Educational and Social Research MRes

The programme leading to the degree of MRes Educational and Social Research is a comprehensive research training which provides a thorough grounding for doctoral studies. It also acts as valuable preparation for anyone who would like to take up a research career in the academic community, the public sector or in industry.

It will enable you to become a skilled and informed member of the educational community, with an in-depth knowledge of specialised research skills and a broad understanding of the relationship between research evidence, policy and practice. We will train you to evaluate educational research evidence critically and to carry out rigorous research yourself.

The MRes is part of the education cluster supported by the ESRC Bloomsbury Doctoral Training Centre. Applicants may be eligible to apply for funding in the annual studentship competition.

Programme of study and assessment

The programme consists of five courses, as listed below. In addition, you will carry out a piece of research leading to a dissertation of approximately 15,000 words. You will also undertake courses in academic competencies.

Taught courses:

• Philosophical and design issues
• Collecting data
• Quantitative analysis
• Qualitative analysis
• Optional module.

The dissertation

For your dissertation, which will be 15,000 words in length, you will conduct a piece of empirical work investigating a research question of your choice. This will develop your ability to plan and carry out a substantial piece of work and to apply skills acquired during the programme. It will enable you to develop independent critical thought and to produce work that will provide the basis for a PhD thesis.

Each term, you will have tutorial sessions to guide you in the direction of an appropriate theme. You will then embark on your dissertation work under the supervision of your tutor.

Length of programme

You can complete the MRes programme in one year of full-time study or two years' part-time study. The majority of courses are offered in the evening, but many are also offered during the day.

If you wish to study part-time, please contact the Doctoral School to check the daytime attendance arrangements.

Entry requirements

The normal minimum requirement for entry to this programme is a second-class honours degree from a UK university or an overseas degree that we judge to be of an equivalent standard. We may also consider applicants with a professional or other qualification gained by written examination and judged by the IOE to be the equivalent of a second-class honours degree.

You may also be eligible if you have alternative qualifications gained by written examination; in such cases, we may ask you to take a qualifying examination. You should also preferably have at least two years' professional experience relevant to MRes degree studies.

Credit exemption

At the discretion of the IOE, we may grant you credit exemption for work successfully completed (taught and examined) in research methods courses from doctoral or masters degree programmes from another university. The exemption will be based on courses that the Institute considers to be of an appropriate level and which form a coherent whole with your programme at the IOE.

Further details are available from the Doctoral School.

Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma

A postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma is awarded to students who register initially for the MRes and successfully complete 60 or 120 credits respectively, based upon approved courses.