The Role of Final Year Project in The School of Mathematical Sciences in Human Capital Development

Soft skills are important elements in the development of human capital. These elements can be incorporated into the teaching and learning at all levels through courses or subjects offered. At the School of Mathematical Sciences (PPSM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), a final year project is a compulsory course for all students as a partial fulfillment to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree. This study aims to investigate the role of final year project in the students’ human capital development. A survey was carried out on 136 final year students in PPSM from three programmes; Mathematics, Actuarial Science and Statistics. Based on the analysis, it is found that nearly all respondents agreed that the final year project has successfully strengthened their key elements of soft skills, which include leadership, communication and continuous learning.