Entry requirements: Normally a first or second-class Honours degree or professional experience in the area of study
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: 2 years
Programme Leader: Dr Bridget Egan
Telephone +44 (0) 1962 827474
Email Bridget.Egan@winchester.ac.uk
If English is not your first language: IELTS 6.5 (including 6.5 in academic writing) or a TOEFL score of 575 (paper-based) or 232 (computer-based) or equivalent
Start dates: September, January and July
Application process: UKPASS (full-time applicants only) or Direct Entry Application Form (part-time applicants only)
The programme is an intensive training programme in social research methods and approaches. It aims to equip graduate students with advanced qualitative and quantitative research skills, which support them in developing towards careers in research or as senior professionals able to support others in research endeavours, for example in schools.
Research design is a focus, enabling students to select appropriate approaches and methods to carry out investigations. It provides students with the opportunity to develop intellectual and practical skills along with the ability to analyse and communicate complex ideas, and creatively plan and manage an independent postgraduate research project in education. It also equips students with the necessary skills to undertake further doctoral study.
Students may choose to target a particular aspect of educational practice for data collection, but the assignments that they do will analyse data collection methods, analysis approaches or ethical aspects of the research rather than the content of the practice.
• Quantitative Methods in Social Research
• Qualitative Methods in Social Research
• Theory, Practice and Ethics in Social Research
Workshops and seminars develop some of the underpinning research skills. Students are part of ongoing online and face-to-face discussions with tutors and other students, and they are equipped to present aspects of research in a range of ways.
Assessed work includes portfolios of completed tasks, essays, presentations and posters. All assessments are given numerical grades.
Dissertation
The dissertation focus is an aspect of research methodology that interests you. Students choose an empirical or a theoretical focus.
Students are equipped to pursue careers in educational research, as research officers working for educational bodies such as local authorities, as contract researchers or as project officers working on funded projects in higher education or research institutes.