Course:FRE547

MFRE Graduating Project
FRE 547
Section:
Instructor:	Kelleen Wiseman
	Janelle Tan
Email:	kelleen.wiseman@ubc.ca; janelle.tan@ubc.ca
Office:	MCML 329 & 348A
Office Hours:
Class Schedule:	Term 1, 2, 3
Classroom:	MCML 154
Important Course Pages
	Syllabus
	Lecture Notes
	Assignments
	Course Discussion

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

UBC’s Point Grey Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) people. The land it is situated on has always been a place of learning for the Musqueam people, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history, and traditions from one generation to the next on this site.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

FRE 547 is a 6-credit academic course where students gain real-world career experience and professional skills by conducting a project for Project Partners in private, public or non-profit sectors. The course is comprised of two elements including:

Professional Development Workshops (Term 1, 2, and 3): This series of mandatory workshops are held over three terms, Term 1 - September to December, Term 2 - January to April, Term 3 - May to August. Workshop topics focus on the themes of results, ownership and communication. Specific workshops include professional communication, business research techniques, effective teamwork, project management, proposal development, business writing, equity and inclusion, networking, advanced software and analysis applications, career portfolio building online and off, and delivering presentations.

Schedule: Exact dates, topics, location will be posted on the MFRE Portal and MFRE Weekly Schedule.
Attendance and Engagement: All workshops are mandatory and held in-person so students can engage and interact with the material effectively. Workshops will not be recorded unless it is requested in advance and for valid reasons. Workshop material will be available on the Portal, and students are always welcome to clarify concepts with Janelle Tan during office hours.

Graduating Projects (Term 3): The Graduating Project is undertaken during Term 3 (May to August).

Project Development and Focus: The MFRE Program collaborates directly with various industry Project Partners to create work experience projects related to the MFRE program, as well as the climate, food, and environmental sectors. This collaboration results in a diverse and comprehensive selection of projects for students to complete from May to August of their degree. Students also have the option to source their own projects, provided these opportunities allow them to apply academic skills and concepts from their MFRE courses.
Project Details: Students are expected to work on their Graduating Project full-time (35 – 40 hours per week) during the term. Graduating Projects provide students with the opportunity to gain relevant work experience and are a required part of the MFRE degree requirements. Therefore, both paid and unpaid projects from a range of industry partners are cultivated as graduating projects.

COURSE INFORMATION

Course material and schedule:

Posted on the MFRE Student Portal (pswd: MFRE2025) and MFRE Weekly Online Schedule
Workshops will be held throughout Terms 1, 2, and 3
Graduating project will be conducted in Term 3

UBC Canvas: There will be 2 courses, “Prep for 547” in Term 1-2, and “FRE 547 S2025” in Term 3. We will use Canvas only as a place to upload specific assignments. All communication, materials, requirements, instructions will be posted on the MFRE Portal. We will use UBC student email to send notifications and reminders.

Course Registration: Students should register for FRE 547 next year for the Summer Term (we will send an email when registration is available). Students do NOT need to register for FRE 547 for Term 1 or 2.

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Instructor: Kelleen Wiseman, MBA, PhD MCML 329, kelleen.wiseman@ubc.ca

Co-Instructor: Janelle Tan, PMP, MFRE MCML 348A, janelle.tan@ubc.ca

Office Hours (Janelle Tan): Office hours are posted on the Portal, or send me an email for an appointment. I invite you to attend office hours if you’re wanting to clarify questions about the graduating project, or to receive coaching on professionalism skills covered in the MFRE Program.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course is designed to enhance students’ career readiness in the Climate, food & environmental sector. By the end of the course, students will be able to:

Demonstrate essential professional competencies such as ownership, self motivation and initiative, effective communication, time management, accountability, planning, prioritization, conflict management, and critical self-reflection
Effectively communicate and present ideas in a professional setting, including
- Managing both in-person and virtual meetings
- Communicating through various formats (e.g., emails, reports, citations, presentations, working documents)
- Tailoring communication for different audiences (e.g., management, technical experts, professors, colleagues)

Develop the ability to complete complex economic, business and/or policy projects, including:
- Outlining the steps needed to plan a small-scale project
- Identifying and evaluating the ethical and professional responsibilities involved in working for a real-world organization or project
- Applying MFRE Terms 1 and 2 course principles and methods to real-world problems
- Contrasting the application of academic theory and industry practice in the workplace setting

Develop individualized career-focused materials such as resume, LinkedIn profile, and interview guides to support future job applications
Recognize the importance of active professionalism in achieving career success and professional development goals.

