Experiential Learning: Practicum & Capstone

Before registration is completed by the Graduate Business Programs Office, students must submit the required interest form. Dropping a Practicum or Capstone course after the deadline will require retaking the entire cycle, including both quarters.

All students are required to attend two workshops hosted by the Graduate Business Programs Career Services Team. The first workshop focuses on team dynamics, collaboration, and effective communication strategies. The second workshop covers key presentation skills, including how to structure presentations, engage an audience, and deliver clear, impactful messages. These sessions are designed to strengthen the teamwork and communication skills essential for professional success.

For details on the MS Sports Business Program experiential learning requirement, including expectations and guidelines, please refer to Chapter 6.

For information on the MBA elective practicum option, please contact MBA@scu.edu.

Registration Process

Students will be notified during the first week of the Fall or Spring quarter, depending on their intake/start term, and will have two weeks from the notice to submit their interest in participating and enrolling in the following cycles:

  • Winter-Spring Practicum (Applicable to MSBA, Online MSBA, MSIS, MSFA, Online MSFA)
  • Winter-Spring Capstone (Applicable to MSBA, Online MSBA, MSIS)
  • Summer-Fall Practicum (Applicable to MSBA, Online MSBA, MSIS, MSFA, Online MSFA)
  • Summer-Fall Capstone (Applicable to MSBA, Online MSBA, MSIS)
  • Spring Capstone (Applicable to MSFA, Online MSFA)
  • Fall Capstone (Applicable to MSFA, Online MSFA)

Cycle availability is subject to change. Students are not allowed to change their selection after the deadline has passed. 

MS Business Analytics & MS Information Systems Description

Practicum

Students collaborate in teams with a sponsoring company to address business problems related to analytics or information technology, as covered in their program. Working closely with company employees, managers, and executives, students are guided by a faculty advisor throughout the process. Students take full responsibility for the project, from defining requirements through implementation. Along the way, students build valuable relationships with their project team members, faculty mentors, and leaders in the sponsoring company. This option spans two consecutive quarters and is designed as a single, project-oriented course. Students are encouraged to choose this option over the capstone.

The student team will define the problem, conduct a feasibility study, analyze the issue, design a solution, and implement it to meet the needs of the sponsoring company. Participation is competitive, with a limited number of projects available each year. The process is as follows:

  • Teams, made up of 3-5 students, are assigned to a project by the Practicum Program Manager.
  • The program department registers students on their behalf for Practicum projects.
  • The student team and faculty advisor meet as needed to discuss progress, address questions, and ensure the project stays on track.
  • This option spans two consecutive quarters. The first quarter is a 2-unit quarter where the students are expected to dedicate five to six hours per week. The second quarter is a 4-unit quarter where the students are expected to dedicate 10-12 hours per week.
  • The project is considered finished when all milestones are achieved and both the faculty advisor and the sponsoring company have signed off on the final report.
  • For the winter-spring Practicum, students review Practicum project abstracts and respond to the selection poll, indicating their top preferences, plus a response to the skills inventory. For the summer-fall Practicum, the Practicum Program Manager assigns students to the projects.
  • The Practicum Program Manager will select the student teams based on the selection poll plus a review of student resumes. We do our best to provide students with their top project preference, but cannot guarantee team placements
  • A team is made up of 3-5 students. The Program Director assigns a faculty advisor to the project. The team is registered for the corresponding course (2 units for the first portion of the cycle, 4 units for the second portion of the cycle).
  • In coordination with the sponsoring company, the team defines the problem and performs a feasibility study. The team develops a formal project plan with specific milestones and begins the process of creating a final project plan for presentation and approval of the sponsored client.
  • The program team registers students for completing the course in the next subsequent quarter. The student team and the advisor meet as needed to discuss the project, address questions, and assess progress toward completion.
  • The student team should complete the project over two quarters. A project is considered complete when all its milestones are achieved, and the advisor and the sponsoring company have accepted the final project report. A formal sign-off by the sponsoring company is required. A grade is assigned for each quarter of the Practicum.

Capstone

Capstone projects, while similar in structure to the practicum, differ in their focus. These projects may involve internal University initiatives, faculty-led collaborations with industry partners, or work with non-profit organizations. Through this option, students fulfill their experiential learning requirement by contributing to business analytics or information technology projects that match their interests. Designed with flexibility in mind, Capstone projects typically offer remote work options and schedule team meetings around student availability—making them especially suitable for those with existing employment or who cannot attend weekly on-campus sessions. Please note that NDAs may be required for both Capstone and Practicum projects.

MS Finance & Analytics Description

Practicum

The practicum project for MSFA students follows a similar structure to that of the MS in Business Analytics and MS in Information Systems programs. However, the process for MSFA students differs slightly, as outlined below:

  • Teams, made up of four or five students, are assigned to a project by the Practicum Program Manager.
  • The program department registers students on their behalf for Practicum projects.
  • The student team and faculty advisor meet as needed to discuss progress, address questions, and ensure the project stays on track.
  • This option spans two quarters, during which students are expected to dedicate five to six hours per week.
  • The project is considered finished when all milestones are achieved and both the faculty advisor and the sponsoring company have signed off on the final report
  • The Practicum Program Manager will assign students to teams based on area of interest preference selection poll plus a review of students resumes and undergraduate major. We do our best to provide students with placement in their top interest preference, but cannot guarantee team placements. The Program Director assigns a faculty advisor to the project. The team is registered for the corresponding course (2 units for the first portion of the cycle, 2 units for the second portion of the cycle).
  • In coordination with the sponsoring company, the team defines the problem and performs a feasibility study. The team develops a formal project plan with specific milestones and begins the process of creating a final project plan for presentation and approval of the sponsored client.
  • The program team registers students for completing the course in the next subsequent quarter. The student team and the advisor meet as needed to discuss the project, address questions, and assess progress toward completion.
  • The student team should complete the project over two quarters. A project is considered complete when all its milestones are achieved, and the advisor and the sponsoring company have accepted the final project report. A formal sign-off by the sponsoring company is required. A grade is assigned for each quarter of the Practicum.

Capstone

Capstone projects, while similar in structure to the practicum, differ in their focus. These projects may involve internal University initiatives, faculty-led collaborations with industry partners, or work with non-profit organizations. Through this option, students fulfill their experiential learning requirement by contributing to business analytics or information technology projects that match their interests. Designed with flexibility in mind, capstone projects typically offer remote work options and schedule team meetings around student availability—making them especially suitable for those with existing employment or who cannot attend weekly on-campus sessions. Please note that NDAs may be required for both capstone and practicum projects. For MSFA students, this option is entirely contained in one quarter, during which students are expected to dedicate 10 to 12 hours per week.