Overview
This 16-week paced capstone course challenges students to apply the knowledge and skills they have gained in previous classes to a virtual co-operative experience in a simulated work environment. While immersed in two virtual co-ops, students will complete group and individual learning projects and gain intensive practice applying their prior learning within authentic scenarios.
The virtual co-ops are simulations powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that focus on strategic leadership, ethics, and communication. Students will individually work through a series of modules based on fictitious but realistic companies and the challenges they face. Students will interact with virtual, AI-driven co-workers as well as an AI mentor. Additional group and individual coursework will provide opportunities for collaboration and reflection.
This course provides a unique opportunity to practice and develop soft skills in a safe environment while also applying the field-specific knowledge gained through previous coursework. Students will be challenged to apply and reflect on people management skills, including communication, teamwork, empathic engagement, persuasion, and empowering others. Students will also be challenged to grapple with questions of ethics and to attempt to solve complex problems.
Participation in this senior-level course will help students to become better decision-makers and to work more effectively with others.
Evaluation
Your final grade in ADMN 405 will be based on a series of individual and group deliverables.
To receive credit for ADMN 405, you must complete all assignments, achieve a grade of 60 percent or better on the Individual Paper, and achieve an overall course grade of D (50 percent) or better. The following table summarizes the evaluation activities for ADMN 405:
| Activity | Weight |
| Virtual Co-op Participation (this includes participation in the simulation platforms, course forums, and other tasks as assigned) | 40% |
| Individual Paper | 20% |
| Large Team Written Report | 20% |
| Large Team Presentation | 10% |
| Peer Feedback Provided | 5% |
| Small Team Presentation | 5% |
| Total | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
ADMN 405 does not include a textbook. All learning resources will be available online.
Registration in this course includes access to an online learning platform to complete the virtual co-ops. This platform includes interactive and virtual discussions and exercises.
As this course makes continuous use of an interactive online environment, it requires students to have regular access to a desktop or laptop computer with high-speed Internet connection.
Learning outcomes
Program Learning Goals
This overarching objective is consistent with the program learning goals for the Faculty of Business’ undergraduate programs:
- to be an effective decision-maker,
- to be a capable communicator,
- to be ethically aware, and
- to have a global perspective.
This senior capstone course will help you consolidate prior learning and assess whether you have achieved these goals.
Course Learning Outcomes
More specifically, the virtual co-op simulations focus on individual decision-making skills, including research, written communication, developing open-ended questions, engaging in discussions with peers, and working in a team where interpersonal, ethical, and other issues require management-level decisions. Additionally, the teamwork components require you to work with fellow students to make business decisions and will further develop your oral communication/presentation, negotiation, and group decision-making skills.
Communication skills are enhanced through discussion forums, individual and team assignments, and presentations. The course also guides your development as a creator of high-quality written documents. Throughout the course, issues are presented that will heighten your ethical decision-making. Finally, the simulations foster the transfer of learning skills in this course to other national and international challenges.