Capstone Business and Operations for a Circular Bio-Economy

Please note: The capstone project is only accessible for ID-verified MicroMasters Program learners who successfully obtained verified certificate in all MicroMasters Program courses.

In the first three courses of the MicroMasters Program, you will learn about all the different steps in a biobased process and the business and operations aspects you should consider before choosing a certain process. In this capstone project, you will work on integrating the technological section with the business and operations sections to develop a sustainable biobased practice. The focus is on linking the various aspects into an integral research, based on literature research and applied to a practical case.

The final product in this capstone project is a written report. From a business perspective, you will write an advice for an audience of your choice, for example the executive board of a company, an investor or a governmental agency. You are free to choose the subjects you want to address in this advice. This means you get the opportunity to work on a case of your choice and receive feedback from experts in the field.

In order to find the information and publications you need, you will get tips and advice on how to do proper literature research. Along the way, you will get feedback on your proposal, draft and final report. The final report should reflect the academic research capabilities on a master's level, i.e. defining a research proposal, proper literature research, methodology, data, results and conclusions and discussion.

You can start the capstone project after completing all other courses in the MicroMasters Program Business and Operations for a Circular Economy, with a verified certificate for every course:

• Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Approach
• Business Strategy and Operations in a Biobased Economy
• From Fossil Resources to Biomass: a Chemistry Perspective

After completing the course, you will be able to:

• Define a proper research proposal on the edge of the technology and business aspects in a biobased circular economy
• Find and interpret academic literature
• Analyse and discuss a biobased product from the business and supply chain perspectives discussed in this MicroMasters Program
• Combine organizational and operational business considerations to design a sustainable biobased practice

Module 1: Course Overview

In module 1 you will find out more about the structure of the course, the prerequisites for participating in the capstone project and the learning outcomes.

Module 2: Preparation

Module 2 of the course focusses on preparing you for the capstone project. Some additional reading material is provided to help you on your way to writing a report of professional advice. You will also write a Proposal and Draft of the final report.

Module 3: Final Assignment

In this module you will work on your own case for this capstone project. Using the feedback from the course instructors on your work you will be well prepared to write your final report.