Master of Business Administration (QUT)
I have just completed the MBA at the Queensland University of Technology. I chose to study full time and am finishing the applied capstone project with a corporate Learning and Development assignment.
My individual units are listed below, including my results.
In my undergraduate studies, I studied at two universities simultaneously and graduated in December 2002 after four years:
- Bachelor of Journalism
(University of Queensland) - Bachelor of Arts (Communication Design)
(Queensland University of Technology)
I studied these degrees concurrently whilst working a part-time internship role at the News On-Line desk at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. At the time I was studying, UQ did not offer a journalism degree with a focus on digital production.
I successfully managed my time to complete both degrees with advanced skills in writing, digital production and time management.
I finished high school in Brisbane with strong marks in English, Science (Biology,) Information Technology, Bahasa Indonesian and Advanced Maths. That’s a long time ago now 🙂
MBA results
QUT marks are assigned from 1 to 7 (high distinction.) Percentages are provided for Harvard and WHU exchange units. Please click on the subject code for each unit’s official synopsis.
| Unit name (# at end if unscheduled) | Result | Key takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting for Decision Making GSN404 | 6 | Annual reports provide (sometimes terrifying) insights into cashflow management and long-term solvency risks |
| Business Law GSN412 | 6 | Statute law provides structure for contracts… until the problems begin |
| Capstone unit GSN590 | 7 | Educational program to train youths in sustainability and ecosystem management |
| Communicating to Influence GSN407 | 6 | Personal presentation succeeds through articulation, not the slide deck. Less words on screen = more effective delivery. |
| Contemporary Human Resource Management Issues GSN406 | 5 | The right workplace culture drives engagement in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. Positive change must be structured and delivered with top-tier support. |
| Corporate Governance and Accountability GSN473 | 6 | Directors are collectively responsible for leadership indiscretions. Be responsible, as a team. |
| Crisis Communication GSN558 | 7 | Emergency scenarios must be envisaged and rehearsed for appropriate response management. |
| Data Analysis and Decision Making GSN403 | 4 | Statistical analysis provides confident insight into data sets. (This subject was my lowest mark, but required the most work, and passing statistics remains my greatest victory.) |
| Economics in Business GSN491 | 6 | Economic theory drives the world's financial systems - and explains cannibalism in sharks. |
| Entrepreneurship GSN410 | 7 | Build a Minimum Viable Product, test it to find out what works, upgrade it, repeat, repeat, repeat. |
| Financial Management GSN413 | 4 | A conservative approach is important, but financial calculation provides risk insight |
| Project Management (Harvard University, USA) MGMT S-5030 | B+ (88%) | Formal linear Waterfall project management, iterative Agile management, governance, tools and best-practice. |
| Managing Technological Innovation GSN490 | 6 | The S curve - early adopters, mainstream, and laggards - models industry acceptance of new technology. Plan integration according to business need, risk and priorities. |
| Marketing Strategically GSN408 | 5 | Advertising should be market-specific. Build a punter profile to craft the right message. |
| Personal Leadership and Change GSN497 | 6 | A personal journal provides perspective over my own behaviour and colleague interaction. This insight improves my working relationships and ability to become a better person. (This unit was exceptional.) |
| Problem Framing for Creative Action GSN468 | 6 | An impossible task can be visualised and solved with the right tool. Fishbone Ishikawa! |
| Smart Decision Making - Beyond Big Data GSN541 | 5 | Data usage affects every level of an organisation. Strategise technology use for scalable, responsive intelligence. |
| Strategic Management GSN405 | 6 | A well-structured chart tells a ten-thousand word story. Use the models to plan the next step. |
| Understanding and Leading Others GSN409 | 6 | Team relationships can be strengthened by considering colleagues' status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness and fairness. Consider alternate viewpoints to gain clarity and intuition. |
| Understanding Leadership and Complexity GSN415 | 6 | Complexity models provide strategic insight for change management |
| European Summer Program (WHU, Germany) European Summer Program | A- (91-94%) | The EU is a patchwork quilt of interwoven disparity. The business ethos and historical culture differs significantly from that of Australia. |