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MRes - Master of Research
Mount Pleasant Campus
Full Time
Sep 2026
1 Year
The MRes in Engaged Research develops critically reflective, impact‑driven researchers who work collaboratively with organisations and public service partners to address societal, organisational and policy challenges.
Rooted in engaged scholarship and relational research traditions, this programme equips you with the skills to design, conduct and lead co‑produced research that generates meaningful public value.
Across 12 months (full‑time), you will undertake a live, client‑based Independent Research Project, supported through dual supervision and a structured engagement model. You will explore your role and responsibilities as an engaged researcher, learn to navigate complex ethical environments, and develop the methodological expertise needed to deliver high‑quality applied research in organisational and public service contexts.
This programme is ideal for early‑career researchers, practitioners seeking to develop research capability, and those aiming to progress into applied research roles in higher education, public services, consultancy, or policy environments.
Programme Aim
The MRes in Engaged Research aims to:
This module enables students to complete a substantial, original research project in collaboration with a client organisation or public service partner. Building on the co-designed research protocol developed in earlier modules, students will implement and adapt their methodology in real-world conditions, undertake systematic data collection and analysis, and produce both academic and applied outputs. Projects must adhere to ethical and governance requirements and reflect the principles of engaged, impact-driven research.
Students are expected to demonstrate critical reflexivity, methodological rigour, and the ability to integrate theory, stakeholder insight, and empirical evidence to generate findings of practical and scholarly value. The final submission includes an academic dissertation (15,000–20,000 words), at least one applied deliverable for the client, and a reflective analysis of the research process.
Engaged Research Methods and Collaborative Design (30 credits) expands on Module 1 by enhancing students' methodological and technical skills. They examine various approaches, including qualitative, quantitative, participatory, arts-based, AI-enabled, and other relational methods suitable for collaborative inquiry. Students co-develop their Independent Research Project with a client organisation or public service partner, negotiate data access, submit ethics applications, and plan data management. When appropriate, they use software such as Python, R, NVivo, or Power BI to support analysis and presentation.
The module, Engaged Research - Values, Principles, and Approaches (30 credits), covers the foundational concepts of engaged scholarship, relational research, and co-produced inquiry. Students examine the role and context of research within practice-based settings, considering how language, power, and positionality affect research relationships and results. This module begins with early-scoping activities, during which students identify and secure a suitable client organisation or public service partner.
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