Master's in Research

Contents

The Masters in Research provides evidence of a grounding in research methods training which can support applications to PhD studentships funded by research councils such as the ESRC or other funding bodies. It offers rigorous multidisciplinary training in traditional and innovative research methods and enables you to develop an advanced critical appreciation of key methodological debates. There are four pathways: applied health studies, criminology and criminal justice, psychology and social work.

Core modules:

* Research Designs in Health (30 credits) develops a critical understanding of socio-political aspects of research, to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different research designs and to plan a research project
* Research Dilemmas and Strategies (30 credits) is designed to develop advanced and specialist knowledge in the fields of research strategies and philosophical assumptions underlying research decisions
* Making Sense of Quantitative and Qualitative Data (30 credits) develops advanced and specialist knowledge in the fields of both quantitative and qualitative methods
* Advanced Statistics and Data Analysis (15 credits) is designed to give a thorough appreciation of handling complex data sets, analysing quantitative data and presenting numerical data graphically in an accessible fashion
* Research Dissertation (45 credits) involves a requirement to present two bound copies of a formally presented dissertation of no more than 15,000 words.

Pathway modules:

* Health Policy and Strategy (30 credits) examines the broad UK health policy context within which professionals, patients and public engage. Allows you to explore the relationship of health to wider social policies
* Research in Social Work (30 credits) begins with taught components aimed at familiarising you with current debates and issues in Social Work
* Philosophy of Psychological Science (30 credits) develops advanced and specialist knowledge concerning the origins of contemporary psychology in philosophy, biology, physiology, anthropology and other contributory disciplines
* Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice (30 credits) focuses on a range of criminological approaches, research methods and theory. It will consider the ethical implications of undertaking research with offenders, victims and criminal justice personnel.

For the Master in Research you will complete a dissertation of 15,000 words and achieve a total of 180 credits. A Postgraduate Diploma may be awarded on completion of 120 credits; a Postgraduate Certificate on completion of 60 credits.

Teaching/assessment

Full-time attendance is one day a week or half a day if studying part-time. The course uses a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, visiting speakers, e-based learning, one-to-one supervision and self-directed study. Assessment in taught modules is by coursework, primarily essays, reports, mini-projects, presentations, method exercises, and a dissertation. There are no formal exams.