ALS 400
Team Master’s Project

The Team Master’s Project (TMP) is the capstone activity for second-year Master of Business and Science (MBS) students and for Postdoctoral Professional Masters (PPM) students. It is assigned 2-course credits each semester for a total of 4 course credits and a passing grade in both semesters is required for graduation with an MBS or PPM degree. The students work in teams of three to six students on professional life science projects which typically focus on business, regulatory, technical or marketing challenges of a commercial life science company.

Status as a 2nd-year MBS student or enrollment in the PPM program is required. Undergraduate students may apply to participate in lieu of performing a senior thesis but approval by their undergraduate institution is required.

The primary academic goal is for students to gain practical, hands-on experience working on a project of importance to the sponsoring life science company.  TMP projects are 2-semester efforts with direct involvement of the corporate liaison and a substantial TMP fee paid by the sponsoring company.  The TMP provides a unique educational opportunity in the life sciences.  Students are expected to gain experience with:

• negotiation, resolution and delineation of goals
• making decisions and tradeoffs under uncertainty
• professional communications and reporting
• dealing with 3^rd parties including vendors and sponsor customers
• working effectively under resource limitations
• managing confidential information

Team-based learning objectives include:

• division of labor
• delegation and assignment
• authority, individual responsibility, accountability
• resolution of conflict
• performance evaluation and review
• adjustments and error corrections

Students should develop project management skills including:

• development of a project work plan
• definition of work through a work breakdown structure
• assignment of individual tasks through a responsibility matrix
• application of project control of deliverables, timelines and budgets.