If you would like to have your organization’s marketing issue considered as a MS Capstone Project, please see the information and application instructions below.
The Capstone Experience
During January – June 2010, 20 graduate students pursuing a Master in Science (MS) degree in Marketing will be engaged in their Capstone learning experience. At UC’s College of Business, the MS Capstone experience involves a five-month client project, tackled by individual graduate student consultants.
Who are these students?
As graduate students, the MS-Marketing students have completed an undergraduate degree. Most are employed (or have been employed) in a career occupation. The MS-Marketing program, comprising 48 credit-hours in marketing, is structured to concentrate on the breadth and depth of learning and experience available in marketing and marketing-related areas. Students receive extensive training in branding, strategy, market research, buyer behavior, product management and international issues. Their role in the Capstone is synonymous with that of an external consultant (not as an intern or employee), so they propose a plan in response to the client’s needs and are responsible for executing that plan. Some graduate students are completing the program on a full-time basis and thus can be possible candidates for longer-term employment. Consequently, the client may find the Capstone project to be a useful method for exploring talent possibilities.
What defines an MS Capstone Project?
The scope of these projects must be marketing-focused and may center on any of the following: marketing planning, marketing research, branding and brand architecture initiatives, distribution or channel assessment/alignment, customer relationship management (CRM) strategies and implementation, analysis of potential marketing initiatives, marketing for nonprofits (including the arts), healthcare marketing, new product development initiatives, and sports marketing. Other projects may be also be appropriate.
Become a Capstone Project Partner
If you would like to have your organization’s marketing issue considered as a MS Capstone Project, please answer the following questions in a brief narrative format (1-2 pages in total):
- Who are you? Please provide a brief background of your organization. What is your organization’s mission? If your organization has multiple divisions or operating groups, please focus specifically on your sector. What sets your organization or group apart from others in the region (or in your competitive set)?
- What are your current marketing issues/needs? Please identify the specific area of need that you believe would be appropriate for this MS Capstone Project. What is the business issue that is being addressed? How does the marketing need relate to that issue? Who is the target audience related to this marketing need?
- How would your project be a good learning experience for the MS students? Are there unique or challenging issues that will be addressed? What learning experience will this project present that will help these professionals in their career? Will students be partnering with key personnel for this learning experience? How else will students benefit, professionally and/or personally, from this project?
- Who is your project’s key contact? Please provide complete contact information for this person and note what other parties from the organization will also be involved.
What’s the process after the application?
The supply of students in the Capstone Experience is "fixed;" however, the demand for such projects is difficult to predict. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that each and every project will have a student assigned. If your project is selected and assigned to a student, he or she will prepare a project charter during early January. In the charter the student consultant will delineate the general problem statement, description of the project, goals for the project, boundaries for the project, action plan/timeline with critical milestones, budget, key client contacts, confidentiality agreements, presentation and written report due dates. This project charter will serve as a key alignment tool for ensuring that each consultant meets the client’s needs for this project.
Email any questions that you have to msmarketingcapstone@uc.edu. Please submit your proposed projects no later than Friday, November 13 to msmarketingcapstone@uc.edu.