MRes: Master in Research

The MRes is a one-year, stand-alone graduate degree based on coursework and generic training, and a major research project, anchored in the relevant discipline in the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences. The degree provides the opportunity for students to develop a deeper understanding of their subject by engaging in a sustained research project, while acquiring skills that will serve them in their career development or in continuing with their fourth-level studies.

The MRes offers training in project management, research skills, digital and editing skills, or qualitative data analysis, and at the same time provides greater flexibility precisely because the taught components are reduced (with respect to a taught Master’s) and because the student will work, under supervision, on an extended project based on his or her individual research interest. For these reasons, this degree will appeal to a wide range of students, including those who might already be employed or who are engaged in life-long learning.

The core modules provide a common base of research, generic and technical skills that will aid students in their research projects, while the other two modules (Dissertation; Research Journal and Dissertation Presentation) constitute a strong subject-based pathway that will ensure a grounding in the student’s discipline. The research project will be intensive and the topic and structure will be determined early in the academic year (i.e. in the first half of Teaching Period 1). MRes students will graduate with a portfolio of skills designed to increase their employability, skills that would not normally be available to them in other one-year taught Master’s programmes, or in two-year MPhil programmes which are based primarily on a research dissertation and involve little or no coursework.

The following disciplines/departments are offering the MRes in 2011-2012:

Classics
Drama and Theatre Studies
Folklore
French
Hispanic Studies
History
History of Art
Italian
Léann Dúchais
Music

The MRes is an approved calendared programme of study of 12 months’ duration (full-time) or 24 months (part-time) from registration for the programme in October and involves (a) a research dissertation and (b) taught modules on generic and transferable skills.  Details of available research areas are available from the Departments/Schools concerned.

Entry Requirements
To be considered for registration as an MRes candidate, an applicant will normally have a primary degree at Second Honours level, Grade I or the equivalent.

Programme Requirements
Students take taught modules to the value of 20 credits and complete a research dissertation of approximately 25,000 words to the value of 70 credits.

Students take 15 credits from the following

PG6004 Getting Started with Graduate Research and Generic Skills (5 credits)
PG6009 Graduate Information Literacy Skills (5 credits) 

Either
PG6008  Qualitative Data Analysis and Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software for the Social Sciences and Humanities (5 credits)
or
PG6010 Editing Skills for Research Postgraduates in the Humanities and Social Sciences  (5 credits)
or
PG6011 Digital Skills for Research Postgraduates in the Humanities and Social Sciences (5 credits)
plus 75 credits from one of the following Disciplines (Dissertation [70 credits]; Research Journal and Dissertation Presentation [5 credits]):

Classics
Drama and Theatre Studies
Folklore
French
Hispanic Studies
History
History of Art
Italian
Léann Dúchais
Music

For more information please contact the Department/School directly involved. A 1,000-word project description is required with the application to the MRes and this should be developed in consultation with the potential dissertation supervisor.