff to discuss progress during the scheduled learning hours. |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Not Timetabled |
Client Meeting #3: Group proposal presentation Feedback on the group proposal presentation |
Lecture |
W6: Students work on the project Students should allocate adequate time to work independently and in a group and meet with the teaching staff to discuss progress during the scheduled learning hours. |
|
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
W7: Students work on the project Students should allocate adequate time to work independently and in a group and meet with the teaching staff to discuss progress during the scheduled learning hours. |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
W8: Students work on the project Students should allocate adequate time to work independently and in a group and meet with the teaching staff and the client to discuss progress during the scheduled learning hours. |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Not Timetabled |
Client Meeting #4: Progress update Reporting progress and receiving feedback |
Lecture |
W9: Students work on the project Students should allocate adequate time to work independently and in a group and meet with the teaching staff and the client to discuss progress during the scheduled learning hours. |
|
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
W10: Preparing the report & presentation (workshop) Workshop on reviewing the group report and preparing for the group presentation |
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Not Timetabled |
Client Meeting #5: Feedback on the draft report and the presentation Receiving feedback on the draft report and final presentation |
Lecture |
W11: Students work on the project Students should allocate adequate time to work independently and in a group and meet with the teaching staff and the client to discuss progress during the scheduled learning hours. |
|
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
W12: Final group presentations |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.