EVALUATION

Grade	Evaluation Item	Due Date
10%	Active Professionalism in MFRE (Mandatory workshop attendance)	Term 1, 2 & 3
5%	Graduating Project – Project Plan	Mid May
2%	Mid-stream presentation*	Mid June
3%	Final Presentation	End of August
65%	MFRE Graduating Project end-of-term report/deliverables	End of August
15%	MFRE Graduating Project process (professionalism)	Throughout Term 3

*Stream B: If progress is not acceptable, students will be taken off their project and moved into Stream B. Stream B students are provided a second opportunity to complete the course by being assigned a different project that can be finished in the remaining timeline. Stream B students will receive an academic penalty of a maximum grade of 68% and need to complete the project exactly as outlined to receive a 68%. Details below.

ACTIVE PROFESSIONALISM IN MFRE

This is an academic course focusing on professional development, workplace competencies, and academic knowledge/skill application that is customized for our MFRE students and projects. Participation is important to the successful delivery of the material and the individual attainment of professional development skills.

While we recognize that everyone has a different level of comfort when it comes to participation, we also acknowledge the important role of stepping out of one’s comfort zone in order to develop professionally. Therefore, we expect students to engage during the workshops and make the effort to actively participate in a value-added manner, contributing to their own learning and the learning of others. Active professionalism opportunities include:

Within FRE 547 Workshops:

Demonstrate good preparation: Reviews reading material, completes pre-work assigned, and has thought through how the workshop topic can contribute to individual professional development. Attends workshops on time and takes notes.
Complete required assignments on time: Submits required assignments on time, including survey requests, email response requests, meeting requests that may be sent by the course instructors from time to time.
Engages in workshop activities and discussions: Participates during in-class activities with enthusiasm, responds to facilitator’s questions, asks quality questions, engages with other students, or volunteers to share ideas with the class.
Contributes to cohort learning: Demonstrates self-awareness, responds respectfully to other points of view, allows others to share ideas, encourages others to share view/ideas, thinks through own points, questions others in a constructive way, and offers or supports suggestions that may be counter to the majority opinion.
Seeks feedback: Identifies personal areas of improvement and proactively seeks coaching and/or feedback from instructors or staff through meetings or office hours, with a focus on professional growth and development. Internalizes feedback and applies them where applicable.
Conducts personal learning and self reflection: Identifies personal areas of improvement for specific competencies; internalizes workshop material and considers how they can be applied in future scenarios.

Within MFRE Program:

Engages in MFRE courses: Applies the skills covered in the workshops (e.g., professionalism in reports, writing, communication, teamwork, presentations) the course lectures, labs, assignments, groupwork.
Interactions within MFRE Program: Applies professionalism in interactions and correspondence with MFRE Program faculty, staff, and peers: This includes taking responsibility for one’s behaviour, showing initiative for one’s own learning, demonstrating professional communication, building rapport, and acting with respect and integrity at all times.
Demonstrates continuous improvement of professionalism over the academic year.

GRADUATING PROJECT – PROJECT PLAN

Purpose: The project plan is a project management tool to ensure alignment between all project participants. The plan makes it clear for all parties involved: the problem/opportunity to be addressed, the methods to address it, and the final deliverables at the end of the project.
Due date: Mid-May, after the start-up meeting with the Site Supervisor and in collaboration with the Faculty Supervisor.
Deliverable and grading: The MFRE Program will provide a project plan template on the MFRE Portal at the start of Term 3. The rubric will also be provided on the MFRE Portal.

GRADUATING PROJECT – MID-STREAM ASSESSMENT

Purpose: The mid-stream assessment is used to assess if students are making acceptable progress on their Graduating Project process and deliverables.
- If project progress is going well, students will continue working on their project as-is.
- If progress is not acceptable, students will be taken off their project and moved into Stream B. Stream B students are provided a second opportunity to complete the course by being assigned a different project that can be finished in the remaining timeline. Stream B students will receive an academic penalty of a maximum grade of 68% and need to complete the project exactly as outlined to receive a 68%.
- The decision is made by Dr. Wiseman, MFRE Academic Director based upon the Student’s mid-stream assessment and input from the Faculty Supervisor, Site Supervisor, Project Support Team Member, and Janelle Tan, Graduating Project Manager.

Due date: Mid-June, about 5 to 6 weeks after the start of the projects.
Deliverable: The mid-stream assessment is a meeting conducted between the student and the Course Instructors. Detailed information will be posted on the MFRE Portal in May.

