Department of Management MQP Information Session

1. Department of Management MQP Information Session Please get pizza and a drink so we can start WPI Department of Management

2. Getting Started • Introductions • Faculty • Students • Purpose of Meeting • Undergraduate Council (UG Council) • More information • More formal process WPI Department of Management

3. Importance of the MQP • Capstone activity for your major • Integrates theory and practice • Expands on, and integrates, your foundation and major courses • A source of competitive advantage in the job market • Why our grads get substantially better jobs than grads of most IE or B-school programs WPI Department of Management

4. The Standard MQP Approach WPI Department of Management

5. The MQP Approach • Must have senior standing (capstone), including completion of most foundation and major courses • Should have completed Suff and IQP • No single approach used throughout the Department • Like four departments in a school (School of Management) • MIS has one approach to meet their unique needs • Special needs for IE as capstone design • Wall Street, London, and GEAC single term projects for selected IE, MG, and MGE majors • Custom MQPs for custom MGE or custom MG majors WPI Department of Management

6. How MQPTopics Develop • Company with idea approaches WPI; faculty member works to clarify the need and finds team • Faculty member with idea approaches company and finds team • Students with idea approach company and find advisor • Students with idea approach faculty member; faculty member or team may find company WPI Department of Management

7. Who Advises MQPs? • IE: Johnson, Noonan, Zeng, Zhu (Gerstenfeld) • MG: Danneels, Elmes, Higgins, Kasouf, Mistry, Mukherjee, Nilsson, Taylor (Banks, Vassallo) • MGE: Danneels, Elmes, Higgins, Kasouf, Mistry, Mukherjee, Nilsson, Taylor, Johnson, Noonan, Zeng, Zhu (Banks, Gerstenfeld, Vassallo) • MIS: Djamasbi, Loiacono, Strong WPI Department of Management

8. Clarifying Your ThoughtsAbout Your MQP • What do you want to do after you graduate? • What company do you want to work for after you graduate? • What do you want to learn through your project? • What type of project partners do you want? WPI Department of Management

9. Morgan Stanley General Electric Bose Pratt & Whitney Fidelity Investments City of Worcester Aearo Company Massachusetts State Police Teradyne ECI Biotech RPS Lehman Brothers Baxter HealthCare Some RecentMQP Sponsors WPI Department of Management

10. What Happens in a MQP? • 3-4 students (typically) • Self-managed team responsible for the work and achieving objectives • Act as consultants • Must act professionally (dress, attention, etc.) • Students may be removed from teams • Faculty member is advisor, but also the evaluator WPI Department of Management

11. Most Common Structure • 1/3-unit each in A-, B-, and C-terms (may not exceed 1-1/6 units) • Present to client in C- or D-term • Present at Project Presentation Day • Attend Department Reception/Dinner to celebrate graduation and MQP Award • Workload of 12-17 hours per week per person • Often spend one day per week at site WPI Department of Management

12. Other Information • Track your MQP expenses • Each student expected to spend $25 for each 1/3-unit. • Additional expenses must be approved by Advisor and Department and requires receipts • Do NOT sign any legal agreements, NDAs, Confidentiality Agreements, etc., until they have been approved by WPI. • See the Writing Resource Center for writing help if necessary. WPI Department of Management

13. Other Information - 2 • Grades are based on quality and consistency of the process and results, not hours, not thickness of the report, etc. • Satisfying the client is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for success • Some MQPs earn a grade each term; other MQPs earn a “grade” of SP along the way, which is converted to a final grade at the end. Consistent SP ≠ A. • An A on your MQP is 1/3 of an honors graduation requirement and will be judged accordingly. Please take it seriously. WPI Department of Management

14. Benefits to You • Get to graduate (possibly with honors)! • Something to talk about in job interviews • Equivalent of a year (or more) of work experience (according to recruiters) • Premium starting salary • Confidence in your ability to solve ill- or semi-structured problems and present the solution in a meaningful way WPI Department of Management

15. Questions? WPI Department of Management