Undergraduate Business Student’s Self-Assessment of Meta-Competencies in the Context of the Final Year Projects

Abstract

While research on competence-based assessment has grown, scholars have conducted fewer studies on an integrative view of competence acquisition, in the context of the final year project, that have particularly addressed the meta-competence approach. This paper examines undergraduate business students’ perceived acquisition of competencies during the development of their final year project and tries to determine relevant differences among the set of competencies students’ value most. The study gathered quantitative data by using a questionnaire applied to students after their presentation of the final degree project at a Spanish Business School. The findings show the emergence of three profiles of students based on their competencies acquisition. The profiles display an interconnected relation and put forward some shortfalls in competence acquisition as well as propose an emerging profile of the meta-competent student.