GRADUATING PROJECT – FINAL PRESENTATION

Purpose: The final presentation is a short presentation given by the Student to the cohort and MFRE community. All presentations are compiled together and they form the main part of the end-of-term Graduating Project Showcase event.
Due date: Mid to late August
Deliverable: The presentation includes a set of slides and a verbal presentation. Detailed guidelines will be posted on the MFRE Portal in July.

GRADUATING PROJECT – END-OF-TERM DELIVERABLES

Purpose: The end-of-term deliverables are the main outcome of the Graduating Project. They are the outputs that aim to solve the problem being addressed. The deliverables vary by project and are largely determined by the form of project.
Due date: End of August
Deliverables and grading: The deliverables vary by project and are largely determined by the form of project. The deliverables will be determined when the Student writes the Project Plan. The rubric for End-of-Term Deliverables will be available on the MFRE Portal at the start of Term 3.

GRADUATING PROJECT – PROCESS (PROFESSIONALISM)

Purpose: The graduating project process reflects the Students’ professionalism throughout the Term. This is very important since FRE 547 is a course focused on professionalism and aims to foster career readiness. Professionalism encompasses many competencies such as communication, initiative, continuous improvement, engagement.
Due date: Throughout Term 3
Deliverable and grading: Graduating Project Process include demonstrating professionalism throughout the graduating project. The rubric for End-of-Term Process will be available on the MFRE Portal at the start of Term 3.

FRE 547 COURSE POLICIES

GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCT

Attend workshops and classes
Communicate in advance when you have to miss program activities (including valid reason)
Communicate respectfully with MFRE Program instructors, staff and peers
Adhere to course policies
Maintain professional conduct when in workshops and classes, not disrupting others’ learning

GRADUATING PROJECT – IMPORTANT INFORMATION & COURSE POLICIES

Structure of Projects:

Form of projects: Graduating Projects can take various forms including a Consultancy, Internship, Research, or Consulting Team project.
Participants: Students lead the project and are supported by a Project Partner Site Supervisor, UBC Faculty Supervisor, and MFRE Project Support Team Member.

Time Commitment for the Graduating Project:

Students are expected to work full time (35 to 40 hours per week) on their projects for the entire term. Because of this, students should not:

Work in other non-MFRE positions during this Term 3. If you are required to work outside of the Graduating Project, please communicate with Dr. Kelleen Wiseman prior to making commitments.
Enroll in any courses during Term 3 other than FRE 547, the only exception being if there was a course that was required for success in the Graduating Project and this course was requested by the student’s Faculty Supervisor and approved by the MFRE Academic Director.
Travel outside of the Vancouver area unless required by their Graduating Project. If you are required to travel for personal reasons, please contact Dr. Kelleen Wiseman prior to making travel arrangements to request approval.

Graduating Projects General Timeline:

Early Feb: Posting of research projects (sourced from MFRE faculty)
Mid Feb: Deadline for students who would like to conduct a research project as a first choice for their Graduating Project to submit a Statement of Interest
Early March: Posting for industry projects (sourced by MFRE from industry)
Mid March: Deadline for student applications for MFRE postings
Mid April: Students assigned to projects (3 to 4 rounds of allocations from mid-March to mid-April)
Late April: Students assigned a Faculty Supervisor by the MFRE Graduating Project Manager. The role of the Faculty Supervisor is to provide academic supervision and guidance in the development of the project proposal and project deliverables.
First Week of May: Students start work on their project (i.e., start-up meeting and project plan) with Project Partner and Faculty Supervisor. AND Mandatory Summer Workshops begin in the first week of May. Check start dates with MFRE Program before making any plans.
Mid June: Mid-stream presentation to assess student’s progress and continuation on project
July/August: Mandatory Summer Workshops (2 to 4 workshops)
End of August: Completion of Graduating Project and Final Presentation and final grade assigned by Faculty Supervisors.

Student Guidelines, Action Items, Deadlines, Details and Grading Rubrics: This information will be shared on the MFRE Portal at the start of Term 3.

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

FRE 547 is a course designed to advance professionalism and support career readiness. The strategies and advice below can help you make the most of the various opportunities provided within MFRE:

MFRE is practice for the real-world: Michelle Obama once said, “Life is practice. You are practicing everyday who you are going to be in the future.”
Adjust focus from just grades. We need both technical skills and professional competencies to succeed in the workplace. Prioritize strengthening your character and developing interpersonal skills at the same time you’re learning the technical skills.
Step outside of your comfort zone. Professionalism is not about being perfect; we improve our skills when we allow ourselves to be a beginner at something.
Set yourself up for opportunities. Nothing is guaranteed in life, but we can do our best to set ourselves up for opportunities that may come around along the way.
Seek coaching and feedback. MFRE Staff and Instructors are here to support your learning journey. With the right approach, coaching and/or feedback can help fast-track our performance.

