JSQ302-2 Capstone Project
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | JSQ302-2 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | JSQ302-1 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $2,174 |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | $1,020 The pre-2021 commonwealth supported place (CSP) contribution amount only applies to students enrolled in a course prior to 2021. To learn more, visit our Understanding your fees page. |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,348 |
| International unit fee | $4,620 |
Unit Outline: Session 3 2026, QUT Online, Online
| Unit code: | JSQ302-2 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | JSQ302-1 |
Overview
This unit provides students with the knowledge and practical skills required to plan, manage, and successfully execute a research thesis. Focusing on project management principles tailored to justice-related research, the unit guides students through topic refinement, concept mapping, thesis planning, timeline development, thesis writing, and pitching research. Students will develop strategies for managing projects deadlines, meeting thesis targets, and communicating thesis objectives. By the end of the unit, students will be equipped to manage their thesis as a structured, achievable project and to apply advanced research management skills relevant to professional practice and further academic study.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Apply project management techniques and iterative reflection to plan and conduct research.
- Analyse justice professional practice issues, contexts and literature to propose research problems/questions.
- Critique the relevant literature pertaining to a research problem/question in your discipline area.
- Design an appropriate and ethical research methodology for investigating the research problem/question.
- Conduct research of justice professional practice and analyse findings.
- Communicate research outcomes in accordance with accepted standards of scholarship, presentation and style.
Content
The content of your research project will depend on the topic that you choose as the focus of your research. Other areas of learning focus on the expectations of scholarly work and the research process including:
- critically analysing and synthesising scholarly literature
- identifying a research question
- designing a theoretical and methodological framework
- conducting a research study
- analysing the results; and
- communicating the research findings.
Research topics will be negotiated between you and the nominated supervisor/s.
Note: Key components of the unit, such as methods and literature review, will largely be drafted prior to the commencement of the unit in JSQ301 and JSQ302-1.
Learning Approaches
In this unit, you will learn by engaging in the research process through:
- participating in class/online discussions
- participating in consultation sessions
- engaging with online learning materials
- reading book chapters, scholarly and industry articles
- conducting research
You will engage in an independent professional practice-related research project. The unit incorporates some aspects of work-integrated learning, problem/project based learning, and experiential learning. You are expected to engage with unit materials and readings as recommended by the unit coordinator and/or supervisor.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will have an opportunity to attend two supervision meetings during the teaching period (Week 4 and Week 6). These will be one-on-one online meetings with a supervisor to discuss your progress on the research project. It is important to attend these meeting to receive verbal feedback on your progress before submitting your research project and mini thesis for examination.
You will also consult with your peers through discussion boards and have opportunities for self-reflection on the feedback provided by others.
Assessment
Overview
There are four assessments in this unit.
- Concept Map, Thesis Structure & Research Timeline: You will develop a concept map on your thesis topic and plan the structure of your thesis including a clear timeline of tasks.
- Thesis Proposal Paper: You will draft the first few chapters of your thesis, including: introduction, literature review, identified research gap, and methodology.
- Virtual Project Presentation: You will present your research, current progress on data collection, and remaining tasks for the year to course teaching staff.
- Research Project: You will produce and write up the findings of your research project guided by the feedback received on earlier assessment items.
Your coordinator and supervisor will guide you through what is required for each of these documents and tasks.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Concept Map, Thesis Structure & Research Timeline
This task aims to help you create a clear, visual, and strategic outline for your thesis. You will demonstrate your ability to conceptualise your research project, identify key concepts and relationships, and plan its stages from initial development to final submission. This assessment builds foundational skills that will support your thesis writing, coursework/supervisor discussions, and long-term project management.
The feedback that you receive on this task will support your final research project/thesis.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Threshold Assessment:
The sole summative assessment item is the research project itself, which is submitted in the second component of the research project unit, JSQ302-2. To support you through the research project, you must complete Assessment 1 to a satisfactory standard. This will support you to progress through the research project in a timely manner. If you do not achieve a passing grade, you are able to make one resubmission. You are advised to seek feedback on your submission from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.
Assessment: Draft Research Proposal
This task requires you to submit a draft thesis proposal demonstrating your scholarly readiness for your research project. Your proposal should clearly explain the project’s significance, theoretical framework, background literature, research gap and methodological plan. Finally, it should outline your data analysis approach.
The feedback that you receive on this task will support your final research project/thesis.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Threshold Assessment:
The sole summative assessment item is the research project itself, which is submitted in the second component of the Capstone unit, JSQ302-2. To support you through the research project you must complete Assessment 2 to a satisfactory standard. This will support you to progress through the research project in a timely manner. If you do not achieve a passing grade, you are able to make one resubmission. You are advised to seek feedback on your submission from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.
Assessment: Presentation of Progress Report & Reflection on Feedback
You will present a comprehensive overview of your research progress both live and online to your coordinator. This will include a literature review, methods, preliminary findings, and progress to date. There will be an opportunity for your coordinator to ask questions about your work, and provide feedback on your progress.
The feedback that you receive on this task will support your final research project/thesis.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Threshold Assessment:
The sole summative assessment item is the research project itself, which is submitted in the second component of the Capstone unit, JSQ302-2. To support you through the research project, you must complete Assessment 3 to a satisfactory standard. This will support you to progress through the research project in a timely manner. If you do not achieve a passing grade, you are able to make one resubmission. You are advised to seek feedback on your submission from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.
Assessment: Research Project
You will submit your research project presenting the research undertaken as part of JSQ302-1 and -2. It should contain an introduction which sets out your original research question, details of your methodology, a full results section and a discussion which relates your findings to your research aims and the broader research in the field. Your research project is marked by two examiners who are independent of the supervisory process.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
There are no resources that are required to be purchased for this unit. Other resources will be available in the unit's Canvas site.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.JQ45 Master of Justice
- Critically analyse research, data and evidence and apply to justice practices and contexts.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO5, Draft Research Proposal, Presentation of Progress Report & Reflection on Feedback, Research Project - Design approaches for working with a plurality of diverse stakeholders and communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Relates to: ULO4, Draft Research Proposal, Research Project - Evaluate complex and sensitive problems of justice to inform evidence-based responses.
Relates to: ULO2, Concept Map, Thesis Structure & Research Timeline, Draft Research Proposal, Research Project - Apply a range of communication modes to professionally and strategically interpret and convey critical information to diverse stakeholders.
Relates to: ULO6, Research Project - Examine how ethics, intersectionality and contextual factors converge to impact on and shape social justice issues.
Relates to: ULO2, Concept Map, Thesis Structure & Research Timeline, Draft Research Proposal, Presentation of Progress Report & Reflection on Feedback, Research Project - Conduct independent ethical research on specialised and contemporary justice issues and practices.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO4, ULO5, Concept Map, Thesis Structure & Research Timeline, Draft Research Proposal, Presentation of Progress Report & Reflection on Feedback, Research Project