Dr Emma Soane NAB4.02

and Dr Rebecca Newton

This course is compulsory on the Global MSc in Management, Global MSc in Management (CEMS MiM) and Global MSc in Management (MBA Exchange). This course is not available as an outside option.

The GMiM Capstone Course builds connections between management theory and practice and equips students with the skills necessary to succeed in their managerial careers. MG488 runs throughout the Global Master's in Management’s first and second years.

The MG488A programme comprises ten Capstone lectures throughout the first year. Capstone lectures run fortnightly in MT and LT, and will include sessions led by the course teachers and guest speakers from a range of organisations. Lectures will cover a range of topics such as leadership, strategy and entrepreneurship. Each lecture will contribute to the overall goal of achieving a deeper understanding of how to apply theory to organisational practice.

The remaining five sessions per term comprise optional one to one meetings with a member of the Capstone team from the Department of Management to discuss issues relating to Capstone lectures. In addition to attending sessions, in the first year, each student is assigned to a group of approximately 5 students. Each group will produce a blog on one of the Capstone lecture topics. A schedule for the group blogs will be made available at the start of the first year. Each group will receive feedback on their assignment. There will also be one 30-minute session for each blog group to discuss the development of their blog with a member of the Capstone team. A schedule of blog group meetings will be made available at the start of the first year.

In the second year, students will attend sessions that will introduce the term’s business projects. Students are also encouraged to attend at least one business project presentation by another team.

Second year students apply the theoretical knowledge and business management skills gained in the first year by working on a business project.  This takes place in either MT or LT and culminates in a presentation by each project team to their company sponsors, LSE faculty and student peer group.  At the start term of students will be allocated to a client project team, typically comprising 5 or 6 students, supported by a sponsoring executive and a faculty coach, to carry out research on a business question posed by the client company. The actual topic is for the sponsoring organisation to decide and questions have historically been very diverse.

Students have the option of proposing companies as business project company sponsors (“self-sponsored projects”) or of developing a viable business plan for an entrepreneurial idea (“entrepreneurial business projects”), although these options must be agreed in advance with the faculty member responsible for business projects to ensure their suitability.

7 hours and 30 minutes of lectures and 5 hours of help sessions in the MT. 7 hours and 30 minutes of lectures and 5 hours of help sessions in the LT.

GMiM Capstone Lectures run once a fortnight throughout the Michaelmas and Lent Terms. First year students are expected to attend all sessions. Second year students may choose to attend sessions.

Additionally there is a a 60 minute Q&A session in Lent Term to help students prepare for their assignments.

Students on this course will have a reading week in Week 6 of MT and week 6 of LT, in line with departmental policy.

Students will be expected to produce 1 essay in the LT.

Students will produce an individual essay which considers the links between theory and practice. Essay titles will be made available in MT of the first year. Essays will be submitted in LT of the first year.

Recommended readings will be provided for Capstone lectures when relevant.

Essay (25%, 2000 words) in the MT.
Project (65%) and class participation (10%) in the MT and LT.

Attendance at Capstone lectures - 10% of total course marks.  Students are required to attend 10 Capstone lectures over the two years of the programme, with credits for attendance attached pro-rata to each session. Students must engage fully with session activities in order to receive attendance credit. It is recommended that students attend the 10 Capstone lectures in the first year of the programme. 

Individual Summative Assignment – 25% of the total course marks.  In year 2 students will write an academic essay on one of the Capstone lecture topics. Essay questions will be provided by the MG488 course team and will be made available in LT of the first year. Essays must consider application of management theory and practice. Students will submit their essays in MT of the second year.

Group Business Project - 65 % of total course marks.  All business projects take place during the second year of study. Business projects are assessed on a group basis under three headings: quality of group presentation; quality of research (including application of theoretical concepts); quality of outcomes (recommendations and solutions) and other deliverables.  Presentations for students working on their business projects in MT take place during LT. Presentations for students working on their business projects in the LT take place during the first week of ST.