GENERAL POLICIES

POLICIES APPLICABLE TO UBC MFRE COURSES

Recordings

There is no required distribution of recordings of class. Recording will be provided based upon on the decision of the course instructor. Classes are designed as and are intended to be in-person.

Copyright

All materials of this course (course handouts, lecture slides, assessments, course readings.) are the intellectual property of the instructor or licensed to be used in this course by the copyright owner. Redistribution of these materials by any means without permission of the copyright holder(s) constitutes a breach of copyright and may lead to academic discipline and could be subject to legal action. Further, audio or video recording of classes are not permitted without the prior consent of the instructor.

Missing Classes/Labs

Students are expected to attend all classes, labs, or workshops. If you cannot make it to a class, lab, or workshop due to a medical or personal emergency, email your Instructor, your Course Assistant, and Olivier Ntwali, MFRE Program Coordinator ahead of time to let them know.

Respectfulness in the Classroom

Students are expected to be respectful of their colleagues at all times, including faculty, staff and peers. This means being attentive and conscious of words and actions and their impact on others, listening to people with an open mind, treating all MFRE community members equally and understanding diversity.

Respect for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The MFRE Program strives to promote an intellectual community that is enhanced by diversity along various dimensions including status as a First Nation, Métis, Inuit, or Indigenous person, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, political beliefs, social class, and/or disability. It is expected that all students and members of our community conduct themselves with empathy and respect for others.

Centre for Accessibility

The Centre for Accessibility (CfA) facilitates disability-related accommodations and programming initiatives designed to remove barriers for students with disabilities and ongoing medical conditions. If you are registered with the CfA and are eligible for exam accommodations, it is your responsibility to let Olivier Ntwali, Academic Program Coordinator, and each of your Course Instructors know. You should book your exam writing with the CFA using its exam reservation system: for midterm exams or quizzes, at least 7 days in advance; and final exams, 7 days before the start of the formal exam period.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty and plagiarism are taken very seriously in the MFRE program. All incidences of plagiarism will be escalated to the MFRE Academic Director with penalties ranging from a mark of zero on the assignment, exam or course to being required to withdraw from the program. Note: If a student needs to extend his/her program due to a failed course or unsatisfactory progress, they will have to pay the full MFRE tuition fees for that term/s.

Academic misconduct that is subject to disciplinary measures includes, but is not limited, to the following:

Plagiarism, which is intellectual theft, occurs where an individual submits or presents the oral or written work of another person as his or her own. Correct citations must be provided where applicable for all reports/assignments. In all MFRE courses, material will be submitted to a service which UBC subscribes to, called TurnItIn. This service checks textual material for originality. For more information, review the TurnItIn website.
Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, Bard, or other Generative AI models to generate content or conduct analysis for evaluations, without proper citation and or if asked not to use AI, is considered plagiarism and academic misconduct. If students use AI in their submissions, they must cite the AI generator using citations consistent with the UBC Academic Honesty Standards.
Cheating, which may include, but is not limited to falsification of any material subject to academic evaluation, unauthorized collaborative work; or use of unauthorized means to complete an examination.
Working with Others on an Assignment You are encouraged to work with other students, but you must turn in your own individual assignment. If you have an answer that is too close to another student’s answer, this will be considered academic dishonesty and this will be handled according to the MFRE and UBC policies.
Resubmission of Material, submitting the same, or substantially the same, essay, presentation, or assignment more than once (whether the earlier submission was at this or another institution) unless prior approval has been obtained from the instructor(s) to whom the assignment is to be submitted.
Use of Academic Ghostwriting Services, including hiring of writing or research services and submitting papers or assignments as his or her own.

Student Responsibility: Students are responsible for informing themselves of the guidelines of acceptable and non-acceptable conduct for examinations and graded assignments as presented via MFRE Code of Conduct; MFRE Turn it in, Course Syllabus, MFRE Instructors; Canvas and UBC academic misconduct policies.

Penalties for Academic Dishonesty: Penalties for academic dishonesty are applied at the discretion of the MFRE program. Incidences of academic misconduct may result in a mark of zero on the assignment, examination, or course, required withdrawal from the program, and/or the matter being is referred to UBC Graduate Studies.