Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Final Degree Project
Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish
If the student is enrolled for the English track then classes for that subject will be taught in the same language and also in Catalan.
Teaching staff
Upon request
Introduction
The objective of the Undergraduate Final Project (TFG) is to certify that the student has acquired the skills and knowledge associated with the degree in accordance with the credits assigned. The subject consists of elaboration and public presentation of an original work in the field of business administration. It is a compulsory subject and has 9 credits assigned, corresponding to 225 hours (25 hours per credit) of effective dedication for its preparation. The TFG is done in the second semester of the fourth year of the degree.
Pre-course requirements
The procedure of TFG enrolment is the same as for other subjects of the Degree program. Only those students who have 66 credits left to finish the degree studies, not counting the 9 credits of the TFG can enrol. The period to formalize the enrolment of the TFG coincides with the period of the ordinary enrolment at the beginning of the 2020-2021 academic year in July/September 2020, or the enrolment extension can be done in January during the first 10 days of the beginning of the second semester through the Secretary office.
Objectives
Incorporate all the areas of an organisation, based on the skills acquired during the programme by presenting a unique business project.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 04 - To understand and know how to use financial terms within a business framework.
- 19 - To analyse quantitative financial variables and take them into account when making decisions.
- 22 - To be able to identify the nature and behaviour of producers, consumers and investors.
- 26 - To comprehend and use the basic concepts of marketing and the main sectorial policies and understand the commercial environment in which these companies operate.
- 32 - To acquire problem solving skills based on quantitative and qualitative information.
- 33 - To be able to search for, interpret and convey information.
- 39 - To acquire the ability to solve problems and make decisions based on relevant information, applying the appropriate methods and situating the problem within the organisation as a whole.
- 48 - To be able to identify the information needs in order to manage the main departments within organisations.
- 51 - To develop decision making skills.
- 52 - To develop interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team.
- 53 - To acquire the skills necessary to learn autonomously.
- 54 - To be able to express one’s ideas and formulate arguments in a logical and coherent way, both verbally and in writing.
- 64 - To be able to plan and organise one's work.
- 65 - To acquire the ability to put knowledge into practice.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will be able to
- relate concepts with analysis and synthesis exercises.
- develop decision-making skills.
- develop interpersonal and teamwork skills.
- acquire independent learning skills.
- express ideas and arguments in an orderly and consistent manner, orally or in writing.
- establish time management mechanisms.
- make arguments that support critical and self-critical reasoning.
- acquire skills in the use of computer media and ICTs.
- develop the ability to adapt to new situations.
- analyse business behaviours and decisions in a business context and value them from an economic, social and ethical perspective.
- plan and organise work.
- acquire the ability to apply knowledge in practice.
- acquire information processing tools.
Syllabus
The TFG topic will be determined by the interest of the student. Two forms of content are accepted: (1) development of a business plan (which can be a start-up company or a plan to launch a new product / service / project within an existing company), or (2) a research project aligned with the research areas of the faculty of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the UIC Barcelona (available in the Moodle).
The TFG will be directed by a responsible teacher and it is a project where all the knowledge acquired during the Degree is put into practice. The tutor will monitor the student's work on an ongoing basis and evaluate the student's basic skills and behaviours such as proactivity, responsibility and commitment.
In addition, three compulsory training sessions will be offered to facilitate better and more professional preparation and presentation of the TFG.
Presentation of the TFG final report:
- The usage of a pre-set template is obligatory (available in the Moodle).
- Language: the final report can be in Spanish, Catalan or English, depending on what was agreed between the student and his / her TFG director. However, for students following the English track it is recommended to do the report in English.
- Extension of the work: approx. 40-80 pages, bibliography, tables and figures included (annexes apart).
- The TFG index should be numbered at the beginning of the work.
- Diagrams, graphs, tables, etc. must be numbered and titled, and included in the index. All TFG pages must be numbered.
- Any bibliography or webgraphy used must be referred to in the References section. The references should be limited to the sources used in the elaboration of the work and cited in the text. The citations should be made following the APA style (www.apastyle.org). The TFG must contain academic bibliographical references. It is recommended as far as possible not to resort to generic references to web pages, and to cite specific documents from reliable, accurate and contemporary sources. The quality of information sources is part of the quality assessment of the TFG.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The teaching methodology used is based on the student's autonomous work, with the tutoring and accompaniment of the TFG tutor.
Functions of the tutor:
- Provide guidance, advice and support to the student during the work.
- Supervise the project and provide as many indications as it deems appropriate to ensure that the initially set objectives are achieved within the set time.
- Authorize the presentation of the TFG and its defence.
Obligations of the student:
- Prepare the work respecting the format and extension established in this TFG teaching guide.
- Regularly inform your tutor of work development.
- Structure the work taking into account the established objectives.
- Present the work properly and within the deadline before the tutor and the coordinator in each of its phases, using the tools offered by the UIC.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The Jury assigned by the TFG coordinator is the one that will evaluate the TFG. The Jury will consist of professors from the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences and / or invited professors or managers. The note will be based on the following points:
- 25% - Interest and continued work: During the development of the TFG there will be three training sessions (see Table 1). Attendance at these sessions is part of the evaluation of the TFG. In addition, compliance with the deadlines and guidelines established by the tutor, initiative and ability to overcome the difficulties, degree of autonomy and rigor shown by the student is taken into account.
- 60% - Final report: The TFG document will be evaluated according to the following criteria: quality of presentation and language, rigor and reliability of information, creativity and innovation, soundness of the project, viability of the entrepreneurial project or usefulness of the work research.
- 15% - The TFG Defence of the TFG: The quality of the support material (transparencies), clarity and synthesis of the information, technical and professionalism of communication, adjustment in time established and defence before the questions of the Jury) will be evaluated. The defences will be assigned a time of 25-30 minutes (10-15 minutes of the presentation and another 15 minutes of the defence before the questions of the Jury) that will be scrupulously fulfilled.
The qualification of the works will be carried out with the same qualification system in force as the rest of the subjects of the degree. For the qualification a rubric will be used (available in the Moodle). The note will be communicated after the oral defence.
The maximum final grade that a TFG can obtain in the second call is 70/100.
Bibliography and resources
- Cómo realizar un estudio de mercado
- Pareras, L. (2008) Redactando el Plan de negocios I
- Pareras, L. (2008) Redactando el Plan de negocios II
- Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y. (2011) Generación de modelos de negocio. Deusro, Barcelona
- Ejemplo BP español (Educator S.L)
- Ejemplo BP inglés (Business plan of an online store exclussively for cats)
- Lárazo, J. Guia complementaria Business Plan. Recursos didácticos.